Tag Archives: slow cooker

Beef Barbacoa

Beef Barbacoa

I tend to cook really simple things, one pot, straightforward recipes (or no recipe). But one of the things I really love about this dish is the depth of flavors. I keep coming back to it (and actually following the recipe) because they are so complex and perfectly balanced. Plus, it’s still only one pot!

  • 2-3 lb beef, trimmed (any cut that you would braise is great for this, chuck roast, brisket*, round steak, stew meat)
  • 1 cup beef or chicken stock  (If you don’t have stock on hand, use a bouillon cube and omit the salt below)
  • 2 medium Chipotle chiles in adobo (including the sauce, about 4 tsp) (more if you like it spicy!)
  • 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp Lime juice
  • 1 tbsp Dried oregano
  • 2 tsp Cumin
  • 2 tsp Sea salt
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Ground cloves (optional)
  • 2 whole Bay leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the beef in the slow cooker. Add in the rest of the ingredients.

Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until the beef is fall-apart tender. 

*If you’re using a brisket, take it out after it’s cooked, let it cool enough to work with and remove the fat cap, then return to the pot to shred and serve.

Remove the bay leaves. Shred the meat using two forks and stir into the juices. Cover and rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the beef to absorb even more flavor. Use a slotted spoon to serve.