The Best Slow Cooker Barbacoa (Authentic Recipe)

peppergeek.com

Ingredients

  • 4 chuck (cut into 3-inch cubes)

  • 1/4 cup kosher salt

  • 2 tbsp. olive oil

  • 1 cup beef broth

  • 4 chipotle chilies (in adobo sauce, sliced)

  • 6 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 3 tsp. ground cumin

  • 1 tsp. pepper

  • 3 bay leafs

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 1/2 lime

  • 1/2 tbsp. Mexican oregano

Directions

  1. 1

    Prepare your ingredients. Thinly slice the chipotles without rinsing. Pat your roast dry and cut into 3-inch chunks. Mince the garlic.

  2. 2

    Season beef generously with the salt.

  3. 3

    Preheat a skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add oil to coat the bottom and sear each side for about 2-3 minutes. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan.

  4. 4

    Transfer meat to the slow cooker and turn off stovetop.

  5. 5

    Deglaze your pan by pouring in the beef broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape away the burnt bits stuck to the bottom.

  6. 6

    Add the minced garlic, sliced chipotle, cumin, lime juice, oregano, and pepper to the pan. Pour the mixture over the meat in the slow cooker. Using tongs, make sure the meat is coated on all sides.

  7. 7

    Add bay leaves and the cinnamon stick to the slow cooker.

  8. 8

    Cook 4-6 hours on high, or 8 hours on low. Your barbacoa is done cooking when the meat easily falls apart by pulling it with a fork.

  9. 9

    Discard any unwanted remaining pieces of fat and shred the meat apart using two forks. Serve hot.