This Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish that never fails to impress. Add everything to your slow cooker and set it and forget it! Beyond easy and flavorful!

Melt in your Mouth Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Tender, juicy shredded beef that’s loaded with flavor and melts in your mouth, this Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa is a crowd favorite. Let’s face it, nothing beats a slow cooker meal. I mean really.. not slaving over a hot stove, especially during the summer, always wins in my book. Just add your ingredients to your slow cooker and set it and forget it. I’m all about it.

This Beef Barbacoa made in my slow cooker is a meal we all enjoy. It’s the perfect way to jazz up our Taco Tuesday. You can use it for your tacos, burritos or quessdillas.

Leave the boring ole ground beef aside and make way for this super tasty, tender beef. And when you see how easy it is to make, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

What you’ll love about this beef barbacoa is that you’ll be using a chuck roast, which is relatively inexpensive. It’s the ideal cut of meat for slow cooking because it’s got some fat, that after hours of cooking breaks down and gives the meat all its flavor and juiciness.

Plus it’s a slow cooker recipe which means you just add your ingredients to your slow cooker and set it and forget it. Go about your day and when dinner rolls around, your slow cooker’s gotcha covered.

Ingredients You’ll Need

chuck roast
olive oil
kosher salt and pepper
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
low-sodium beef broth
fresh lime juice
garlic cloves
oregano
ground cloves
ground cumin
bay leaves

Step-by-Step Instructions

First you’ll sprinkle your beef generously with kosher salt and pepper and then seared in a hot skillet until it’s browned on all sides before adding it to your slow cooker.

Then you’ll combine all your ingredients for your sauce in a small food processor or blender. You’ll pulse together some chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, beef broth, lime juice, garlic cloves, ground cumin, oregano and cloves until smooth and then pour it over your meat in your slow cooker.

Then you’ll set your timer for 8 hours and come back to ridiculously tender, juicy meat that is sure to melt in your mouth. You’re gonna love it folks!

This is a zesty meal that’s ridiculously easy to throw together and is great served with a side of rice or added to tortillas or tacos for your next taco night.

Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!

A Few Cook’s Notes for Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

For best results, I always make my barbacoa with a chuck roast that has a little bit of fat. The fat will cook down and then give your meat superior flavor and juiciness.

You can shred your meat right in your slow cooker using two forks.

I like to serve my barbacoa with some rice with red beans or as a taco filling with tortillas and all the taco fixings.

I added three chipotle peppers to my sauce which gave it significant heat, add two if you enjoy things less spicy.

More Mexican Recipes to Enjoy

Mexican Baked Beans

Mexican Spiced Chicken Bites

Cheesy Queso Fiesta Rice

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 8 servings

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This Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish that never fails to impress. Add everything to your slow cooker and set it and forget it! Beyond easy and flavorful!

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 20

Ingredients

3-3 1/2 lb. chuck roast, cut into 6-8 large pieces
kosher salt and pepper, for seasoning
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 bay leaves

Barbacoa Sauce

3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, 2 if you like things less spicy
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 garlic cloves
4 tsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Instructions

Heat two tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Pat chuck roast pieces dry with a papper towel. Season pieces generously with salt and pepper. Sear pieces on all sides and then place pieces in slow cooker.
Add all the ingredients for the barbacoa sauce to a small food processor or blender. Puree until smooth.
Pour the sauce over the meat in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves. Cook, covered for 8 hours on low.
Shred the meat with two forks in your slow cooker. Serve the barbacoa with warm tortillas and all your favorite taco fillings and/or with some Mexican rice with beans.

Notes