Slow Cooker Barbacoa
This slow cooker barbacoa is filled with authentic flavors and the most perfect, tender meat.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chuck cut into 3-inch cubes
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup beef broth
- 4 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce sliced
- 6 large cloves of garlic minced
- 3 tsp of ground cumin
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 bay leafs
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1/2 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano substitute marjoram if needed
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients. Thinly slice the chipotles without rinsing. Pat your roast dry and cut into 3-inch chunks. Mince the garlic.
- Season beef generously with the salt.
- 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.
- Transfer meat to the slow cooker and turn off stovetop.
- Deglaze your pan by pouring in the beef broth, using a wooden spoon to scrape away the burnt bits stuck to the bottom.
- 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.
- Add bay leaves and the cinnamon stick to the slow cooker.
- 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.
- Discard any unwanted remaining pieces of fat and shred the meat apart using two forks. Serve hot.
Notes
Storage: Sealed in an airtight container barbacoa will stay fresh 4-6 days in the refrigerator, or 1-3 months in the freezer.
Reheat: Refrigerated barbacoa can be easily reheated in the microwave on high, or in the oven at about 350°F for 10 minutes. Be sure to cover your barbacoa with tinfoil in the oven to create steam that will help rehydrate the meat as it reheats.