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Slow cooker barbacoa beef simmers all day in smoky chipotle, tangy lime, and warm spices until it falls apart. It’s perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, or nachos, all with that taquería-style flavor at home.
Why I’m Obsessed with This Barbacoa
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Tender: The slow cooker does all the work, turning beef into juicy, fall-apart perfection. Dry, chewy beef? Not on my watch.
- Better Than Chipotle: My hubby swears this recipe beats his go-to Chipotle order (I agree). It’s restaurant flavor without leaving home.
- Locked in Flavor: I sear the beef before it goes in the slow cooker to give the barbacoa a rich, smoky depth you can’t get by tossing it straight in raw.
Barbacoa Beef Ingredients
How to Make Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
Taking the time to get that perfect sear and then cooking low and slow all day pays off big with the most tender, delicious beef barbacoa recipe. Serve this beef barbacoa in tacos, burritos, nachos, quesadillas, the possibilities are endless.
- Sear the Beef: Cut the beef chuck roast into 2 or 3 large pieces. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and sear the meat on each side, then transfer it to the crockpot.
- Blend: In a food processor or blender, combine adobo chilies, beef broth, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, cloves, and lime juice. Pulse or blend until smooth, then pour the mixture over the meat.
- Cook and Shred: Cover with a lid and then cook on LOW for 8-9 hours or HIGH for 6 hours. Shred the meat with two forks and serve in a tortilla. Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped red onion, and lime wedges.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Low & Slow: For the most tender, fall-apart barbacoa beef, cook it on low. The slow heat breaks down the beef and gives you that melt-in-your-mouth texture and great taste.
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Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 – 4 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 cup beef broth
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Cut 4 pounds chuck roast into 2-3 pieces. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and sear the beef on each side. Transfer to your slow cooker.
- In a food processor, add 3 – 4 chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 cup beef broth, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Pulse until blended and pour on top of the meat.
- Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 6 hours. Shred the meat with two forks and turn on warm.
Video
Notes
- In the Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- In the Freezer: Place in a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Microwave the beef barbacoa until it is heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious Mexican dishes like my shrimp skillet, yummy street tacos, and Mexican chicken corn chowder, you’ve come to the right place! Make these tasty recipes and let me know your favorites!
My boyfriend really wanted Barbacoa tacos. It’s one of his favorites. I surprised him by making it for dinner one night. The stakes were high as he is apparently a Barbacoa snob. You would think he was Gordon Ramsey or something the way he was looking at me putting all of those spices in my Vitamix to blend. I used an I staple and just stick it on low for 4 hours while we went to the movies. I came home, and my house smelled amazing! He liked it so much he said it was better than Chipolte. Then he asked for the recipe. Thanks so much! ☺️
Made this for my nephew’s birthday and it was great!
Hi Seth!!
I am so happy that you liked it! Oh, and happy birthday to your nephew! Thanks for following along with me!
Wonderful!
This recipe is amazing!! It’s a favorite in my home. My family, friends and coworkers love it. I really really recommended adding a but more salt and cooking this for 8 hours on low. But the last 1-2 hours, take the lid off. The broth will boil down and the meat will crisp up a little bit in the fat. This makes the dish so much better. My Tia’s were asking for my recipe. ?? I’m never sharing.
Thank you so much for this recipe – it was delicious and enjoyed by all of my family, who rarely agree on a meal!
I’ve made this several times in an Instant Pot, and it is delicious that way too, Here is how I make it with the same ingredients:
Heat the oil in the Instant Pot on the Sauté setting.
Sear the beef on each side, then cancel Sauté.
Pour the chili mixture on top of the meat and add beef broth (if needed) until the meat is completely covered.
Close the lid and set the Instant Pot on Meat/Stew for 35 minutes.
Allow the pressure to come down naturally when done cooking.
Thank you!
This is a good BRISKET recipe, but barbacoa is cheek meat, not brisket.
hello! If I cut this recipe in half do I need to cook for less time? Thanks!
Yes and no, you will cook for less time but also need to make sure that your beef is cooked through.
I made it this evening and this was wonderful! I used my slow cooker and set it on high for the 6 hours. Use fresh squeezed lime juice. I did add a little more salt at the end of cooking. Paired this with cilantro lime rice and cut limes and mozzarella cheese. Would definitely make this again. My daughter loved it! Nice kick of spice if you love spicy.
Looking forward to making this! I don’t have any of those peppers though. Would it still be tasty if made without? Serving little ones as well!
Hi Jennifer!
It should be just fine to not use the peppers but it will change the taste a little. It should still be tasty though. Please let me know what you think! Thanks so much for following along with me!
Will the cook time change if I only use 2lbs of meat?
Hi Katie!
Yes, with less meat you will want to change the slow cooker time to 4-5 hours on low and then check it just to make sure that you don’t over cook it. I hope this helps! Thanks for following along with me!!
Very good! One comment said it was bland and we didn’t find that at all. Juicy tender and flavorful. Even my kids loved it. I highly recommend this recipe. Some of us topped it with a combination of pico de Gallo , guacamole and sour cream. On white corn tortillas since we have a wheat allergy in the home. Spicy but full of flavor with 3 chipotle peppers. Thank you for sharing
I made this for a family weekend of pool-time and OMG was it good. Lots of compliments. Very easy to put together and just let it “do its thing” in the crockpot without having to babysit it all day. (the most lengthy part of prep was searing the beef, but it really does make a big difference.) I am making it again this weekend for a friends-dinner. Can’t wait to try it again! (Oh yeah, P.S., I didn’t add the cloves, otherwise, I made this recipe as-is.) Fabulous!!!!
Any way I can do this in the oven instead of a slow cooker?
Yes, of course! This will be great in the oven.
Delish!!!
I used this recipe for a get together with some friends of mine, half of whom were Mexican. They were amazed that a White Boy could cook an authentic Mexican dish like this! Thank you therecipecritic.com for helping this Cracker fit in!
haha! That is awesome! I am so glad that you impressed so many! Way to go!
Lol