Why We Love This Authentic Barbacoa Beef Recipe
There are dishes we make that come and go with very little impact. Then there are dishes we eat that strike us so intensely we think about them for days following. Some are so dynamic, we think about a single meal with reverence, for years. Beef Barbacoa is one of those life-altering dishes for me. This fabulous shredded beef recipe is earthy, ultra spicy, dripping with saucy goodness, and as decadent as a meaty dish gets. Here we are slow cooking the meat in the crockpot… This makes the recipe easy to put together, and allows the flavors to get super concentrated as everything slow cooks together. The dish starts with a spicy “chile water” made by soaking Anaheim chiles in hot water. This is pureed with a handful barbacoa seasoning ingredients to make a smooth sauce, which is then added to the slow cooker along with chuck roast. Let the beef cook hands-off for several hours before loading the meat into tortillas to make fabulous tacos loaded with your favorite toppings!
Spice Warning
Before getting started, here is a quick Public Service Announcement… Slow Cooker Barbacoa is spicy. The tortillas and toppings help neutralize the flavor a bit, but if you are sensitive to spicy heat, try making it with only 1-2 chipotle peppers.
Ingredients You Need
Beef Chuck Roast – The star of the recipe. Yet it needs a lot of flavorings and seasonings before it becomes crock pot barbacoa.
Chile “Water” –
Dried “New Mexico” Chiles – Or slightly less spicy anaheim pepper. Chipotle Chiles – Canned in adobo sauce. This makes for a smoky, tangy, slightly sweet, but intensely spicy experience. Onion – For depth of flavor. Garlic – Garlic to compliment the other flavors. Apple Cider Vinegar – This offers a tangy note for balance. Brown Sugar – To balance out the heat.
Barbacoa Seasonings –
Bay Leaves – A deep herbal flavor. Ground Cumin – Earthy, nutty, and smoky. Dried Oregano – Slightly bitter to compliment the spice. Ground Allspice – Strong and spicy. This is an iconic Caribbean flavor. Cinnamon – Usually used in baking, but in this case, it helps balance the whole meaty dish. Salt and Ground Black Pepper – Perfectly enhances all other flavors.
How To Make Beef Barbacoa
Serving Suggestions
The saucy shredded beef is perfect to use for making regular or smaller street tacos and taco salads. Or you can even just serve it over white rice with your favorite Mexican-inspired sides for a hearty main dish! To make barbacoa tacos, I suggest adding a spoonful onto two-layered warm corn tortillas. Then top with diced onions and cilantro, or pico de gallo, and serve with a lime wedge. Use the meat to make other Latin American-inspired recipes like enchiladas, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas For side dishes, you can’t go wrong with simple black beans or refried beans, Mexican potatoes (papas bravas), and zesty rice recipes like Spanish rice or yellow rice (arroz amarillo).
Recipe Variations and Tips
As noted above, this authentic recipe is very spicy. To cut back on the heat a bit consider reducing the number of chipotle chiles from 3-5 to 1 or 2. The dish will still have some spic, but not nearly as much. We make this recipe with traditional chuck roast. However, other cuts of tough meat like brisket, rump roast or beef cheeks also work well! You can also make this traditional recipe with goat or lamb. This crockpot Barbacoa Recipe is one of those that gets better with time. With so many chiles and spices, the flavor improves and deepens over time. My Slow Cooker Barbacoa Recipe tastes amazing on day one, but is nearly a religious experience on day 3 or 4. Start it in the morning and let it simmer all day long. Better yet, start it two or three days before you plan to serve it. Complete the recipe, and chill the shredded barbacoa until you are ready to serve it. Then rewarm the barbacoa in the slow cooker and serve.
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