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Braised Beef Barbacoa Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 124 reviews

This Braised Beef Barbacoa recipe offers tender, flavorful chunks of beef chuck roast slow-cooked to fall-apart perfection with a blend of smoky, spicy, and tangy seasonings including chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, and fresh lime juice. Perfect served bowl-style with rice, beans, and fresh toppings or as a hearty filling for tacos and burritos.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasoning

  • 3 lb beef chuck roast, fat trimmed & cut into 3-inch chunks
  • Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to season
  • 2–3 tablespoons olive oil, for browning

Flavor Base

  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 (4-ounce) can fire-roasted diced green chiles
  • 10 cloves of garlic (crushed) or 2 tablespoons garlic paste
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
  • 1 tablespoon Ancho chili pepper powder (or dark chili powder)
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup Mexican-style beer (Modelo recommended) or beef broth
  • 3–4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • ⅓ cup water (for blending chipotle peppers)

Finishing and Serving

  • ½ cup fresh chopped cilantro, to finish, plus more for serving
  • Rice of choice
  • Chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
  • Black or pinto beans
  • Salsa, guacamole, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños, as desired

Instructions

  1. Season & rest the beef: Generously season the chuck roast chunks on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside and allow the beef to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes for even cooking.
  2. Brown the chuck roast: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When hot, swirl to coat the surface, then add beef chunks in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the beef on all sides until a deep brown crust forms, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned beef to a clean vessel and repeat, adding an extra tablespoon of oil if necessary.
  3. Assemble the braise: Place all the browned beef into your slow cooker. Add the chopped onion, fire-roasted green chiles, crushed garlic, fresh lime juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, chili powder, ground cloves, liquid smoke, bay leaves, and Mexican beer (or beef broth). In a blender or food processor, combine the chipotle peppers with ⅓ cup water and blend until smooth. Pour this chipotle sauce into the slow cooker and gently stir all ingredients to combine.
  4. Slow-cook the beef barbacoa: Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the beef is tender and easily falls apart with a fork.
  5. Shred the beef: Remove the beef from the slow cooker or shred directly inside it using two forks. Mix the shredded beef back into the braising liquid to saturate the meat thoroughly. Stir in ½ cup of freshly chopped cilantro.
  6. Serve: Enjoy the barbacoa bowl-style with rice, lettuce, beans, salsa, guacamole, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños. Alternatively, use it as a filling for tacos, burritos, or nachos, garnished with extra cilantro and lime wedges for added brightness.

Notes

  • Allow the beef to rest at room temperature to promote even cooking and better searing.
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when browning the beef to ensure a proper crust forms.
  • If you do not have Mexican-style beer, use beef broth as a substitute.
  • Adjust the number of chipotle peppers according to your preferred spice level.
  • Leftover barbacoa can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Serve with fresh toppings like cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños for enhanced flavor.

Keywords: Braised beef, Barbacoa, Slow cooker beef recipe, Mexican beef, Chipotle beef

Find it online: https://lieblingsmahlzeit.com/braised-beef-barbacoa-recipe/