Barbacoa Beef

The best Barbacoa Beef recipe! This flavorful meat is deliciously seasoned and cooked low and slow until perfectly tender. Layer it in tortillas with all your favorite toppings for a crave-worthy dinner!

Prep time: PT20M

Cook time: PT480M

Total time: PT500M

Rating

4.99 stars (71 reviews)

Keywords

Barbacoa

Ingredients

3 lb chuck roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups beef broth, (divided)
3 - 4 chipotle chilies in adobo*
6 garlic cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Cuisine

Mexican

Steps

Cut roast into 6 portions while removing any large pieces of fat. Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet. 
Dab roast dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper (about 1 tsp salt 3/4 tsp pepper). Add 3 pieces to skillet and sear until browned on all sides. Transfer to a slow cooker.
Add remaining 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to skillet and repeat process with remaining 3 roast pieces. Nestle beef portions side by side in an even layer in slow cooker.
In a food processor, pulse together chipotle chilies, garlic and 1/4 cup beef broth until well pureed, occasionally stopping and scraping down sides of processor.
In a 2 cup liquid measuring cup or in a bowl, whisk together remaining beef broth with chipotle mixture, cumin, oregano and cloves. Pour mixture over beef in slow cooker, then nestle bay leaves between beef portions. 
Cover and cook on low heat 8 - 9 hours**.
Remove beef from slow cooker (leave broth) and shred. Stir lime juice into broth in slow cooker then return beef to slow cooker and cook on low or warm 20 - 30 minutes longer. 
Strain liquid from beef and serve in tortillas with desired toppings.

Nutitrion

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 349 kcal
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Protein: 33 g
Fat: 23 g
Saturated Fat: 11 g
Cholesterol: 117 mg
Sodium: 500 mg

Reviews

Sharon on 2026-05-22 (5 stars):
I've used this recipe a lot since 2022! Graduation celebrations, birthdays, shared with friends whose kids are picky eaters, and NOW in that family's rotation. I'm making tomorrow for a sleepover. It's a win! When kids are sharing, it's better than most Tucson, AZ restaurants, you know it is! I make it as is and never knew I had an addiction to radishes on my tacos! Thank you, and this review is long overdue!
Bryan on 2026-03-24 (5 stars):
Absolutely fabulous meal! We had some pickled radishes, carrots, and red onions to go with it and a side of corn with cotija cheese!! 10/10! We WILL BE MAKING THIS AGAIN!!
Risa H on 2026-01-16 (5 stars):
My go to for a while now. Delicious, flavorful and super easy to make. Always a winner on my table.
Beverly B Hardister on 2025-07-20 (5 stars):
So delicious! I've made it in the crock pot, and also in a dutch oven at 300° for about 2 hours. Shreds beautifully and is so flavorful!
Connie on 2025-04-26 (5 stars):
Husband said this is the “dish of the year!” Simply delicious!!
Shanna Lehr on 2025-03-12 (5 stars):
I have made this a dozen times through the years. It is a tried and true delicious recipe that your whole family (or friends) will love. Break out the guac, it's a party!
Paige on 2024-12-27 (5 stars):
I have made this recipe many times. It's a family favorite!! I always have extra adobe chilies from the can, so I am thinking about making extra sauce and freezing it in my new Souper Cubes. Then I can just brown the meat and pull out a frozen sauce and heat in the crock pot for the day. Thank you for sharing!
Christie on 2024-11-14 (5 stars):
This recipe is FANTASTIC. I modified it to go in the Instant Pot (sear in the IP, cook for 1 hr), and my husband practically devoured it. It is spicy, but we have had barbacoa in restaurants and it tastes just as good. We thought it was full of flavor, and served it with homemade tortillas, feta, cilantro, and a splash of lime juice. Will absolutely make again.
Jim on 2024-08-02 (5 stars):
Wow! Just wow! This was delicious! Followed the recipe except used a little chipotle powder (1/4 tsp) instead of the canned peppers to make a little milder. I will definitely be making this again and again! Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
Will on 2024-05-11 (5 stars):
I've made this very tasty recipe half a dozen times. Delicious and simple to cook, thanks to the easy to follow instructions & video. Four Chipotle chillies gives it a nice spicy kick. Freezes and reheats great too. Excellent for taco's, quesidillas and on rice. Thank you so much for sharing Jaclyn!
Ethan Johnson on 2024-03-14 (5 stars):
Great recipe and family loved it. Thanks
Lisa C on 2024-03-04 (5 stars):
I made this for dinner tonight using my pressure cooker. It turned out amazing (even with me forgetting to add the bay leaves). Thank you for an easy and tasty recipe. I’m excited to make it again soon.