Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Tender shredded beef chuck slow-cooked with smoky chipotle peppers, garlic, lime, cumin, oregano, and beef broth. Serve in warm tortillas, rice bowls, or salads.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 480 min · Yield: 8 · Method: Slow Cooker

Ingredients

• 3.5 pounds beef chuck roast
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 peppers chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• 0.25 cup lime juice
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 leaves bay leaves

Cooking instructions

1. Trim excess surface fat from the beef and cut the roast into 4 to 5 large pieces. Season all over with the salt and black pepper. (about 10 min)
2. Place the sliced onion and bay leaves in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the beef, broth, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, minced garlic, cumin, and oregano. (about 5 min)
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours, until the beef is very tender and reaches at least 190°F for easy shredding. It should pull apart with a fork; whole beef roasts should reach at least 145°F for food safety, though barbacoa benefits from cooking longer until tender. (about 480 min) — LOW
4. Transfer the beef to a large bowl and remove the bay leaves. Shred the beef with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat. Return the shredded beef to the cooking juices and stir to coat. Taste and adjust with additional salt or lime juice if needed. (about 10 min)
5. Let the beef rest in the juices for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot in tortillas, over rice, or in bowls with your preferred toppings. (about 10 min)