Barbacoa Beef – the best of the taco’s in my opinion, with all the slow cooked flavors of the traditional recipes, but the ease of a slow cooker and simple toppings. This is the taco you want, but don’t always have time to make – make time for it! Beef chuck (stew meat) is seared in a skillet and then slow cooked in spices and broth to a finished result that is warming and spicy with the perfect balance of flavor. And it’s EASY! Customary Mexican versions of this use goat or sheep meat, cooked long in underground smoke ovens. The use of chipotle salsa lends a smoky finish to the sauce to mimic this cooking method.
The cooked beef can be used for days in burrito bowls, quesadilla’s, salads, nacho’s – really anything you can think of. It reheats great for a thermos to send to school or work for lunch with a bag of tortilla chips.
Barbacoa Taco's
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chuck roast beef, cut into 2 in. cubes
- 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 white onion, chopped fine
- 3 Tbsp chipotle salsa, or chiles in adobo pureed San Marcos brand offers the puree
- 1.25 cups beef broth
- 1 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cloves or all spice
- 3 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 12 corn tortillas
- sour cream, sliced avacado, cilantro for topping
Instructions
- Season the beef well with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat, and sear the beef in 2 batches, to prevent steaming. Remove seared beef to a plate - reserve drippings as well.
- To the slow cooker, add the beef, drippings, onion, garlic, broth, ACV, cumin, oregano, cloves, bay leaves, and stir ingredients well to combine. Cook on low setting for 6-8 hours, until beef falls apart when shredded. You can do 4 hours on high, but results are better with more time and low heat.
- Shred the beef, return to the seasoned broth, and stir in the lime juice and check for seasoning. You can add a touch more of the adobo salsa for heat, or salt if needed.
- Serve the beef in taco's with desired toppings, or make a burrito bowl with cooked rice or quinoa. Beef will keep well to use with nachos or breakfast tacos with scrambled eggs too!