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Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Recipe Easy Smoky Spices for Perfect Tender Meat

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A flavorful slow cooker beef barbacoa recipe featuring smoky chipotle peppers and warm spices that turns a tough cut of beef into tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners or gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pounds beef chuck roast
  • 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1–2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Trim excess fat from the chuck roast and cut into 3-4 large chunks.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef chunks on all sides until deep caramel color appears, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
  3. In the same skillet, sauté chopped onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in chopped chipotle peppers with some adobo sauce and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Transfer the onion, garlic, and chipotle mixture to the slow cooker. Add cumin, oregano, coriander, bay leaves, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the meat is fork-tender and shreddable.
  6. Remove beef chunks and shred with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat or connective tissue. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir into the juices.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Notes

Browning the beef before slow cooking adds depth of flavor. Use fresh lime juice at the end for brightness. If your slow cooker runs hot, check the beef an hour earlier to prevent drying out. For milder heat, reduce chipotle peppers or omit adobo sauce. Can substitute beef broth with vegetable broth for lighter flavor. Leftovers store well refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef barbacoa, slow cooker recipes, smoky beef, chipotle, easy dinner, tender beef, Mexican cuisine, crockpot barbacoa

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/slow-cooker-beef-barbacoa-recipe-easy-smoky-spices-for-perfect-tender-meat/