Mexican
Beef Barbacoa
Chuck roast cooks low and slow with chipotle, cumin, garlic, and vinegar until it shreds. It tastes smoky, spicy, and beefy, with a little brightness from the vinegar.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 8 hr
- Total
- 8 hr 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Chuck has enough fat to stay moist through a long cook.
- Chipotle in adobo supplies smoke and heat without a grill.
- Vinegar and lime keep the shredded beef from tasting heavy.
- Low and slow takes the roast to a shreddable temperature.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Pat the chuck dry and season it with the salt and pepper.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing. Brown the chunks on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
- 3
Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, beef broth, and apple cider vinegar.
- 4
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and about 200°F in the center.
- 5
Shred the beef in the cooker and stir it into the juices. Discard any large fatty pieces you do not want.
- 6
Squeeze the lime over the beef just before serving.
Pro tips
- Cutting the roast into chunks helps it fit and brown.
- If the juices are thin, simmer the shredded beef uncovered in a skillet for a few minutes.
- This is a long cook; start it in the morning for dinner.
Easy substitutions
- chipotle peppers
- 2 tablespoons chili powder for milder heat
- beef broth
- water plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
- chuck roast
- beef brisket flat, still cooked until it shreds
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a covered skillet over medium heat until the beef is hot, with a spoon of the juices.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 330
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
Moderate · Slow Cooker · Dairy-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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