Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 3 whole chipotle chilies (canned in adobo sauce)
- 2 tsp adobo sauce
- 4 jumbo garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ~3 lbs chuck roast (cut into 5-6 pieces)
- Salt and pepper for seasoning beef
- 2 bay leaves
Make the Barbacoa Sauce
Add the chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, beef broth, vinegar, lime juice, oregano, cumin, cloves, salt, and pepper to a food processor.
Puree until completely smooth – this makes about 1 1/4 cups of sauce.
The sauce should have zero chunks; Keep blending if you see any pieces of chipotle or garlic.
Cut and Season the Chuck Roast
Cut the beef into 5-6 large chunks, then rinse them with cold water and pat completely dry with paper towels.
Season all sides generously with salt and pepper.
Bigger chunks hold up better during the long cooking time and shred easier at the end.
Brown the Meat in a Dutch Oven
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Add half the meat, then reduce heat to medium to prevent burning.
Brown each side for ~4 minutes – the meat should release easily when it’s ready to flip. If it sticks, give it another minute.
Set the browned chunks on a plate and repeat with the remaining meat.
The browning adds a ton of flavor that you can’t get in the slow cooker alone.
Layer Everything in the Slow Cooker
Place all the browned meat in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Pour about half the sauce over the meat, making sure each piece gets coated. Add the remaining meat if you have a second layer, then pour the rest of the sauce on top.
Tuck the bay leaves into the sauce and cover.
Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
Shred the Beef and Mix with Sauce
Once the meat is cool enough to handle, pull it apart with two forks.
Mix the shredded beef with enough of the cooking liquid to keep it moist but not soupy.
You should end up with about 4 cups of shredded barbacoa.
Keep it warm in the slow cooker on the warm setting until you’re ready to serve.
Chipotle Barbacoa
Ingredients
Ingredients (~4 servings)
- 3 whole chipotle chilies, canned in adobo sauce
- 2 tsp adobo sauce
- 4 jumbo garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ~3 lbs chuck roast, cut into 5-6 pieces
- Salt and pepper for seasoning beef
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Blend chipotles, adobo sauce, garlic, broth, vinegar, lime juice, oregano, cumin, cloves, salt, and pepper in food processor until completely smooth.
- Cut chuck roast into 5-6 chunks, rinse, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.
- Brown meat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, 4 minutes per side.
- Transfer meat to slow cooker and pour sauce over, tucking in bay leaves.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.
- Shred meat with two forks and mix with cooking liquid.