Description
This Beef Barbacoa recipe features tender, slow-cooked Mexican pulled beef perfect for tacos and various dishes. The beef cheeks (or chuck) are seared for rich flavor, then slow-cooked with a smoky, tangy blend of chipotle chiles, beer, vinegar, and spices, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat infused with bold traditional Mexican flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef
- 2 kg / 4 lb beef cheeks (or chuck beef, see Note 1)
- 1 tsp kosher/cooking salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for searing)
- 4 bay leaves
Barbacoa Sauce
- 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (see Note 2)
- 3/4 cup dark ale (beer), or low sodium beef broth/stock (see Note 3)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Cut beef: Cut large beef cheeks in half so you have around 12–15 pieces. If using chuck, cut into about 12 pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Season: Sprinkle all pieces evenly with kosher salt and black pepper to enhance flavor before searing.
- Brown beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or skillet over high heat. Sear the beef pieces in batches, browning aggressively on all sides to develop a rich crust. Transfer browned beef to your slow cooker.
- Blitz sauce: Place the chipotle chiles in adobo, dark ale (or beef broth), apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic cloves, ground cumin, oregano, and ground cloves into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth to create the flavorful Barbacoa sauce.
- Slow cooker: Pour the blended sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves. Arrange the beef pieces so they are as submerged in the sauce as possible. The beef will release juices as it cooks, increasing the liquid level.
- Slow-cook: Cook on low heat for 8 hours. The meat should become extremely tender and easy to shred once done.
- Shred: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and place it into a pan. Use two forks to shred the meat into pieces.
- Sauce: Ladle 3 or 4 scoops of the cooking sauce over the shredded beef, then toss gently to combine and coat the meat evenly.
- Serve: Serve the shredded Barbacoa beef in tacos with your choice of taco fixings. It pairs wonderfully with Mexican red rice, pickled red cabbage, and lime crema.
Notes
- Note 1: Beef cheeks provide great tenderness and flavor; chuck beef is a suitable alternative if cheeks are unavailable.
- Note 2: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce add smoky heat; adjust quantity to taste.
- Note 3: Dark ale beer adds depth and slight sweetness; substitute low sodium beef broth for less alcohol flavor.
- Note 4: This recipe uses slow cooking as the primary method; alternatively, it can be made in a pressure cooker for faster results.
- Note 5: Lime crema is recommended to add a fresh, creamy component to tacos but is optional.
