Barbacoa-Style Shredded Beef
September 17, 2025 • 0 comments
Slow cooker barbacoa shredded beef is a rich and flavorful Mexican-inspired dish that's incredibly easy to make. This recipe takes a tough cut of beef, like chuck roast, and transforms it into tender, melt-in-your-mouth shreds after a long, slow cook.
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Servings: 8
Ingredients
- One (3 lb.) beef chuck roast, cut into 6 to 8 chunks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 large bay leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Season beef chunks with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook and stir beef until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned beef to a slow cooker.
- Mix broth, vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves together in a bowl until well combined. Season mixture with salt and pepper and pour over beef in the slow cooker. Stir in bay leaves.
- Cook on Low until beef is fork-tender, 8 to 10 hours. Discard bay leaves. Remove beef from the cooker and shred using two forks.
- Return beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat with sauce. Let marinate for at least 10 minutes before serving.
