Tender Beef Barbacoa Tacos Slow Cooker Recipe Easy Homemade Step-by-Step
This slow cooker beef barbacoa recipe delivers tender, flavorful tacos with smoky, tangy notes. Perfect for busy days, it uses simple ingredients and slow cooking to create melt-in-your-mouth beef.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 lbs beef chuck roast
- 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional, for searing)
- Corn or flour tortillas for serving
- Fresh cilantro, diced onion, and sliced radishes for topping
Instructions
- Trim any excessive fat from the chuck roast. Pat dry with paper towels. Season generously with salt and pepper on all sides. (Prep time: 10 minutes)
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer beef to slow cooker.
- In a blender or food processor, combine chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped onion, minced garlic, ground cumin, oregano, ground cloves, apple cider vinegar, and beef broth. Blend until smooth.
- Add bay leaves to the slow cooker. Pour the chipotle sauce evenly over the roast. Cover with lid.
- Cook on low for 8-10 hours or until beef is fall-apart tender. Alternatively, cook on high for 4-5 hours.
- Remove beef from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard bay leaves.
- Return shredded beef to slow cooker and stir to coat with juices. Add lime juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm until serving.
- Warm tortillas on a dry skillet or microwave. Fill with beef barbacoa and top with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and sliced radishes. Add a squeeze of lime if desired.
Notes
Searing the beef before slow cooking adds extra flavor. If sauce is too thin after cooking, remove beef and simmer sauce on stove to thicken before mixing back in. Adjust chipotle peppers for desired spice level. Leftovers store well in fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco with beef and
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Protein: 25
Keywords: beef barbacoa, slow cooker tacos, chipotle beef, easy tacos, Mexican slow cooker recipe, tender beef, homemade barbacoa