Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef

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This past Tuesday morning, which happened to be Cinco de Mayo, I casually asked Chris if he wanted a Mexican-themed dinner. Without skipping a beat, he replied, "Barbacoa." Guess he's had some time to think about it.

So off to the store I went to buy a chuck roast to make my hard-working husband some barbacoa beef. This recipe was exceptionally simple since I just threw everything in the crockpot and went about my day. The tender, shredded beef was mouth-watering and I really enjoyed it because we had a choice to use it in tacos, enchiladas, a quesadilla or on a salad. The possibilities were endless! The night I made this I seriously made the best quesadillas I've ever had and the next night I made equally as delicious tacos. So amazing. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 chiptoles in adobo sauce, cut in half, seeds removed and chopped (can keep seeds in if you want it extra spicy)
• 1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup beef broth

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the barbacoa beef with its juices in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Source: Adapted from Gimme Some Oven