Mexican Barbacoa
Servings: 8
Calories: 249kcal
Delicious barbacoa beef made in the slow cooker with an ancho chili sauce. Tender shredded meat for tacos, bowls, or burritos—easy, authentic flavor!
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Ingredients
To Make the Barbaco Meat:
- 2 lb chuck roast seasoned with salt and pepper on both sides
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil to sear the meat
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup beef broth
Ranchero Sauce:
- 3 dried ancho chiles rehydrated with 3 cups boiling hot water
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- ½ cup salsa verde
- ⅓ cup water reserved from stepping chiles
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon lime juice
- Serve with corn or flour tortillas
Instructions
To make the Barbaco Meat
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a bit of oil or butter. Season both sides of the beef with salt and pepper to taste. Sear the beef on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply golden.
- To the slow cooker, add bay leaves, garlic, oregano, cumin, thyme, cloves, pepper, salt, vinegar, and broth. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 6-8 hours. Turn it around a few times during the cooking process. Meat is done when it is tender and can be shredded easily.
Ranchero Sauce
- While the meat cooks, prepare the dried chiles by cutting off the stem and removing the seeds. Place them in a bowl and cover them with about 3 cups boiling or very hot water. Let soak for about 15 minutes, or until softened.
- In a blender, combine the soaked ancho chiles, garlic, onion, salsa verde, ⅓ cup of the reserved hot water from the chiles, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth and thick. Reserve until the beef is ready.
- Once you can pull beef apart, shred it, and incorporate the ranchero sauce. Keep it on high heat until everything is warmed up and hot.
- Serve the shredded beef with warm tortillas, pickled onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- Barbacoa tastes even better the next day, as the flavors deepen. It’s a great recipe to prep ahead for tacos, burritos, bowls, or nachos.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently to keep the meat juicy.
Nutrition
Serving: 2.6oz | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 902mg | Potassium: 476mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg