This Crockpot Spicy Barbacoa Beef is a bold, Mexican-inspired slow-cooked beef perfect for meal prep. Make a large batch at the start of the week and use it to create quick lunches and dinners—tacos, tostadas, burrito bowls, stuffed peppers, salads, or breakfast tacos. The slow-cooking process yields deeply seasoned, fall-apart tender beef that absorbs the smoky heat of chipotle and bright acidity from lime and vinegar.
The method is straightforward and reliable: sear the roast to lock in flavor, sauté the onion for a slightly sweet foundation, whisk together the chipotle-adobo sauce and aromatics, then combine everything in a crockpot and cook low and slow. If time is tight you can cook on high, but cooking on low for a longer period yields a more tender, flavorful result.
Crockpot Spicy Barbacoa Beef
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless chuck roast beef
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 white onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce + 1 tbsp of the adobo sauce
(If following Whole30, use 2 tbsp chipotle chili powder instead and rub it over the beef.)
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt (plus extra for seasoning the beef)
- Freshly cracked black pepper, for seasoning the beef
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Trim excess fat from the roast. Generously season the roast on all sides with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Sear the roast in the hot skillet on all sides until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the seared roast to the crockpot.
- In the same skillet, add the diced onion and sauté for 3–5 minutes until slightly softened and translucent. Add the onions to the crockpot around the roast.
- Finely dice or mince the chipotle chiles and place them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce. Add the lime juice, apple cider vinegar, chicken broth, ground cumin, ground clove, dried oregano, minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Pour the sauce over the roast and onions in the crockpot, making sure the roast is well coated. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours, or on HIGH for 4–6 hours. For best flavor and texture, cook low and slow when possible.
- When the meat is fork-tender, remove the roast and use two forks to shred it finely to your liking. Return the shredded beef to the cooking liquid to allow it to absorb more flavor before serving.
Notes
Serving suggestions: Use the shredded barbacoa to make tacos, tostadas, burrito bowls, or serve over a salad. Stuff bell peppers and bake, or enjoy over cauliflower rice, quinoa, or regular rice. Add fresh pico de gallo, sliced avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges for brightness.
Make-ahead and storage: Let the beef cool to room temperature, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of broth or water to keep the meat moist, or microwave in short intervals until warmed through. Leftovers are excellent in breakfast tacos or mixed into scrambled eggs.
Variations: For a milder version, reduce the number of chipotles or omit the adobo sauce. For Whole30 compliance, substitute chipotle chiles and adobo with chipotle chili powder as noted above. To speed up the process, an Instant Pot or pressure-cooker version can shorten cook time while delivering similar tenderness.
Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should be used only as an approximation.
Additional Info
Author: Alex Snodgrass
Servings: 6 People