• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Day in the Kitchen
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Beef » Smoky Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

    Smoky Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

    Published: Feb 17, 2020 · Modified: Aug 4, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Let the slow cooker do most of the work for this easy and super delicious shredded beef barbacoa! The smoky tender flavorful beef is great for tacos, salads, burritos, nachos and more!

    A black bowl containing shredded brown beef

    Tender, shredded beef with a hint of smoky spice and rich in flavor.

    Perfect for stuffing in taco or burrito or lettuce wrap.

    Or for eating on a salad or with rice and beans.

    Or for broiling with some cheese on nachos.

    It's smoky tender beefy goodness...

    ...and it ticks the boxes for paleo, low-carb, and gluten-free!

    Easy As 1-2-3

    For making this beef barbacoa, the cut of beef is easy. Use simple affordable cuts like beef chuck roast, sirloin roast...any cut that is good for stews is suitable. Cut the beef into chunks about the size of a lemon, which will allow the beef to cook a little quicker and  it will allow the seasonings to coat more of the meat.

    Raw beef chunks, red chipotle peppers, spices, garlic, and onions

    Speaking of seasonings, let's get to the FLAVOR! All you need is garlic, onions, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cumin, thyme, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper. Those all get mixed together and slathered all over the meat chunks.

    The final ingredient is beef broth, which gives a a flavorful bath for the beef to stew in and it will be the "sauce" that coats the shredded beef when it's all done.

    Spices mixed with chipotle peppers, onion, and garlic, mixed with meat chunks, brown liquid being added to the meat

    Cooking It Low and Slow

    All of it goes in the slow cooker, lid on, turn to Low and let cook for about 10 hours (or about 6 hours on High). I have let this cook overnight on Low and it works out perfectly.

    If you are using a leaner cut of beef, like sirloin, it needs that extra time to really become fork tender pullable. The long cooking time also allows the flavors to really come out and soak into the meat.

    Basically, there is no negative to letting it cook longer.

    Beef chunks in brown liquid, beef chunks, two forks shredding beef, brown liquid in a pot

    Then it's time to remove the beef room from the slow cooker and shred or pull the beef, which I find easiest with two forks.

    After I've removed all the meat, I pour all the liquid from the slow cooker into a pot and heat it on the stove for 10-15 minutes to reduce it to a slightly thicker sauce. Then I mix it back in with the shredded beef and all that smoky saucy goodness coats all the meat!

    You can skip this step, and if you do, just mix the meat back into the liquid in the slow cooker. It will still coat the beef, but it will just be a bit thinner. All good!

    Brown shredded beef on a plate with green lettuce, white rice, and purple tortilla chips

    I had never even heard of beef barbacoa until I saw it as a meat option on Chipotle Mexican Grill's menu. I had no clue what it was and when I saw it, I just thought, okay....so it's pulled beef. I had no idea that it's not JUST pulled beef...it's mighty tasty pulled beef!

    Brown shredded beef, grated white cheese, green lettuce, red salsa, on a flour tortilla

    And when I tried making beef barbacoa at home, it was an instant hit with the family. My boys liked it because it was a bit leaner than pulled pork, and we all liked it because the flavor and texture were just so good! I've served it with rice and beans, on a salad, in a soft tortilla, and on nachos.

    The beef barbacoa makes a great substitute for the pork in my Carnitas Fiesta Bowls and it's a perfect savory topping to a salad! It also freezes well, so you can have portions ready to go for any weeknight meal!

    If you ever needed a reason to dust off the slow cooker, this is it! Put it to work and whip up a batch of this beef barbacoa today!

    ~ Lisa.

    Smoky Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

    Let the slow cooker do most of the work for this easy and super delicious shredded beef barbacoa! The smoky tender flavorful beef is great for tacos, salads, burritos, nachos and more!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Dishes
    Cuisine: Mexican, Western
    Keyword: shredded beef, slow cooker
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Slow Cook on Low: 10 hours
    Total Time: 10 hours 20 minutes
    Makes: 12 servings
    Calories: 260kcal
    Author: Lisa from A Day in the Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 3 lbs. beef roast (eg. chuck roast, sirloin roast, etc.)
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • ½ onion, diced
    • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped up
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon thyme
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon oregano
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 1 ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 cup beef broth

    Equipment

    • Slow Cooker

    Instructions

    • Cut beef roast into chunks.
    • Mix together minced garlic, diced onions, chipotle peppers, and spices.
    • Coat roast chunks with chipotle pepper mixture and place in slow cooker.
    • Add beef broth.
    • Cover and cook for 10 hours on Low, or 6 hours on High, until meat is easily shreddable; longer is better.
    • Remove beef and shred using two forks.
    • If desired, pour liquid from slow cooker into a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced. Mix in with shredded beef.

    Notes

    • You can marinate the beef in the spice mixture before cooking, if desired, but it's not necessary.
    • I often cook the beef on low overnight and it works perfectly!
    • You can adjust the amount of cumin and chipotle peppers depending on how spicy you like the beef.
    • It freezes really well! Freeze in meal portions in ziploc bags and reheat by heating in a pot or pan on the stovetop.
    • Perfect served on a salad, in soft or hard tacos, in lettuce wraps, with rice and beans, on nachos, etc.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 260kcal
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @dayinthekitchen or tag #adayinthekitchen!

    Brown shredded beef, cut green lettuce, white rice, and purple tortilla chips, the words smoky chipotle beef barbacoa on the bottom

    « Easy & Delicious Mochi Pancakes
    Gluten-Free Honey Oat Nut Bread »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sabrina

      March 09, 2020 at 1:23 pm

      5 stars
      So yummy! I’m always looking for a good taco filling and this is tops. So much flavour and so easy, I really appreciate the simplicity. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        March 11, 2020 at 3:24 pm

        Thanks, Sabrina!

        Reply
    2. Bernice Hill

      March 07, 2020 at 5:22 am

      5 stars
      One look at this beef and I'm drooling! Beef barbacoa is not something I've made because I usually focus on pork. I'm going to give this a try.

      Reply
      • Lisa

        March 11, 2020 at 3:23 pm

        Definitely do, Bernice!

        Reply

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    I cook up big ideas in my small kitchen in Hong Kong! My recipes are big on healthy eating, real food, and international flavors that you can create in any size kitchen. I also specialize in gluten-free cooking and baking, demystifying gluten-free and showing you how easy and delicious it can be!

    Read more...


    Quote for the Day

    Life is what you bake it.


    Never Miss A Recipe!


    Reader Favorites

    • How To Cook Eggs In A Rice Cooker
    • Iced English Tea Latte
    • Easy Homemade Sandwich Deli Meat
    • How To Peel and Cut A Mango
    • Easy Iced Milk Tea
    • Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls
    • Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae)
    • Rice Cooker Chinese Sticky Rice

    Latest and Greatest

    • Soft & Delicious Buckwheat Bread
    • Flourless Chocolate Lava Cakes
    • Fruit Ice Cubes
    • Rice Crust Pizza

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us

    Related

    • A Day Out
    • A Day in the Life

    Never Miss A Recipe!

    A Day in the Kitchen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase any item from Amazon by clicking to their site via the affiliate link, it will cost the same to you, but I will receive a small commission.

    Copyright © 2021 A Day in the Kitchen.