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Tender Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Tacos

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A flavorful and tender slow cooker beef barbacoa recipe perfect for taco night, requiring minimal prep and delivering melt-in-your-mouth texture with smoky, tangy, and slightly spicy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 lbs beef chuck roast, well-marbled
  • 2–3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 1 cup beef broth (homemade or low-sodium)
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt (kosher preferred)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium onion, sliced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
  • Small corn or flour tortillas for serving

Instructions

  1. Trim any excess fat from the beef chuck roast and pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Optional: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
  3. In a mixing bowl, combine chopped chipotle peppers, beef broth, white vinegar, minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground cloves, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
  4. Place sliced onion and bay leaves at the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay the beef on top and pour the sauce mixture evenly over the meat.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours until beef is fork-tender.
  6. Remove beef and shred using two forks or meat claws. Discard bay leaves.
  7. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker to soak up juices for 10-15 minutes.
  8. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the shredded beef and stir gently to combine.
  9. Warm tortillas on a dry skillet or wrapped in foil in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
  10. Assemble tacos by spooning barbacoa beef onto tortillas and garnish with fresh cilantro, diced onions, or preferred toppings.

Notes

Optional searing adds depth but can be skipped. Adjust chipotle peppers to control spice level. If sauce is too thin after cooking, remove beef and simmer sauce on stove to thicken before mixing back in. Use low-sodium broth and adjust salt for heart-friendly version. Leftovers taste better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker beef barbacoa, beef barbacoa tacos, easy taco recipe, slow cooker tacos, barbacoa recipe, chipotle beef, Mexican tacos

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/tender-slow-cooker-beef-barbacoa-tacos-recipe-easy-perfect-for-taco-night/