By Becky Hardin
Published Aug 3, 2022
Crockpot Barbacoa Beef is filled with flavor! If you’ve ever had authentic Mexican street tacos, you’ve likely tasted this delicious beef. This recipe makes it easy to prepare it right at home in your slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
This Crockpot Barbacoa Beef recipe is about to be your new favorite taco filling!
Barbacoa beef has a distinct taste best known for its slight tanginess. It’s delicious and tastes amazing when added to barbacoa tacos and barbacoa burrito bowls . Pile it up with other ingredients, like pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, cheese, and avocado or guacamole.
This super easy recipe means you can make it at home any time you like, to create the most delicious meals!
Why You’ll Love this Barbacoa Beef Recipe:
- FLAVORFUL: This beef comes out so rich, spicy, and full of flavor. So delicious, you’ll be eating it on everything.
- VERSATILE: Use it to prepare all kinds of meals, ranging from tacos and burritos, to sandwiches and more.
- EASY : Making barbacoa beef in a Crockpot is super easy. It’s a hands-off recipe that requires very little work.
Preparing slow cooker beef barbacoa is super simple. It’s all about adding the right blend of seasonings to give it that excellent flavor!
How to Make Crockpot Barbacoa Beef
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Juice the limes and combine with ingredients to make the marinade.
- Prep beef and season it, then slice it into small chunks.
- Add vegetable oil to the skillet, sear beef on both sides, and then place it into the slow cooker.
- Pour the marinade on top, cover the cooker with the lid, then set it to cook for six hours on LOW.
- Shred cooked beef with two forks or meat claws, serve, and enjoy!
Homemade Barbacoa Tips
- For the most tender beef, cook on low for 6 hours. For a quicker meal, cook on high for 3 ½ hours.
- To maximize the juice yield of limes, before slicing, roll each lime on a clean work surface using the palm of your hand and firm pressure for around 10 seconds.
- The easiest way to shred the beef is to use meat claws, and shred directly in the crockpot.
You can use a blender instead of a food processor to combine the marinade ingredients.
Yes! Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are very spicy, but the amount used in this recipe does not make the overall dish too spicy. Increase or decrease the quantity based on personal preference.
Some of my favorite alternatives to chuck roast are tri-tip roast, top round roast, or bottom round roast (sometimes called rump roast).
To cook this beef in a dutch oven, preheat oven to 325°F. Follow the recipe as written through step 4, searing the beef pieces in a dutch oven instead of a cast iron pan. Leave the beef pieces in the dutch oven and follow step 5. Cover and roast in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender and registers 205°F internally.
Serving Suggestions
Serve barbacoa beef over rice, as tacos, or as burritos. Top with any combination of beans, lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, guacamole , salsa , or sour cream.
Storage Instructions
Store barbacoa beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing Instructions
Portion leftover beef into zip-top freezer bags and press into a flat layer. Freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
DIY Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are commonly found in the Mexican or international aisle of grocery stores. If your local grocery store does not carry them, make your own replacement by mixing 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, a pinch of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt together. Use this mixture in place of the 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
MoreCrockpot Dinner Recipeswe Love
- Crockpot Chili
- Mississippi Roast
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Crock Pot Potato Soup
- Crockpot Chicken Burritos
This crockpot barbacoa beef is so easy and so delicious. It makes amazing tacos, but you can use this beef in lots of ways. Anyone who enjoys a bit of spice is going to love this!
More EasyMexican Recipesto Try:
- Oven Baked Chicken Tacos
- Quesabirria Tacos
- Taco Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Stovetop Chicken Tinga
- Mexican Corn on the Cob
- Mexican Stuffed Peppers
- Mexican Pizza
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 limes
- ▢ ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ▢ 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from a 7-ounce can
- ▢ 3 cloves garlic
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ▢ 1 shallot finely chopped
- ▢ 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ▢ 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ▢ 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
Video
Instructions
- Juice the limes into a small bowl. Set the juiced limes aside to use in step 5. 3 limes
- Prepare the marinade. Add the lime juice, rice vinegar, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, and shallot to the bowl of a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds. Set aside. ¼ cup rice vinegar, 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 shallot
- Remove the fat from the chuck roast and cut into 3-inch chunks. Season all sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. 3 pounds beef chuck roast, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet set over high heat. Working in batches, sear all sides of the meat, about 45 seconds per side. 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Place the meat into the crockpot insert. Pour the marinade and broth over the beef. Place the bay leaves and juiced limes on top. 1 cup low sodium beef broth, 2 bay leaves
- Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Carefully remove the limes and bay leaves. Use two forks or meat claws to shred the meat and enjoy!
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Crockpot
- Dutch Oven (optional)
Becky’s Tips
- Storage: Store barbacoa beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Timing: If you’re pressed for time, cook on high for 3 ½ hours instead.
- Dutch Oven: To cook barbacoa beef in a dutch oven, preheat oven to 325°F. Follow the recipe as written through step 4, searing the beef pieces in a dutch oven instead of a cast iron pan. Leave the beef pieces in the dutch oven and follow step 5. Cover and roast in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender and registers 205°F internally.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Crockpot Barbacoa Beef Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Crockpot
- Dutch Oven (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 limes
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from a 7-ounce can
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup low sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Juice the limes into a small bowl. Set the juiced limes aside to use in step 5. 3 limes
- Prepare the marinade. Add the lime juice, rice vinegar, chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, and shallot to the bowl of a food processor. Blend for 30 seconds. Set aside. ¼ cup rice vinegar, 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 shallot
- Remove the fat from the chuck roast and cut into 3-inch chunks. Season all sides with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. 3 pounds beef chuck roast, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Heat the vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet set over high heat. Working in batches, sear all sides of the meat, about 45 seconds per side. 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Place the meat into the crockpot insert. Pour the marinade and broth over the beef. Place the bay leaves and juiced limes on top. 1 cup low sodium beef broth, 2 bay leaves
- Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Carefully remove the limes and bay leaves. Use two forks or meat claws to shred the meat and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store barbacoa beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Timing: If you’re pressed for time, cook on high for 3 ½ hours instead.
- Dutch Oven: To cook barbacoa beef in a dutch oven, preheat oven to 325°F. Follow the recipe as written through step 4, searing the beef pieces in a dutch oven instead of a cast iron pan. Leave the beef pieces in the dutch oven and follow step 5. Cover and roast in the oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender and registers 205°F internally.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
