Slow Cooker Barbacoa
This slow cooker barbacoa beats Chipotle at home — seasoned with pantry spices and a can of chipotles in adobo, it's completely hands-off and feeds a crowd.
Servings: 12
Calories: 221kcal
Equipment
- 4 quart slow cooker (or crockpot)
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef roast (chuck, shoulder, rump roast, or bottom round; though I often use London Broil when it's on sale)
- 3 chipotles (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (I always use it from a jar)
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (don't have this? add extra garlic, or skip it entirely)
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (bottled is fine)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Place beef roast in a 4-quart (preferred) or 6-quart slow cooker. If you have multiple pieces of beef, try to tuck them down so they're as low as possible.
- Top beef with chipotles, adobo sauce, minced garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, onion powder, and black pepper. Pour the lime juice and water over the spices to rinse them down and mix them.
- Cover and cook beef for 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high.
- Shred beef and stir it into the cooking liquid. Serve in tacos, burrito bowls, or on its own.
Instant Pot Directions
- Combine all ingredients in the Instant Pot. If using a long piece of beef (like London Broil), cut into two so that the pieces lie on top of each other.
- Place lid and make sure the vent is set to sealed, not vent. Select the longest Meat/Stew setting, 40 minutes on high pressure.
- Allow to vent naturally, or wait 10 minutes before venting. Shred beef and submerge in the liquid. Serve.
Notes
I serve this with: black or pinto beans, corn, rice or quinoa, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, salsa, shredded cheese, and corn tortillas.
Even if your roast is bigger or smaller than 3 pounds, use the same amount of seasonings.
Store leftovers in their cooking liquid in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Store leftover chipotles and adobo sauce in a small glass jar in the back of the fridge. They will stay good for a long time.
This recipe was adapted from The Gingham Apron.
Calorie count is an estimate only, and will vary depending on the cut of beef.
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 740mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 3mg
