Barbacoa is the original Spanish word for what we call “barbecue”. While traditionally cooked over a wood fire, some chipotle chilies allows you to make this dish work great in a slow cooker to make delicious, smokey, tender and juicy beef. You can serve this in tortillas or over rice. This recipe was inspired by Cooking con Claudia and Simply Mama Cooks.
~4# Chuck Roast (Beef Cheeks are traditional if you can find them)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Olive oil
5 chipotle chilies
½ cup cider vinegar
3 limes, juiced (~½ cup)
5 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp ground cloves
½ cup beef broth
1 onion, quartered and skinned
4 Bay leaves
Instructions
Cut the chuck roast into 8-12 chunks; put into a large bowl, salt generously and toss.
Sear all of the pieces of beef in the skillet, 3 minutes a side. Do not touch before 3 minutes.
As the beef finishes, place it in your slow cooker.
To make your adobo sauce, add the lime juice, vinegar, five cloves of garlic, chipotles, and seasonings to your blender. Mix until smooth and pour over the meat.
Add your beef broth to the blender to clean off the sides and then add this to the beef.
Nestle the beef into the crock pot to cover it with sauce as much as possible.
Add your bay leaves on top of the beef.
Cut your onion in quarters and place on top of the beef.
Cook on low for 8-12 hours, or high for 4-8 hours.
Check your beef and make sure it’s fall apart tender, cook another ½ hour if it’s not.
Remove the onion and bay leaves and shred the meat in the slow cooker.
