Anyone for ultra-juicy Mexican pulled beef tossed in a chipotle-spiced sauce? Use this Beef Barbacoa for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, taquitos – the possibilities are endless. This is a slow cooker version and is simple to put together. Which means … effortless. YES!
Beef Barbacoa
Hailing from Mexico and the Caribbean, Beef Barbacoa is a dish of meat that’s traditionally slow-cooked – often in pits – with seasonings or a light broth until very tender. As with many well-known ethnic dishes, Barbacoa made its way across borders into the Western world, where it has evolved into a dish of soft, shreddable meat that’s much more boldly flavoured.
Made famous by the Tex-Mex chain Chipotle in the US, Western-style Beef Barbacoa has got a fair kick of spiciness from chipotles, a subtle smokiness, hint of spices (the cloves really sets it apart from other pulled Mexican beef), and uniquely, a good amount of tang from vinegar.
The beef is cooked until fall-apart-tender, then prised apart gently with forks before being tossed with the full-flavoured braising liquid.
Moistened and flavoured by the sauce, the meat is rich and extremely versatile. Use it for filling anything from tacos to burritos, enchiladas to quesadillas. I’m a big fan!
What Beef Barbacoa tastes like
Beef Barbacoa is slightly tangy with a subtle but distinct spicing. It’s not too chilli-hot, though to be fair, sometimes chipotles vary in heat!
The unique thing about Barbacoa is the slight tartness of the sauce from vinegar and lime, which cuts through the rich meat, and the warmth from cloves. This is what sets it apart from other Mexican braised beef fillings like my other Mexican Shredded Beef and everybody’s favourite 80’s-style Beef Taco Filling (we will never let this go!).
What goes in Beef Barbacoa
Here’s what you need for the Barbacoa Sauce:
Chipotles in adobo – The key flavouring here! Chipotles are dried and smoked jalapeno peppers. In tinned formed, they usually come in a tangy and spicy red sauce called adobo. You get smoky flavour and heat from the chipotle along with a good kick of spices, garlic and other flavourings from the adobo.
Sometimes dishes use both the adobo sauce and the chilli. We’re just using the chipotle chilli today;
Dark ale/beer OR beef stock – The original recipe for this Beef Barbacoa from my friend Kevin at Kevin is Cooking is made using beef broth/stock. Usually I make it the original way but I gave it a crack using beer and loved the subtle extra layer of flavour it brings to the all-important-sauce, so I decided to offer that up as an alternative.
For a dish like this, you can’t really go wrong with the type of beer you use. Dark ales are a great match for the sauce colour and deep flavours going on here (I used an Australian brand called White Rabbit, pictured above), but even an everyday lager or other ale will work great. A stout such as Guinness which we use for say Beef & Guinness Stew, would make the sauce flavours even richer.
Bonus points if you can get Mexican dark beer like the excellent Negra Modelo. We used to be able to get this at Dan Murphy’s in Australia but I haven’t seen it for a while;
Cider vinegar and lime juice – Both give this dish the distinctive tang that makes it Beef Barbacoa rather than just a standard Mexican pulled beef (not that there is anything generic about any well-made Mexican shredded beef!);
Spices and herbs – Cumin, oregano, cloves and bay leaves for our seasonings. The cloves in particular give this dish a unique flavour;
Garlic – Because Mexican food loves garlic as much as I do.
Best beef for Beef Barbacoa: Beef cheeks
As mentioned earlier, this Beef Barbacoa is a Tex-Mex version which is more boldly flavoured than its traditional counterpart.
In addition to extra flavour, the other difference is the cut of beef used. The Tex-Mex version tends to use beef cheeks. This cut yields pulled beef that is outrageously tender but also remains succulent and juicy, thanks to the fine fat marbling and ample connective tissue that breaks down with slow cooking into rich, lip-sticking gelatin.
Alternatives: Beef chuck or boneless Short Rib
While beef cheeks produce the best result for this dish, you’ll find most recipes call for beef chuck as a more accessible alternative. This cut of beef is not as well marbled, so it is not quite as juicy. However the cut is a popular choice for pulled beef dishes, and I regularly use it for things like Italian ragu.
For chuck, look for a piece that’s nicely marbled with fat for the juiciest result.
Boneless beef short rib would make a terrific alternative that’s almost as juicy as beef cheeks, as long as you can find ones without overly thick layers of fat in the meat.
I recommend avoiding leaner slow-cooking beef cuts such as bolar blade, lean brisket. The meat will tend to be rather dry and ropey.
How to make Beef Barbacoa
Three simple steps:
Brown the beef;
Blitz the sauce;
Slow-cook until fall-apart tender!
And yes, I know I’ve shown EIGHT steps below!
Season & brown the meat – Sprinkle the beef with a generous amount of salt and pepper (we do not add any into the sauce), then brown aggressively. I use that word intentionally! Colour equals flavour in both the beef and the sauce, so don’t hold back here. (Well, don’t burn it, but seek a deep golden crust alllll over each piece!)
TIP: Don’t crowd the pan, or the beef will stew rather than brown. Work in batches. Meat also cooks faster when it has room;
Sauce – Place all the Sauce ingredients in a Nutribullet, blender, food processor, or other blending appliance;
Blitz until smooth – This is quick, maybe 10 seconds on high;
Slow-cook – Pour Sauce over beef in the slow cooker. Slow-cook for 8 hours on low to make the beef “fall-apart-at-a-touch” tender. (Alternative cooking methods: Slow cooker set on high – 6 hours; oven – 3 – 3.5 hours covered, Instant Pot/pressure cooker – 1 hour);
Remove beef from the sauce;
Shred meat using forks – Tip: Use the back rather than front of the fork so the meat doesn’t get stuck in the prongs. Yes, ignore the photos – follow the video!;
Sauce it! Toss the shredded beef together with the sauce from the slow cooker. How much to use is up to you. I usually douse it with 4 big ladles. Yes, the sauce seems somewhat watery but it’s meant to be. It’s got plenty of flavour in it so you don’t need lots when stuffed into tacos etc;
Use for tacos, stuffed into burritos, taquitos, enchiladas, quesadillas, make burrito bowls! I’ve provided some easy adaptable recipe links and a bit more guidance on this below. 🙂 Click here to jump to this section.
How to serve Barbacoa Beef
Barbacoa is a Tex-Mex meat filling you can use for almost any Mexican Dish. Here are just a few ideas, including links to recipes where you can switch out the protein with this Barbacoa.
1. Barbacoa Tacos
Pictured in this post! I’ve included:
Flour tortillas – Given a quick char in hot, dry skillet;
Pickled red cabbage from this Fish Tacos recipe;
Lime crema – Crema is a slightly tangy, creamy Mexican condiment. My lime crema version is made with sour cream, lime zest and juice, a tiny amount of garlic and a touch of water for thinning (to make it drizzle-able, if that is a word!); and
Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves – Rarely does a taco get made in this household without it!
Or go the retro version like in these old-school Beef Mince Tacos: iceberg lettuce, tomato, sour cream, shredded cheese and CRISPY corn tortillas!
2. Burritos
Switch out the beef in my Beef Burritos recipe with this Beef Barbacoa.
3. Enchiladas
Add 1 can of black beans + 1 can of corn (drained) to the meat, plus some extra Barbacoa sauce. Toss well and use to make Beef Enchiladas. ie replace the ground beef filling in that recipe.
4. Quesadillas
Use as the protein in Quesadillas. Follow this recipe here. Mix and match fillings!
5. Burrito Bowls
Make Burrito Bowls with:
Pickled red cabbage from this Fish Tacos recipe or even just plain sliced iceberg lettuce (there’s nothing 80’s about that! 😂);
A big scoop of fresh Pico de Gallo;
Avocado – Diced, sliced or else go the whole way and make it Guacamole;
Lime Crema – per #1 (Barbacoa Tacos) above, or even just plain sour cream; and
Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
That’s just a few ideas to get you started. For some more inspiration, have a browse through all my Mexican recipes!
My standard fallback use: Mexican Sliders!
Then of course, there’s the good ol’ fallback that I always mention: stuffing into warm rolls, melt some cheese on top under the grill. It’s sliders, Mexican-style. SO GOOD! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Beef Barbacoa – Mexican Pulled Beef for Tacos and everything!
Ingredients
- 2kg / 4 lb beef cheeks , or chuck beef(see Note 1)
- 1 tsp salt , kosher/cooking
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil , for searing
- 4 bay leaves
Barbacoa Sauce:
- 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (Note 2)
- 3/4 cup dark ale (beer), or low sodium beef broth/stock (Note 3)
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp lime juice
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Cut beef: Cut large cheeks in half so you have around 12 – 15 pieces cheeks. If using chuck, cut into 12 or so pieces.
- Season: Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Brown beef: Heat oil in a large pot or skillet over high heat. Sear beef in batches, browning aggressively all over. Place beef in slow cooker.
- Blitz sauce: Place Barbacoa Sauce ingredients in a blender, food processor or similar (I use a Nutribullet). Blend until smooth – it shouldn't take long.
- Slow cooker (see Note 4 for alt. cooking methods): Pour sauce over cheeks in slow cooker. Add bay leaves. Arrange cheeks so they are submerged as much as possible. Don't worry, they will release juice as they cook and raise the liquid level.
- Slow-cook for 8 hours on low. The beef should be effortless to shred when done.
- Shred: Remove cheeks from slow cooker into a pan. Shred using 2 forks.
- Sauce: Pour over 3 or 4 ladles of the sauce, then toss.
- Serve: Use in tacos with taco fixings of choice! Pictured with Mexican Red Rice, Pickled Red Cabbage for Tacos (in this Fish Tacos recipe) and Lime Crema (Note 5).
Recipe Notes:
- Slow cooker on high: 6 hours
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker: 1 hr on high
- Oven: 160°C/320°F (140°C fan) for 3 to 3 1/2 hours (cover tightly with foil)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (full fat)
- 2 tsp lime juice (adj to taste)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/8 tsp garlic, finely grated using microplane (or garlic crusher)
- Pinch of salt
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
OMG Dozer! Whatever you do, DO NOT LIFT YOUR HEAD!!!!!!😱😱😱
Hi Nagi, thanks for another mouth-watering recipe! We already LOVE your shredded beef recipe and were planning on making it for a mexican themed party in a couple of weeks. We now want to try this one out but only have brisket (beef cheeks are harder to come by in HK). Could I mix and match both recipes and replace some of the orange juice in the shredded beef recipe with additional lime and some vinegar? And sub part of the broth for beer? Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Elodie, you’d be changing the recipe completely – however, you can use brisket in this recipe if you like though! N x
OK I saw that comment now cheers.
Hi Nagi, I am going to get the makings today – would this freeze well? I’m thinking to make the whole batch even though there are only 2 of us.
Yes 100% Sue! N x
If I don’t like a lot of heat at all, could I leave out the chipotles in adobo? I feel the cumin would be enough heat for me.
Hi Julie, yes you can but I’d add 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder – N x
This recipe looks great. Will give it a try this week. Also, just noticed that you are now including Instant Pot directions in your recipes! Thanks for that, very helpful. Cheers, Wayne (Sidney, BC, Canada)
Hi Wayne, love to know what you think once you try it! And yes, where applicable I include pressure cooker/IP instructions 🙂 N x
Truly welcome this very easy and practical recipe for my favourite beef cheeks. As I have mentioned before – for probably geographical reasons Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes are the weakest in my repertoire. Somehow curiosity also has not killed the cat so far ! Love your recipe – always have flatbreads in the house and would really appreciate a ready dish of this to use in all your stated ways . . . thanks !!! . . .
And it’s perfect to make and freeze for emergencies too Eha! It’s so versatile – what’s not to love?! N x
I often make your Asian and Mexican recipes and look forward to trying this one too.
I can only find La Costeña Diced Chipotle Peppers locally. Could I use this instead of Chipotles in adobo?
Hi Ger, I’m not familiar with them – you could possibly use them or use the substitute listed in the recipe notes 🙂 N x
On a scale of 1-10, how spicy (hot) is this dish? Trying to figure if I can feed this to my kids
Hi Laura, I’d cut back on the chilli for the kids (as you could always add chilli sauce later on your serve). I would use the chipotle substitute listed in the notes, cut the chipotle spice down to 1/2 tbsp and omit the sriracha just to be sure. N x
Got your email, made it, we love it! Used chuck and lager, excellent suggestion for beer instead of broth. We will be having tacos for days – no complaints!
Wahoo, that’s awesome Katie! N x
Hi Nagi,
I’m responding to your story about your precious Dozer finding the crop of wild cherries. I laughed so hard when I read, “THE BUFFET IS OPEN!” 😁
Nagi, I have a brilliant suggestion. You would have an instant Best Seller if you could compile all of your little stories about Dozer into one book. It could even be titled, “The Amazing Life of Dozer.” What do you think? To be honest, I sometimes search for Dozer before your fantastic recipes. You are truly very gifted in not only creating such wonderful recipes, but also story telling!!!!
Sending you and Dozer big hugs and kisses from Estonia!
Barbara
Hi Barbara, could you imagine?! Of course he would steal the show!! N x
Looks tasty! An easy way to shred a large amount of meat at once is to put it in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. It shreds in like 60 seconds and you can easily pull out any large chunks of remaining fat/gristle.
Hi Lisa, I really don’t like doing it this way – it turns the meat mushy and the texture isn’t great! N x
Can this be cooked in the Instant Pot Without compromising the flavor?
Hi Nelly, yes – popped this into the recipe notes. N x
I believe you get more of a tangy taste as opposed to a sour taste.
i can’t find the ingredient amounts to the Lime Creme .
Hi Gail, my lime crema version is made with sour cream, lime zest and juice, a tiny amount of garlic and a touch of water for thinning (to make it drizzle-able) – N x
Hi Nagi, I absolutely love your recipes. Your vanilla cake is hands down the best vanilla cake I have ever made!
I was wondering and hoping you could share a recipe for pistachio muffins if you have one.
Thanks and give a pat and my love to Dozer.
Hi Maggie, thanks so much for the great feedback! Feel free to pop a request on my recipe request page if you like – I have a long list I’m working through! N x
Navi,
“Chipotles in Adobo” can be found on Amazon.com. There were multiple brands including a few made in Mexico to choose from.
Please give Dozer a Treat.
Hi Mike, yes they definitely can! We are lucky enough to get them in major supermarkets now here 🙂 N x
Nagi, I will definitely try this, but wondered about the quantity of ‘sour’ ingredients (vinegar and lime). Is there no need to offset these ingredients with something sweet?
Hi Linda, the dish isn’t sour once it’s cooked down with all those flavours. The slightly tang is what distinguishes this dish 🙂 N x
I believe you get more of a tangy taste as opposed to a sour taste.