Imagine coming home to juicy, perfectly seasoned meat that practically shreds itself at the touch of a fork. Rich, tender, barbacoa-inspired beef awaits you at dinnertime with hardly any effort and only one pot to clean. It's delicious in tacos, rice bowls, quesadillas, sandwiches, and salads. Whether you're meal prepping for a busy week or feeding a crowd, this slow cooker shredded beef recipe is about to become your new favorite!
If you aren't familiar with barbacoa, it's a barbecue style, slow-cooked meat that is popular in Latin America and typically cooked in an underground oven. It's full of smoky flavor, and it typically contains a bit of spicy heat from chipotle peppers. We're taking inspiration from the dish here by using similar spices and a chuck roast, and cooking it low and slow in the slow cooker. The result is juicy, tender, flavorful, and absolutely delicious.
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my Slow Cooker Carnitas! It's similar to this recipe, but uses pork and has one quick extra step to crisp the meat.
Jump to:
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this, and they're all easy to find in your local grocery store.
- Beef chuck roast: choose grass-fed if you can
- Bone Broth: adds liquid to create the sauce for the beef to cook in. Beef stock also works.
- Garlic and onion: for aromatics and flavor
- Tomato paste: To balance the fat and add some acid. I always have this one on hand, which lasts for about one month in the fridge after it's opened.
- Juice of 1 lime: adds bright citrus flavor
- Cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, and chipotle powder: to add lots of spice and flavor
- Freshly chopped cilantro and onion: for garnish
(See recipe card below for full quantities and steps.)
How To Make This Slow Cooker Barbacoa-Inspired Shredded Beef
Making this shredded beef could not be easier, because the slow cooker does all the work. You'll mix the sauce in the slow cooker, stir in your beef, cook for 8 hours, shred the meat, and it's ready to eat!
Step 1: Combine all of the ingredients except for the beef in your slow cooker and stir.
Step 2: Add in your beef and stir to coat with the sauce.
Step 3: Cook for 8 hours on low. Then, use two forks to shred the meat. It should be tender and pull apart very easily.
- Step 4: Stir the meat back in with the sauce, cook for 20-30 more minutes, and enjoy!
Storing Leftovers
The shredded beef will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in the juices, and the flavor will continue to develop overnight.
It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Tip
Double the recipe and freeze half for later! Thaw the beef overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat it in a pot on the stove over low heat for about 15 minutes or until heated through. If the juices look a little dry, try adding a generous splash of bone broth.
What To Serve With Barbacoa-Style Beef
This is a very versatile recipe, and can be used in many delicious ways. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Tacos - serve with warm tortillas, fresh cilantro, and diced onions
- Burritos - fill a warm tortilla with the beef, rice, beans, cilantro, and onion.
- Bowls - create a satisfying bowl with rice, beans, avocado, shredded lettuce, fresh tomatoes, and lots of fresh cilantro.
- Enchiladas - roll in a warm tortilla with refried beans and/or your favorite cheese (nondairy if needed)
- Quesadillas - layer between two tortillas with some refried beans and your favorite cheese, and cook in some hot avocado oil until slightly crispy on both sides.
- Sandwiches - serve it on a hearty bread roll with cilantro and onion, and serve some of the juices on the side for dipping.
- Salads - level up the protein on your salad with a hearty scoop of this beef.
- Nachos - serve it on top of your plate of nachos for some of the most delicious, comforting nachos you'll ever eat.
This recipe is dairy-free and gluten-free as written. If needed, you can avoid dairy and gluten in the above suggestions by choosing gluten-free tortillas and using nondairy cheese. Some of my favorite brands are Siete for tortillas and Violife for nondairy cheese.
Side Dishes
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this shredded beef:
Frequently Asked Questions
Authentic barbacoa has a medium level of heat in my opinion, but this recipe is more smoky than spicy. My teenager loves it, and I think it's mild enough for younger kids.
Nope! As the beef cooks, it will release its juices and fats, and there's also plenty of sauce in the recipe to provide moisture to cook the beef. Just don't open your lid or stir too often, so you retain the moisture in the cooker. (see the photo above for reference)
Sauce = flavor! Use a slotted spoon to strain out your beef, and serve those delicious juices on the side for dipping.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for more easy recipes like this? Try these:
Slow Cooker Barbacoa Inspired Shredded Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast fat trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces
- ½ cup beef bone broth
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon chioptle powder
- 2 bay leaves
- freshly chopped cilantro and onion for garnish
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients, except the beef, to your slow cooker and mix well.
- Add in your beef and stir until the meat is coated.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The meat should be tender and shred easily.
- Remove the meat to a cutting board and shred it using two forks. Add it back to the cooker and give it a good stir. Discard the bay leaves.
- Let the meat cook in the sauce for 20-30 minutes to absorb the juices.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and onion. See the post above for more suggestions!
Leave a Reply