Barbacoa Beef

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Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Beef is easier to make than you think! This recipe is so delicious and is perfect for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, salads, or whatever Mexican inspired dishes you can stir up! Make it in your slow cooker, Instant pot, or oven!

The first time I made this recipe was for my youngest son’s first birthday. We had a First Fiesta themed party for him and a taco bar was the perfect on-theme meal! Because his party was at 11am, I prepared the Barbacoa Beef the day before in the Instant Pot (it’s better on day #2 anyway!) and only had to warm it in the oven before we were ready to eat.

The Taco Bar was loaded with all the best toppings and sides. Here’s what we had:

Shredded iceberg lettuce
Shredded Mexican style cheese
Diced tomato
Fresh pico de gallo salsa
Salsa verde
Shredded cabbage
Crumbled Queso Fresco cheese
Guacamole and chips
Sour cream
Black beans
Mexican style corn
Street taco style flour tortillas
Sangria (for the adults obvi)

How would you serve this Barbacoa Beef?

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Barbacoa Beef




This recipe for Barbacoa Beef is so delicious and is perfect for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, salads, or whatever Mexican inspired dishes you can stir up!

Serving Size: Makes 12 servings

Prep time:

Cook time:

Ingredients:
  • 3.5 - 4 lbs. beef top round roast or chuck roast, fat trimmed
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup low sodium beef broth
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 olive oil or vegetable oil
  • For the Chipotle Sauce:
  • 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, canned
  • 2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
  • 2.5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 3 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice

    • Instructions:
    1. Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
    2. Trim large sections of fat from the meat. Cut the beef into large chunks.
    3. To make in oven: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add oil to a large Dutch oven on the stove. Heat over medium-high heat. Sear the beef 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove beef from the Dutch oven. Then add the onions, beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, cook 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft. Add the beef back into the Dutch oven. Pour the chipotle sauce over the beef. Cover and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until beef is tender enough to shred easily with a fork. Once done, remove the beef from the pan and place in a medium shallow dish. Shred with two forks. Toss the shredded beef with as much of the juice that is cooked in as you'd like.
    4. For the Slow Cooker: Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once pan is hot, add the beef and sear about 1 minute on each side. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the hot pan and cook 1-2 minutes, until soft. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any black bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour that mixture into your slow cooker pan. Then add the beef to the slow cooker. Pour the chipotle sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Cover and set on Low for 8-10 hours. Once done, remove the beef from the pan and place in a medium shallow dish. Shred with two forks. Toss the shredded beef with as much of the juice that is cooked in as you'd like.
    5. For the Instant Pot: Add the oil to your Instant Pot inner pot and set on saute. When hot, add the beef. Sear for about 1 minute per side. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside. Add the onions and cook 1-2 minutes until soft. Press cancel or keep warm, then add the beef broth, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Using a wooden spoon scrape any black bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the beef to the pot. Pour chipotle sauce over the beef. Cover and seal your Instant Pot making sure the valve is set to "sealing". Set your Instant Pot to Pressure Cook 60 minutes. When finished cooking, carefully turn the valve to "venting" for a quick pressure release. When the steam has escaped and the pin has dropped, remove the lid and discard the bay leaves. Remove the beef and put in a large bowl or container. Using two forks shred the beef. Then toss with as much remaining liquid as desired.