Description
This Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef recipe delivers tender, flavorful shredded beef perfect for tacos, burritos, or salads. The beef brisket is slow-cooked with a blend of spices, garlic, chipotle pepper, and beef broth, resulting in a rich and smoky dish that pairs beautifully with fresh cilantro, salsa, and red onions for authentic street taco vibes.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef brisket
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano
- 1 canned chipotle pepper (add more for extra spice)
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle peppers
- 1 cup beef broth
To Serve
- Chopped cilantro
- Street taco shells
- Salsa
- Finely sliced red onion
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Place the beef brisket into the slow cooker. Add minced garlic, sea salt, black pepper, cumin, Mexican oregano, canned chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and beef broth. Stir everything well to evenly coat the meat with the spices and sauce.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and set it to cook on low heat. Allow the meat to cook undisturbed for 8 hours, which will make the beef extremely tender and flavorful.
- Shred the Beef: After cooking, remove the meat from the slow cooker and shred it thoroughly using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker to soak up any remaining juices and spices.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the barbacoa beef in street taco shells or tortillas, or use it as a topping for rice or salads. Garnish with chopped cilantro, salsa, and finely sliced red onion to add fresh, vibrant flavors.
Notes
- For spicier barbacoa, add more canned chipotle peppers or extra adobo sauce.
- If you don’t have beef brisket, chuck roast can be a suitable substitute for slow cooking.
- Leftover barbacoa can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 3 months.
- Serving with fresh lime juice can enhance the flavors even further.
- Beef broth can be substituted with water if unavailable, but broth adds deeper flavor.
