Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa (Tender, Juicy & Full of Bold Mexican Flavor!)

This Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa is melt-in-your-mouth tender, richly seasoned, and bursting with bold Mexican flavors. The beef simmers low and slow in a smoky chipotle, lime, and garlic sauce that creates the perfect shredded barbacoa is great for tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, tostadas, nachos, and more.

Serve it with Mexican Rice or pile it onto crispy Chicken Tinga Tostadas for a fun mixed-protein twist. It also pairs deliciously with Mexican Enchiladas or as a filling for Mini Taco Cups for game-day snacking.

Just set it, forget it, shred it — and enjoy incredibly flavorful beef that tastes as if it came straight from your favorite taquería.

Why You’ll Love This

• Tender, fall-apart beef with rich, slow-simmered flavor

• Bold seasoning that’s deep, savory, and comforting

• Easy slow cooker recipe with minimal hands-on time

• Perfect for tacos, bowls, meal prep, or feeding a crowd

Recipe Card

Servings: 6–8 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 8 hours Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Beef

• 3–4 lbs beef chuck roast (cut into large chunks)

• 1 tbsp salt

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp olive oil (optional for searing)

Barbacoa Sauce

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo + 2 tbsp adobo sauce

• 1 tbsp cumin

• 1 tbsp oregano

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground cloves (traditional, optional but recommended)

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cup beef broth

• Juice of 2 limes

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional to balance acidity)

Instructions

1. Prep the Beef

1. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper.

2. Optional: Sear beef in a hot skillet with oil for 2–3 minutes per side until browned. (Adds extra flavor but is not required.)

2. Make the Sauce

3. In a blender or bowl, combine onion, garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cloves, beef broth, lime juice, vinegar, tomato paste, and brown sugar.

4. Blend until smooth (or leave slightly chunky).

3. Slow Cook

5. Place beef in the slow cooker.

6. Pour the sauce on top and add bay leaves.

7. Cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until beef is fall-apart tender.

4. Shred & Serve

8. Remove bay leaves and shred beef using two forks.

9. Stir the beef back into the sauce and let it absorb for 10–15 minutes before serving.

How to Serve

• Street Tacos with corn tortillas, onions, cilantro, lime

• Burrito bowls with Mexican Rice

• Nachos topped with barbacoa and White Queso

• Quesadillas or Chicken Tinga Tostadas

• Over-baked potatoes or in a Beef Burrito for an easy dinner

FAQ — Beef Barbacoa (Slow Cooker)

1. Can I use a different cut of beef?

Yes. Beef chuck is best, but brisket or beef shoulder also works great.

2. Is this spicy?

It has mild-to-medium heat from chipotle peppers. For mild, use only 1 pepper; for spicy, use 3–4.

3. Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely! Barbacoa tastes even better the next day. Store in the refrigerated sauce for up to 4 days.

4. Does it freeze well?

Yes — freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the sauce for best results.

5. Should I sear the beef first?

Optional. Searing adds flavor, but the recipe works perfectly without it if you're short on time.

6. Can I make this in the Instant Pot?

Yes! Pressure cook on HIGH for 60 minutes, then natural release for 15 minutes.

Conclusion

This Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa brings bold, authentic Mexican-inspired flavor with minimal effort. Just toss everything into your slow cooker, let it simmer into tender perfection, and shred it for tacos, bowls, tostadas, or nachos. Whether paired with your Mexican Rice, layered into enchiladas, or served with fresh lime and cilantro, it’s a cozy, crowd-pleasing dish that your readers will love making again and again.