Barbacoa
Traditional Mexican barbacoa made with slow-cooked beef, typically beef cheek or chuck, simmered in a rich blend of dried chiles, spices, and broth until tender and flavorful. Often served in tacos or burritos.
Prep
: 10
Total
: 25 minutes
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef cheek or chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed and seeded optional, for heat
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 cup beef broth
- 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30-60 seconds per side until fragrant. Remove and set aside.
- In a blender, combine the toasted chiles, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, beef broth, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
- Place the beef chunks in a large slow cooker or Dutch oven. Pour the blended chile mixture over the beef. Add bay leaves and season with salt.
- If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is very tender and shreds easily. If using a Dutch oven, cover and simmer on the stovetop over low heat for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Once cooked, remove the beef and shred it using two forks. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid if desired, then return the shredded meat to the liquid to keep it moist.
- Serve the barbacoa in warm corn tortillas, garnished with chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
For best results, use beef cheek if available—it becomes incredibly tender and flavorful when slow-cooked. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.