Description
A slow-cooker beef barbacoa recipe designed for meal prep, featuring tender chuck roast braised in citrus and chipotle spices. It offers zero active effort, freezes well, and provides versatile meals for the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs Beef Chuck Roast
- 1 cup Orange Juice
- 1/4 cup Lime Juice
- 2–3 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce (plus 2–3 tbsp sauce)
- 3–4 Dried Guajillo Chiles (torn, seeds removed)
- 1 cup Beef Broth (low-sodium)
- 6 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and black pepper. Optionally sear in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side until browned.
- Chop dried guajillo chiles, mince garlic, and chop chipotle peppers.
- Place the beef in the slow cooker. In a bowl, mix orange juice, lime juice, beef broth, garlic, chipotles, guajillo chiles, cumin, and oregano.
- Pour the mixture over the beef, ensuring it is mostly submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours until the meat is tender and falls apart easily.
- Remove beef and shred it. Discard soft chile pieces if desired.
- Pour cooking liquid into a saucepan and reduce by half to concentrate flavor.
- Return shredded beef to the reduced sauce and toss to coat.
Notes
For best storage, strain the cooking liquid before freezing to remove soft chile bits. Add fresh toppings like cilantro and avocado after reheating to maintain freshness. This recipe freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approx. 1/4 of the r
- Calories: 450
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 22
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 35
Keywords: crockpot beef barbacoa, meal prep, slow cooker tacos, beef chuck roast, easy dinner, gluten-free, high protein