Braised Beef Barbacoa

Ingredients

• 3 lb beef chuck roast, fat trimmed & cut into 3-inch chunks
• Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to season
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, for browning
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can fire-roasted diced green chiles
• 10 cloves of garlic (crushed) or 2 tablespoons garlic paste
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
• 1 tablespoon Ancho chili pepper powder (or dark chili powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup Mexican-style beer, I use Modelo (or beef broth as sub)
• 3-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, to finish, plus more for serving
• Rice of choice
• Chopped iceberg/romaine lettuce
• Black or pinto beans
• Salsa, guacamole, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños, as desired

Instructions

1. 1

   Season & rest the beef: On a large plate or medium-rimmed baking sheet, generously season the chuck roast chunks with salt and pepper on all sides. Set the beef aside to rest and allow it to come up to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Brown the chuck roast: In a large skillet/pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, gently swirl the pot around to evenly coat the bottom. Add a few beef chunks into the pot, working in batches, careful not to overcrowd. Sear the beef on all sides until a deep brown crust appears, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer the browned beef onto a clean vessel and repeat the process until all the beef is browned- adding the additional 1 tablespoon of oil if your pot looks dry.

3. 3

   Assemble the braise: Transfer all the browned beef into your slow cooker vessel. Then add the onion, green chiles, garlic, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, chili powder, ground cloves, liquid smoke, bay leaves, and beer (or beef broth). Place the chipotle peppers in the body of a high-speed blender or food processor along with ⅓ cup of water and blitz together until smooth. Then add the chipotle liquid into the slow cooker. Gently stir/toss all the ingredients together until well combined.

4. 4

   Slow-cook the beef barbacoa: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours- until the beef is cooked through and fall-apart tender.

5. 5

   Shred the beef: You can do this in 2 ways. Shred the tender beef with two forks right in the slow cooker vessel itself or remove the beef and place it on a large plate/rimmed baking sheet and shred with two forks. Lastly, stir the shredded beef with the braising liquid until nicely saturated. Sprinkle the ½ cup of fresh chopped cilantro in and stir again to combine.

6. 6

   Serve: You can enjoy this braised beef barbacoa in several ways! Our favorite way to devour this dish is bowl-style with rice, lettuce, beans, salsa, guacamole or sliced avocado, and/or other toppings! Alternatively, feel free to make tacos/burritos or nachos with your beef barbacoa, too! A garnish of chopped cilantro and extra lime wedges for squeezing, if desired, is chef’s kiss. Enjoy!