Only 15 minutes hands on time for delicious barbacoa tacos, then relax, because it takes several hours to reach it's tender juiciness. Great freezer recipe too.
- 4 pounds chuck steak or flank steak or short ribs
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil or any light tasting oil
- 10 Medium Flour Tortillas 6", or use gluten free tortillas
- 4 whole chipotle chilies in adobo use less if you don't want too much heat
- 3 cups beef broth
- 7 cloves garlic halved
- 2 Tablespoons cumin
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup lime juice fresh
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 medium red onion chopped
- 1 large tomato diced
- 1 handful fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup sour cream
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To make Barbacoa Sauce, mix chipotle chilies and sauce, beef broth, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, lime juice and chili powder in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, a few pulses.
If you don't want to use a blender or food processor then make sure to mince all ingredients well.
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Sear meat in an oven proof Dutch oven or seasoned cast iron pan over medium high heat, about 2-3 minutes per side. You are not cooking the meat, just browning it to get the extra flavor. This is an optional step but I recommend it. Pour the barbacoa sauce over the meat, cover the dish and place in 325 degree oven for 3-4 hours, or until the meat easily shreds.
If you are using a slow cooker then cut the meat into 2-3" chunks and brown. Again, the browning step is for added flavor and is optional. Put meat and sauce into slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low, until meat shreds easily.
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Remove meat to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Or use Bear Claws, they are a huge time saver.
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See notes for serving options and toppings
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Wash and chop red onion, cilantro and tomato.
Place barbacoa meat in tortillas and add desired toppings.
Serve topped with:
:chopped onions, diced jalapeno, cilantro and queso
:corn relish or salsa with sour cream
:guacamole and sour cream
:coleslaw and sliced green onions
:or top rice to make a barbacoa bowl
Variations: Fill tortillas with the barbacoa beef and use any of these toppings as a burrito or taco.
Freezing: Barbacoa freezes well. Place in a zip top freezer bag, remove as much air as possible and press to lay flat. That way the bag is easier to store in the freezer and defrosts a lot faster. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat put in 350 degree oven, covered for 20 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe adapted from therecipecritic.com for Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
For Gluten Free: Use gluten free tortillas. Most corn tortillas are gluten free but check the packaging. You will also want to double up the corn tortillas because they crack and rip easily.