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Have you ever had the barbacoa beef at Chipotle? Their chicken is delicious. The fajita veggies they serve are mouth-watering. But the Chipotle barbacoa recipe? To. Die. For.
Especially when you add some guacamole. Yummmmm. If you’ve ever had it, you know. I bet you’ve wondered how to cook barbacoa at home, too. Turns out that this beef barbacoa recipe is incredibly easy and with just ten ingredients you can make authentic barbacoa right in a slow cooker.
If you didn’t adore your Crock Pot before, you will once you make this slow cooker barbacoa beef in it! The best part is that the prep time takes all of five minutes (and clean up is a breeze!).
Simply puree most of the ingredients in your blender, pour the mixture over beef chunks in your slow cooker, place the bay leaf inside, and you’ll be enjoying Crock Pot barbacoa for dinner!
What Is Barbacoa Made Of?
Barbacoa, simply, is a traditional Mexican cooked meat with spices that is tender, flavorful, and usually served shredded as a filling or topping. Making authentic barbacoa beef requires three things: the right meat, the proper spices, and time to cook it so that the flavors come together.
What Kind Of Meat Is Used For Barbacoa?
Traditionally a variety of meats can be used to make Mexican barbacoa, but this Chipotle copycat calls for brisket or chuck roast. You’ll just cut it into chunks and season it.
What Seasonings Are Used For Barbacoa Beef?
Traditional Mexican spices are combined to make a marinade that slow cooks with the meat. This Crock Pot barbacoa uses spices, peppers in adobo, lime, and broth for its rich flavor.
What’s The Secret To Cooking Barbacoa Beef?
The secret is that this is slow cooker barbacoa beef. The long cooking time is what allows the flavors to meld together in a truly mouth-watering, authentic combination that makes this the best beef barbacoa recipe you’ll ever try.
Chipotle barbacoa Recipe Ingredients
This easy beef barbacoa recipe is just another reason to love Chipotle! Did you know that Chipotle publicly posts the ingredients list for every item on their menu? Their dedication to transparency is yet another reason to enjoy them. Plus, it makes it easier to create Chipotle copycat recipes at home.
The best way to make a Chipotle barbacoa recipe at home is to start by seeing what they include when they cook up their delicious barbacoa beef. It turns out that theirs only has eleven ingredients, plus water.
This copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe incorporates all of those ingredients, except the oils that they use. Most likely the oils are used to pan sear the beef prior to slow cooking, but it’s totally not necessary to make this Crock Pot barbacoa. And you still end up with an amazing, savory homemade barbacoa beef!
To enhance the flavors of the spices used in this Chipotle Whole30 recipe, you’ll use apple cider vinegar and lime juice to this low carb Chipotle dish. It’s a subtle, but oh-so-delicious addition that adds a great taste but still keeps this a low carb Chipotle dinner. Instead of water, use beef broth as you make your slow cooker barbacoa beef for an even richer taste.
One quick note: this copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe is a bit spicier than Chipotle’s original, so if you don’t like a lot of heat you may want to reduce the amount of chile peppers in adobo sauce.
How To Make Barbacoa in a Crock Pot
Now let’s get to the important part. You’re wondering how exactly to make Mexican barbacoa. This Chipotle barbacoa recipe takes about five minutes of hands-on time and you can enjoy scrumptious barbacoa beef for dinner tonight!
You’re making this particular Crock Pot barbacoa from either beef brisket or a chuck roast, so just grab your beef and chop it up. Put it in the bottom of your slow cooker.
Get out your blender and add in the beef broth, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, dried oregano, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, and ground cloves in a blender (everything except the beef and bay leaves). And then puree it until it’s a smooth sauce/paste and pour it over your cubed beef.
Now just walk away and enjoy your day, my friend. Come back later to the most fall-apart, delicious slow cooker barbacoa beef you’ve ever tasted. After you shred it, put it back into the juices and stir it up. Go ahead and make your salads or prep your wraps, and by then it will have absorbed even more flavor. Serve it with a slotted spoon and enjoy!
Can you believe how simple this beef barbacoa recipe is?!
How To Make Barbacoa Beef Whole30, Keto, Low Carb, and Paleo
All of the ingredients in this Crock Pot barbacoa are already keto, low carb, paleo and Whole30. Just watch for sugar in your chipotle chiles in adobo.
The best way to keep your dinner all of the above is to serve it on top of a giant salad. It’s also one of the most delicious ways to enjoy it.
If you’ve ever had barbacoa Chipotle-style while eating this way, that’s probably how you’ve ordered it (I’ve been doing it for years!). But homemade slow cooker barbacoa beef is so easy, delicious, and much more affordable.
Go ahead and top your crisp romaine lettuce with your Crock Pot barbacoa, fresh pico de gallo, and (if you’re not strictly paleo) some shredded mozzarella and sour cream. And the guacamole...because every beef barbacoa recipe is best with homemade guacamole.
Otherwise, if a wrap is more up your alley, try the barbacoa with 3-ingredient coconut flour tortillas or cauliflower tortillas instead. So good this way, too! Are you beginning to see just how versatile this beef barbacoa recipe is?
This beef barbacoa recipe is also freezer-friendly, so you’ll be able to have it on hand to thaw for a quick dinner. If you’re looking for healthy or low carb Mexican recipes, try it out – you won’t regret it!
Disclaimer: Chipotle may be a registered trademark. This recipe is my interpretation of a similar dish, but is not to be construed as an endorsement of the company or having been endorsed by the company. There is no affiliation between myself and the company. Trademark remains the property of its owner and is used here only to describe the product.
Chipotle Barbacoa Copycat Recipe in a Slow Cooker:
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RECIPE CARD
Chipotle Beef Barbacoa Recipe Copycat in a Slow Cooker (Crock Pot)
If you love barbacoa beef, you have to try this copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe in a slow cooker. It's healthy, easy, naturally low carb, paleo, gluten-free and fall-apart delicious. The best Crock Pot barbacoa ever!
PrintIngredients
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- 3 lb Beef brisket or chuck roast (trimmed and cut into 2 inch chunks)
- 1/2 cup Beef broth (or chicken broth)
- 2 medium Chipotle chiles in adobo (including the sauce, about 4 tsp)
- 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Lime juice
- 1 tbsp Dried oregano
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Sea salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Ground cloves (optional)
- 2 whole Bay leaf
Instructions
RECIPE TIPS in the post above! VIDEO + nutrition info + recipe notes below!
- Combine the broth, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, dried oregano, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, and ground cloves in a blender (everything except the beef and bay leaves). Puree until smooth.
- Place the beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour the pureed mixture from the blender on top. Add the (whole) bay leaves.
- Cook for 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Remove the bay leaves. Shred the meat using two forks and stir into the juices. Cover and rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the beef to absorb even more flavor. Use a slotted spoon to serve.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/3 lb
Video Showing How To Make Beef Barbacoa in a Slow Cooker:
Click or tap on the image below to play the video. It's the easiest way to learn how to make Beef Barbacoa in a Slow Cooker!
NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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Keto Low Carb Macro Calculator 
Low Carb Keto Food List + Printable PDF
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83 Comments
Steff
This is SO good! My whole family loves it. Better than Qdoba!
Sheri
I made a double recipe for dinner this week for guests. I usually don’t use guests a guinea pigs but as a taco/Mexican food aficionado I had a feeling this was going to be good. It was amazing! Everyone loved it. It’s perfectly spiced and flavorful. Even my spice loving husband who tends to like things really spicy liked the balance of spice and savory. He did not try to modify the recipe! haha! All eight of us thought this was soooo much better than the real deal at that restaurant. The double recipe meant leftovers tonight enough for 4. Still perfect reheated in pan with leftover cooking liquid . Thanks so much for this recipe.
Tina
Made this last night in my InstantPot. Cooked for 90 minutes and used quick release on the pressure. Once pressure was reached, I realized I totally forgot the ACV and the bay leaves and was like “OH NO!!” Decided not to stop the process and hope for the best. It still turned out GREAT!!! Super tender meat with that classic barbacoa flavor, even with the missing ingredients! I will definitely make this again.
Curt
Can I make this Barbacoa recipe in a Instant Pot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Curt, Yes, you should be able to, but I haven’t tested it to confirm the time. I have an Instant Pot short ribs recipe that you might like.
Danielle
I did this in my Instant Pot! I used beef stew cubes, 1less chili pepper (kids) and I didn’t have bay leaves or cloves. I also added a bit more broth to get closer to a cup of liquid. I cooked it on manual 45 min. Natural Pressure Release mostly because my husband wasn’t home yet. Everyone loved it!
Kristine
Yum is all I can say about this recipe! It was so tasty and easy to make. My family devoured it, thanks!
Beth Neels
I love Beef barbacoa. This is such an easy recipe for the crockpot and the spices and flavors are spot on. I can’t wait to make this again
Jen
We love chipotle and my older son always orders this when we go there. Thank you for saving my pocket book so I can make it at home instead.
Courtney
I love all the Mexican flavours in barbacoa, and a slow cooker is the perfect way to make this!
Kelly Anthony
I’m adding this to our menu this month. I love quick and easy but delicious meals and this copycat barbacoa looks perfect.
Michelle
Hi Maya, I’ve tried this in my slow cooker a couple of times now and absolutely loved it! I was wondering if you’d had a chance to try it in your Instant Pot since posting the recipe, and if so which settings you’d recommend.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Michelle! Sorry, not yet, but I have another beef recipe in the Instant Pot coming up next month.
Ariel
If preparing for meal prep, should you store the meat with the extra sauce? I’m worried letting it sit in the sauce would make the meat soggy… should we drain the sauce to store meat for meal prep?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Ariel, You could do either. I usually prefer to store it in sauce so that the meat doesn’t dry out. Barbacoa meat is already meant to be soft and juicy so don’t see any issue with storing in the sauce.
Sheri
I agree. Storing in the sauce is fine. In fact you can use it to pan fry/reheat leftovers and it stays moist.
Lori
I made this yesterday and it was a huge hit; my husband can’t keep his hands out of it! I made cilantro lime rice and a mock Chipotle dressing, grilled up some vegetables, added black beans and served it all on top of lettuce. YUM! This recipe is definitely a keeper, thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I love to hear that, Lori! Have a great day!
Amy
I am making this now. I followed the recipe exactly. The sauce does not even come close to covering the meat in the crockpot. Is 1/2 cup of bone broth correct?
Am I missing something?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Amy, Yes, that’s correct – it doesn’t have to cover the meat.
Mercedes Ibarra
Hello – I’m attempting to make this today, however i forgot cloves 🙁 what can i substitute this with? If any(Hopefully).
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Mercedes, The flavor would be slightly different but you can leave them out if you don’t have them.
Mercedes Ibarra
Thank you! I ended up making this dish without it the first time, and it came out Delish! I actually attempted again the next day with all of the ingredients and tasted better since I had all the ingredients and added extra chipotle Chiles. I love spice lol definitely recommend this!
Erin
Can’t wait to try! Just one question – are you supposed to cut up the chipotle peppers or just set them in there.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Erin, The peppers go into the blender (with a bunch of other ingredients), so you don’t need to cut them first.
Erin
Can’t wait to try this! Just have one question – do you chop up the chipotle peppers or just set them in there whole?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Erin, They go in the blender so you can put them in whole.
Erica
I don’t usually comment on blogs much—but I have to tell you…this is, hands down, my favorite meal. I’ve been keto for close to a year, and one hard part is finding meals that the rest of my family like too. This is so versatile, it makes everyone happy. I make it nearly every week and keep leftover the the fridge—when the leftovers run low, it’s time to fire up the crockpot again. I eat your barbacoa with everything from eggs to sautéed zucchini. And it’s saved me so many times from stopping for a bunless burger on the way home—knowing I have something better at home I can whip up quickly. I’ve shared this recipe with everyone I know who is looking into keto. I probably sound a little nutty, but I thought you should know, your recipe has a special spot on my “keto keepers” pinboard!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you so much, Erica! I appreciate the kind words and it means a lot. I love your ideas for ways to use the barbacoa.
Lauren
Hello! I did everything you said but the meat is not getting tender):
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Lauren, This likely means it needs to cook for longer.
Cindy Mitchell
In the crock pot now. Anxious to taste it will keep you posted!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I hope you like it, Cindy!
Diane Smith
This recipe is FABULOUS! I served it as pictured with romaine and a few tomato slices. i also topped the dish with just a teaspoon of cotija cheese. Wonderful–so much FLAVOR!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Diane! Thank you!
Deanna
This was sooooo good!! My husband is still talking about this! Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it, Deanna! Have a great day!
Liz
I attempted to make this Monday – guess it helps to plug in the crock pot! So, I tried again Tuesday – WOW! It is so delicious!! We made our own chipotle bowls and they were fantastic. Definitely a keeper!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy you liked it, Liz! And even happier you remembered to plug it in! 😉
Melanie
I made this recipe today and it was AMAZING!! By far the best chuck roast I have ever made. This will be the only way I will make a roast ever again. Followed recipe exactly as written. Thank you so much! Your site is where I get all my recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am so happy to hear that, Melanie! Thanks for stopping by!
Jaz
Currently in the slow cooker! So excited! My only concern/question is whether it’ll taste different or any better/worse since I accidentally blended the bay leaves with the other ingredients?! I’m hoping it’s still as delicious! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Jaz, The flavor won’t change, you just might notice the texture of the leaves. They don’t usually soften enough and that’s why they are meant to be removed. I hope you like the barbacoa otherwise!
Courtney
This dish was really good! I made quinoa rice to go with this, and had sour cream and cheese with it too! The adding of peppers was a little confusing in the instructions. I wasn’t sure if it was 2 peppers AND 4tsp of the adobo sauce. Or if it was 4tsp of sauce with cut up peppers. Either way I did the later choice and for my personal taste it was slightly too spicy BUT with the sour cream it was toned down. All in all it was delicious! Thank you for this recipe!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
I am happy you liked it, Courtney! It was about 4 tsp including the peppers and sauce, but you can adjust to your liking.
Mary
Have you ever cooked this, frozen it after shredding, and then reheated? I need to make for a large group so wanted to make ahead if possible. Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Mary, I haven’t tried that. Please let me know how it goes if you try. Otherwise, how far ahead did you need to make it? It does keep well in the fridge. Or if it’s just earlier the same day, you can keep it in the slow cooker with the keep warm function.
Andrea
Oh my! I made a mistake. I use 2 medium “cans” of chipotles in adobo! It was good but extremely spicy! I could not eat much. Read carefully the recipe. It was just 2 units of chipotles in adobo, not 2 medium cans!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Andrea, Yes, that does sound spicy! I hope you’ll try it again with just the 2 peppers. 🙂
Donna
This copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe is really looking so great. The apple cider vinegar and bay leaves add so much flavor to it. Thanks for putting it together.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Donna!
Nancy
Getting ready to do a roast overnight in the slow cooker and was trying to figure out what I wanted to actually do with it. I was originally thinking Italian style with some wine/mustard/thyme/sage/etc. But I think I’m going to go with a modified version of this recipe. Since it’s getting later on a Sunday evening, I will have to skip the chiles in adobo sauce and just add in a bit of cayenne and maybe a little tomato paste. In addition, I have found that high FODMAP foods really mess me up and one of the biggest culprits is garlic (so sad, since I love garlic, plus it should have great medicinal properties and I can not eat it, even after 5 years of doing GAPS protocol). The rest of the seasonings look great! I have a 4lb chuck roast getting ready to hit the slow cooker. I am going to cook this overnight, then add the seasoning in the morning when there is still 3 to 4 hours of cook time remaining. I have found that the long cook times in my slow cooker tend to cook the flavor right out of the seasonings. I usually add them the last few hours of cooking time. I won’t be shredding the meat until after cooking, and then I’ll add the shredded meat back into the sauce to soak it all up. Yum! Can’t wait. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Nancy! I hope you love it!
Nancy
BIG HIT! In now over 5 years of eating clean foods, this is the FIRST recipe where I actually liked the slow cooked beef and where it actually tasted like something. Husband thought this was fantastic, and the 12 year old gobbled it up. I added the meat and made a salad bowl. My 12 year old usually eats the veggies first and then picks at the meat, eventually finishing it. But this time she tried a taste of the meat, and picked through the salad to get to the meat first. This was even with my Low Fodmap modifications. I ended up eliminating the garlic, adding about 1/2 of the 7 ounce jar of tomato paste, and since I didn’t have chipotle peppers in sauce, I added in 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne powder and a 1/4 teaspoon of jalapeno powder. I added in all the seasonings plus tomato paste the last 3 to 4 hours of cook time.
I cooked a 4 lb chuck roast with a bone in. After cooking, I shredded everything and added the shredded meat back into the sauce. The meat had some kick to it with the cayenne and jalapeno, and I was worried it would be too much for the 12 year old (she likes well seasoned foods and has been upping her tolerance to “spicy” recently, but still can’t handle a lot of spiciness), but once added in with the salad fixings, it was perfect. Will definitely be adding this into the regular recipe rotation. Super easy and fast, but it tastes like I slaved over the meal. Thanks for the inspiration!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Nancy! I’m glad you’re family liked it!
Valeria Dombiak-Woelfel
Hello, I love this recipe. I did it in a dutch oven though. I just bought the Instant Pot. I was wondering is there any way to adjust for IP? Also, if I use the slow cook option of the IP, do you have any idea how long and what to choose? Low or normal? I heard people use normal but I never used it myself.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Valeria, I haven’t tried this in my Instant Pot yet. I’d probably opt for “low” to get that slow cooker effect, but haven’t experimented yet. Let me know how it goes if you try it!
Steve Martinez
Great recipe. I used Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout instead of beef broth and used boneless short ribs.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Steve!
Shannon
Made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! Keep up the good work!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Shannon!
Lauren
Looks so yummy! I am wanting to make this for a family that just had a baby. How spicy is it? Love Chipotle but I haven’t had their beff barbacoa. Thank you!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Lauren! That’s so nice of you to do! This does come out fairly spicy – just use one Chipotle pepper instead of two to reduce the heat if you’d like.
Savannah
Hello! Recipe looks great and I am super excited to try it, but I am slightly confused. In one part of your recipe, you state not to reduce the chili powder. I do not see chili powder listed anywhere in the ingredients. How much do you use? Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Emily and Savannah, Thank you for noticing that! I apologize for the error in the post – there is no chili powder in the recipe. Originally there was (in earlier trials before the recipe was posted), but I ended up using other spices instead in the final version. So, the recipe card is correct, and I’ve now updated the post to clear the discrepancy. I hope you enjoyed the barbacoa!
Emily
How much chili powder should be in the recipe? It says not to reduce the chili powder because it adds a lot to the flavor, but chili powder is not included in the ingredients list or the recipe. I am making it now, by the way, and it smells AMAZING!!
Jen Hoo
Awesome, it looks so yummy. Wanna try it. Thank for sharing!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Jen!
Aaron Clark
Barbacoa is made with cheek meat, nothing else. What you have is good but still not real barbacoa.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Aaron, Thanks for the feedback. You can definitely use cheek meat if you prefer and the rest of the recipe would stay the same. Chipotle likely doesn’t use much cheek meat in their barbacoa, because USDA regulations would require them to declare it if it’s more than a small amount, due to various risks, including mad cow disease.
Paige
Just made this along with a recipe I have with cilantro lime rice – topped with black beans, the Barbacoa beef, Monterey Jack cheese and cilantro. Came out amazing!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you, Paige! Sounds like a delicious combination!
Sam
Just made this recipe for dinner and it was great. Followed the instructions as written and I wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for the great recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Thank you so much, Sam!
Billie
I love your recipes! Always so good, and now I can’t wait to make this one!
Taryn
Love Chipotle! The line is always out the door at lunch time. I’ll have to make it at home now.
Sarah
Ok, this just looks amazing! My husband would love it – I will have to try it!
Kim | Low Carb Maven
This recipe sounds incredible. I have a Chipotles about 1/4 mile from my house, but have never eaten there. I’ll have to try the Barbacoa and then try your copycat recipe. Thanks.
athleticavocado
Chiptoles Barbacoa is amazing! Love that you recreated it in the slow cooker! Making ASAP 🙂
Anna
This looks amazing. Just pinned it in my crockpot recipes. Thanks, Anna
STACEY CRAWFORD
I can’t eat at Chipotle, so this would much better for me. Looks good!
Georgina
I haven’t been to a Chipotle for eons so I couldn’t compare, but the flavors in this look fantastic!
Katrin
Wow, this looks incredible! A perfect dinner.