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- What Is Barbacoa Made Of?
- What Does Barbacoa Taste Like?
- What Kind Of Meat Is Used For Barbacoa?
- What Seasonings Are Used For Barbacoa Beef?
- What’s The Secret To Cooking Barbacoa Beef?
- Chipotle Barbacoa Ingredients
- How To Make Barbacoa in a Crock Pot
- How To Store Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
- How To Make Barbacoa Beef Keto, Low Carb, Whole30, and Paleo
- More Ideas For What To Serve With Barbacoa
- Tools To Make Keto Barbacoa
- Chipotle Beef Barbacoa Recipe (Slow Cooker / Crock Pot)
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 Chipotle guacamole. Yummmmm. If you’ve ever had it, you know. I bet you’ve wondered if it’s possible to cook Crock Pot barbacoa at home, too. Turns out that this beef barbacoa recipe is incredibly easy, and with just ten ingredients, you can make authentic slow cooker barbacoa beef easily at home. Yessssss.
If you didn’t adore your Crock Pot before, you will once you make this slow cooker barbacoa beef in it! It’s one of my favorite Chipotle copycat recipes. 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!
This barbacoa recipe was originally published on December 7, 2016, and was republished in February 2020 to add better tips.
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 Does Barbacoa Taste Like?
Barbacoa beef tastes like tender, slow cooked shredded beef cooked in an adobo sauce with loads of flavorful Mexican spices. In other words, it tastes delicious. 😉
What Kind Of Meat Is Used For Barbacoa?
Traditionally a variety of meats can be used to make Mexican barbacoa, but this Chipotle beef copycat calls for brisket or chuck roast. I get my beef for barbacoa HERE. 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 barbacoa seasoning combines 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. The simplicity of this barbacoa recipe is just another reason to love it.
Chipotle Barbacoa 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?
To make a copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe at home, I started with a peek at what they include when they cook up their delicious barbacoa beef. It turns out that theirs only has eleven ingredients, plus water.
Here are the barbacoa ingredients in my recipe, very similar to Chipotle’s:
- Beef. Use beef brisket or chuck roast.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. These add the classic heat and flavor! My version 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.
- Broth – Instead of water, use beef broth as you make your slow cooker barbacoa beef, for an even richer taste.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – The vinegar adds a nice hit of acid to complement the rich beef.
- Lime Juice – To enhance the flavors of the spices used in this Chipotle Whole30 recipe, you’ll use lime juice to flavor this low carb Chipotle dinner. It’s a subtle, but oh-so-delicious addition.
- Herbs & Spices – Dried oregano, cumin, salt pepper, ground cloves, and a bay leaf.
How To Make Barbacoa in a Crock Pot
You have your ingredients, time to make homemade barbacoa beef with them! The hands-on time is just 5 minutes (win!).
Here are the 4 easy steps for making this easy barbacoa recipe:
- Prep meat. You’re making this particular Crock Pot barbacoa from either beef brisket or a chuck roast, so just grab your beef and chop it into chunks. Put it in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- Blend barbacoa sauce. Combine 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). Puree it until it’s a smooth sauce/paste and pour it over your cubed beef.
- Cook this easy barbacoa recipe. Now just walk away and enjoy your day… and come back later to the most fall-apart, delicious slow cooker barbacoa beef you’ve ever tasted.
- Shred. Then, 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 Mexican beef barbacoa recipe is?!
How To Store Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef
Store this Chipotle barbacoa recipe in the fridge for 4-6 days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350 degree F oven.
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 lobr healthy or low carb Mexican recipes, try it out – you won’t regret it!
How To Make Barbacoa Beef Keto, Low Carb, Whole30, 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.
Here’s how I like to build a barbacoa salad:
- Crock Pot barbacoa (obviously!)
- Romaine lettuce
- Fresh pico de gallo (or fresh tomatoes in a pinch)
- Shredded mozzarella
- Sour cream
- Homemade guacamole – Because every beef barbacoa recipe needs it!
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?
More Ideas For What To Serve With Barbacoa
This Chipotle copycat barbacoa meat can be served up in so many different ways!
- Almond Flour Wraps – Barbacoa burritos are sounding so delicious…
- Chipotle Guacamole – You can’t make burrito bowls without the guac! And it’s not extra here! 😉
- Shredded Lettuce – For some cool crunch, pair your barbacoa with cool lettuce.
- Cauliflower Rice – Turn this barbacoa into burrito bowls with cauliflower rice, salsas to taste, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream and guacamole. Just like the real thing!
- Salsa – Another great topping for barbacoa. This is my quickest and easiest fresh salsa recipe.
- Cheese and Sour Cream – Another creamy way to cool the heat on this barbacoa, I prefer my burrito bowls with a sprinkle of cheese and dollop of sour cream.
Tools To Make Keto Barbacoa
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Slow Cooker – A slow cooker is a must for this recipe. I prefer to use this one.
- Blender – This high powered blender is great for all types of recipes. Perfect for making the sauce for this delicious low carb beef barbacoa recipe.
Chipotle Beef Barbacoa Recipe Copycat in a Slow Cooker (Crock Pot):
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Chipotle Beef Barbacoa Recipe (Slow Cooker / Crock Pot)
The best Crock Pot barbacoa ever! If you love barbacoa beef, you have to try this copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe in a slow cooker. It's healthy, easy, low carb, and fall-apart delicious.
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PrintIngredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
- 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.
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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, or 1/9 entire recipe
Video Showing How To Make Beef Barbacoa in a Slow Cooker:
Tap here to jump to the video for this recipe -- it's located directly above the ingredients list. It's the easiest way to learn how to make Beef Barbacoa in a Slow Cooker!
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159 Comments
Kelli
Hi! We’ve tried making this using a large Le Creseut dish but have found that after about 40 mins the liquid has dried out! We have been careful to not lift the lid, but the liquid is all gone still. Any tips on what we’re doing wrong? Thanks!!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kelli, The dish you are using is losing more moisture than a crockpot or Instant Pot. You can fix this by either using a slow cooker or by adding more beef broth to the recipe as needed.
Tiffany
Family Loved it! Great Recipe!!
Maureen
Super easy. It was a tad spicy for me but I’m a lightweight. My husband absolutely loved it !
Dan Micolichek
Have you tried making this in a pressure cooker?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Dan, I have not, but there are a few reader reviews that say they have done it with success.
Lola
Made this yesterday exactly as written for Cinco de Mayo celebration. Fantastic flavor! The house smelled wonderful and beef was even better!
Adrian
I agree with the others – very easy recipe. I used tri-tip (because it was on sale) and it worked well. I wasn’t sure what “medium size” meant for the chipotles; mine looked small so I used 3. It was spicer than the restaurant version, but not overly so and still delicious and satisfying. Thank you!
Lauren
So good and so easy! I made mine in a pressure cooker. 1 hour and we were eating.
barb t
Great recipe! I let it slow cook the full 10 hours on low which made it really tender. Also recommend using the full amount of chipotle peppers in adobo with sauce. I was worried it would be too spicy but it was perfect.
Candace
We love this recipe and we have it atleast once a month. We add a whole can of the Chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce. It is absolutely delicious!♡
Lorraine
This is by far our most favorite recipe to date. It’s one we make for special occasions and large family gatherings. It’s always a hit. We love it!
Eva
Delicious! first time making it. I did 7 hours for slow cooking the brisket cubes but next time I will leave on for 10 hours on low to really break down the meat. I put it on a bed of romaine with some guac, sour cream and shredded cheddar on top. YUM!
LAURIE NICE
It was DELICIOUS!! I have 2 BIG eaters so I did 2 roasts in my crockpot…I doubled everything and actually could have used a little more of the chilies…..Trying it again tomorrow with a little more!!
Lizzie
I love this recipe! I live in England, but work in the states and am obsessed with barbacoa beef from chipotle! I struggle to get adobe chillies over here, do you think chipotle dried chillies would do the trick instead? And if so what quantity? Keep up the good work, and thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lizzie, Yes you can use dried chilis, but you won’t get the flavors from the adobo sauce. Be sure to rehydrate your chilis before using it. You can do this by soaking your chili (you really only need 1 medium-sized pepper) in warm water for about 30 mins- 1 hour before mincing and using in the recipe.
Rhiannon Ramirez Chadwick
Hi I know this has been a few months but I’m in the UK too. We often order from mexgrocer and they sell chipotles in adobo which we use for this & for chicken tinga but if that’s no good for you, Tesco & Morrison’s both sell good chipotle pastes with the rest of the ‘Mexican’ stuff in the foreign food aisles which isn’t exactly the same but I’ve found gives a better adobo flavour than the dried chillis
Stacey
This is great! I have made it and served it to so many different groups of people. Super easy and fast in my Instant Pot. I make the recipe as is.
Olivia NuneZ
I LOVE this recipe. I have made it several times. I think it tastes best in the crock pot but insta-pot is fine too. I think the cloves makes a difference. Don’t opt out on them, they really add a rich smokey flavor, along with the chipotles. Goes well with morita chili salsa. Enjoy!!
Kristi
I have made this recipe a number of times and it’s always a favorite. When we have a group over, this is one of my go-to recipes as I can lay out different types of sides (tortillas, romaine lettuce, cauliflower rice, beans, Spanish rice, etc.) for those who are Keto, paleo, etc. and those who are not. Everyone loves the flavor of the Barbacoa and also the ability to choose what best suits their tastes and diets.
Stephanie
This is the absolute best Barbacoa recipe! I’ve made it numerous times and it never disappoints. I make it in my instant pot. 85 mins with 10 mins natural release and then shred. Delicious!!
Lisa
This recipe is AMAZING! I did forego the bay leaves bc I forgot to buy them. I enjoyed on egg wraps (can get in the cheese section of the grocery store) with guac, sour cream and salsa. Kids loved as a bowl with cheese (yes, I made them cilantro rice) and loved it. “Mom, how come you never made this before?!” So easy, too. Will be a go-to probably monthly. Thank you!!
Cherise
I absolutely love this recipe! I make it at least once a month. Usually I go with my Crock Pot, but I have also tried it in the Ninja Foodi Cold and Hot Blender and it worked fine.
Lorin C
I love this recipe. I make mine in an instant pot on manual for 1 hr and turns out awesome!
Elbert Jones
REAL BARBACOA IS MADE WITH A COW’S CHEEKS; TONGUE ,LIPS , AND EARS. It is an organ dish.
I’m from Texas. I’ve ate real barbacoa. It is not made with a pot roast or a brisket
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Elbert, This recipe is traditionally made with select parts of the animal that are tougher and require more time to break down and become tender. It was also common to prepare an entire animal, such as goat, this way. Although not traditional, it’s perfectly acceptable to make this recipe with a chuck roast or brisket.
Kealoha
Actually traditional barbacoa is made with goat meat, not an organ dish, unless is pancita which is the stomach stuffed with organs and spices and served on the side of barbacoa and you also have to consider what part of Mexico the barbacoa is from. (Some make with beef, even chicken)
Catherien
This recipe is a chipotle’s barbacoa “copycat” and chipotle uses chuck not beef organs. So in all really this recipe is perfect and very close to what we were looking for ☺️
Scott Stevens
Good Morning! This sounds delicious. Would you say one 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo is the correct amount? Can’t wait to try this!
Thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Scott, You really only need two chilis out of this can, plus some of the juices.
Matthew
Hey there, I use a similar recipe and was wondering if you do anything with the left over juices?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Matthew, Leftover juice can be saved (refrigerated or frozen) to use as a broth to help flavor other recipes. This works especially well with veggies or soups that need a little extra kick of flavor.
Margarita
Loved it! Just made it today, as I have been craving chipotles quesadilla with barbacoa. I have to tell you as a bit skeptical but your recipe couldn’t have tasted any better. I ate some inside my quesadilla and for dinner we ate it in small flour tortillas. We are a household of foodies and your recipe has been added to our recipe box!
Deborah Brill
This recipe has never failed to please! I have substituted orange juice when no apple cider vinegar was available and always add 1/2 of a chopped onion, sometimes I don’t have a blender available and I just chop the chipotle peppers and throw it all in the crockpot. Easy and guaranteed fabulous every time! Thank you!
Mariyah
Hi, this is a nice recipe, but it would be nice if you put how much spices u need to put in the sauce, and how many hours it takes to cook
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Mariyah, That information is located in the recipe card (about halfway down the page). If you cannot see the amounts on the recipe card, you may need to turn off your browser’s ‘reader mode’ to be able to view them. I hope this helps.
Allison Howell
I accidentally bought a corned beef brisket that comes brined. Can I use that instead of a regular brisket?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Allison, No, I don’t think the flavors would do well together. Enjoy your seasoned corned beef as is and try this recipe with an unseasoned cut.
MJ
REALLY good!!! The ONLY thing I will do different will be to salt and pepper the chucks and sear fir a couple minutes before it goes into my pressure cooker for 1.5 hours. LOVED it!
Dima
Would it be ok to make this with a corned beef brisket? I don’t want it to be overly salted.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Dima, I don’t recommend using a pre-seasoned corned beef brisket with this recipe. If you have one that is unseasoned and simply want to use the cut of beef, then it will work fine.
Michael Burch
This is the second recipe I’ve looked at that is supposed to have a video to watch. They both say something like “Tap on the image below to play the video. It’s the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!”. In neither case do I see what image I’m supposed to be taping on. Farther below, both say something like “Don’t miss the VIDEO above – it’s the easiest way to learn how to make [recipe name]!”. What am I missing here?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Michael, There is a video under the text, “Tap on the image below to play the video. It’s the easiest way to learn how to make this recipe!” Is it possible your browser is set to ‘Reader Mode?’ It will need to be turned off before you can view the video.
Rochie
I always use my slow cooker at least once a week. This recipe looks really yummy and the leftovers will be perfect for quesadilla or taco fillings.
Alecia
I made this a couple of weeks ago and it was AMAZING!! My husband loved it too. I wanted to make it again, as it’s now a regular in my rotation, but my local grocery delivery got me a beef bottom roast instead of a chuck roast. Would a beef bottom roast work in it’s place? Feed back is greatly appreciated. Regards, Alecia.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Alecia, Your bottom roast isn’t going to break down and shred like a chuck roast. I would make this yummy pot roast with what you have and save the barbacoa for when you have the right cut of beef.
Kirk
My local grocery didn’t have canned chipotle peppers so I improvised my using a few jarred Hot peppers and a little salsa. I also added a pinch of brown sugar. I cooked it on high for 6.5 hrs to get the meat tender. Absolutely delicious! I can’t imagine how good it will be when I get chipotle peppers and cook it again. BTW- plenty of sauce to mix in with the shredded meat.
Catherine Kane
This is delicious, and best of all, my non-keto husband-to-be loved it too. Makes life so much easier!
Elizabeth
Can you cook the roast from frozen? Thank you, excited to try this!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Elizabeth, The USDA does not recommend cooking frozen meats in the slow cooker because they may spend too much time in an unsafe temperature range. However, some slow cooker companies say it’s okay. It’s up to you to make the call on food safety for yourself. If you were to try it anyway, it would take a few hours longer. I have not tested confirm how much longer, but it would likely be faster to thaw the meat in water and then cook as directed.
Tonje
Loved this recipe, will be making it again for sure!
Safira
We loved this. Such a simple and delicious meal. We had ours with regular rice because we aren’t on keto atm but will be again soon! YUM
Veena Azmanov
This dish looks full of flavor and I wish to try making some.
Anjali
This recipe is so flavorful and spicy!! It’s a crowd pleaser for sure!
Colleen
Wow, so delicious! I am getting the ingredients to make it this weekend and I cannot wait to eat it and share it. Thanks for this recipe!
Amanda
This was INCREDIBLY good!!! Definitely going on my regular rotation of meals. Served over cauliflower rice sautéed with garlic, shallots, lemon juice, salt/pepper.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Delicious recipe !
Mona
Does this freeze well? If I make today to use it next week on Wednesday will it be okay from the freezer??
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Mona, Yes, this recipe will freeze well. You can thaw at room temperature or in a crock pot on low.
Hulya
Greetings from the UK. Thank you so much for this recipe. Had this with my son and it was absolutely delicious. We used brisket that was just over 800 grams. We couldn’t find the chipotle pepper but had the paste so added four teaspoons plus sprinkled some crushed chipotle. Used exact measurements you provided and cooked it for nearly 5 hours. Will be making this on a regular basis now. Thank you very much for sharing the recipe.
SJ
This recipe is Ahh-mazing!! I have made it the crockpot and Instant Pot and it is delicious every time.
Karen P
how long do you cook it in the Instant Pot?
SJ
I cook it for 50 mins.
Kristina
This recipe is SO good! I made it exactly as directed and I couldn’t be happier with the amazing texture and flavor. It took a little longer than the recipe said to become soft enough to shred, but that may just be a difference in slow cookers. I’m saving this one!
David
The chipotle beef barbacoa turned out quite tasty, and brought a good amount of heat to satisfy me. I noticed in the picture/video along with mentioning juices in the instructions. I slow cooked this on High for 6.5 hours, and there wasn’t much in the way of juice; just a little thick sauce at the bottom. I used a chuck roast as I couldn’t find brisket, so maybe brisket holds a lot more moisture? I’m just curious how did you end up with that much juice in the pot? I know it’s trivial anyway as the beef I made turned out just fine. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Wholesome Yum L
Hi David, so glad you liked the recipe. Did you by chance forget to add the beef broth? I made this recipe last week with a chuck roast too and it was swimming in juice.
Veronica
This was delicious!!!! You might think that there’s not enough liquids but it’s just enough!
Taylor Johnson
This is AMAZING!!!! So much like the Chipotle barbacoa, but I think I like this version even more! Thank you, will definitely be making this again and again.
Ruth
I followed the directions and cooked on low for 10 hours. The flavor was great but my meat was tough and I wasn’t able to pull it apart. Any idea what I might have done wrong?
Wholesome Yum L
Hi Ruth! I made this recipe just the other day and had no issues at all. It sounds like you may have an issue with your slow cooker. Have you used it to cook anything else recently?
Cara
I made this last night. It was super good!!!! Will be a regular for us.