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Get It NowI love a good fast casual restaurant with clean ingredients, but Chipotle is by far my favorite (especially if I spring for the guacamole). I love their chicken and fajita veggies. But their barbacoa beef? I order it so often that I can almost taste the flavors just thinking about it! As I do with most restaurant meals I fall in love with, I just had to recreate my own barbacoa recipe like it at home — this time in my slow cooker. It’s actually quite simple, but also has all the rich flavors and bold spices. And to me, it tastes just like Chipotle barbacoa.
Why You’ll Love My Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe
- Bold flavors – Smoky, rich beef. Plenty of Mexican spices. A little bit of tang. Just the right amount of heat (but you can easily adjust it, too). It’s one of my favorite Chipotle copycat recipes and one of the best Mexican-inspired dishes I’ve ever made.
- Melt-in-your-mouth texture – A good barbacoa meat is not only juicy, it’s downright fall-apart tender and shreds effortlessly. And mine is here to give you just that.
- Your slow cooker does all the work – If you didn’t adore your Crock Pot before, you will once you make this barbacoa beef in it! This is an easy, set-it-and-forget-it kind of recipe with just 10 minutes of prep.
- Endless ways to serve it – I have lots of ideas for you below, so you can make this dish once and enjoy it in several ways throughout the week.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my barbacoa beef recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
Did you know that Chipotle publicly posts the ingredients for every item on their menu? To make my copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe at home, I peeked at what they use and then simplified it a bit to stay true to my 10-ingredients-or-less mantra (plus salt and pepper). My version includes:
- Beef – I’ve made this using both beef brisket and beef chuck roast. You can also use beef cheeks, or even goat or lamb like traditional versions do. These tougher cuts have plenty of fat and connective tissue (read: collagen), which means they turn into juicy, fall-apart tender barbacoa meat in the slow cooker. You can trim off any huge pieces of fat, but don’t cut off all of it, as you need some for flavor.
- Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce – These bring 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.
- Garlic – I always have jarred minced garlic on hand, but if you’re using fresh cloves, it’s fine to just coarsely chop them. They get blended anyway.
- Broth – Barbacoa beef needs a liquid to keep it moist. I usually use beef broth, but you can also use bone broth for even more flavor and nutrition. Water works in a pinch, but you obviously get less flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar & Lime Juice – I grouped these ingredients together because they are both here for the same reasons. They add tang to balance the rich beef, but more importantly, they helps to break down the collagen in the connective tissues, making the meat fall-apart tender. You could use just one or the other, but using a combination prevents either of them from being overpowering.
- Herbs & Spices – Dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cloves, sea salt, black pepper, and bay leaves. People have asked me if you can leave out the cloves, and the answer is yes, you can if you’re not a fan. I wouldn’t recommend leaving out any of the other spices, though.
How To Make Barbacoa
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Blend the sauce. 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 the mixture is a smooth sauce/paste consistency.
- Prep the meat. Cut the beef into large (2-inch) chunks. Place them in an even layer into the bottom of your slow cooker. (It’s fine if they overlap.)
- Combine. Pour the sauce over the beef. Place the bay leaves on top.
- Slow cook. Turn on your slow cooker and go enjoy your day! You won’t need to do anything else for the barbacoa recipe until it’s done. I recommend cooking on Low, but the High setting will work if you’re short on time.
- Shred. Use two large forks to shred the beef — this should be very easy if it has cooked for long enough. You can shred barbacoa in the slow cooker directly, or transfer to a bowl first and then place the shredded beef back into the juices afterward. Serve with a slotted spoon (see my suggestions for serving below).
My Recipe Tips
- Don’t have a powerful blender? A small food processor will also work. If you have neither, you can finely mince the chili peppers and garlic, then whisk with the other sauce ingredients.
- For even more flavor, brown the meat first. This is not required, and I skipped it in my barbacoa recipe for convenience. But if you have time, sear the beef chunks in a skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil, before placing them in the slow cooker. (Do this in batches if the beef won’t fit in your pan in a single layer.) The dish tastes even better when I do this!
- Adjust the heat to your preference. I used 2 medium chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, but you can use just one if you want it more mild. I don’t recommend skipping them altogether, as they contribute to the overall flavor.
- If it’s too spicy at the end, you can calm it down. I usually just serve with extra sour cream, avocado, and shredded cheese if one of my peppers turned out to be too hot. A bland side dish, like rice or cauliflower rice, can also balance barbacoa beef that turned out too spicy. If you want to add something to the meat itself, an extra splash of apple cider vinegar or squeeze of lime juice can help a bit.
- If the meat doesn’t shred easily, cook for longer. It should fall apart easily when you pull it with forks. If it doesn’t, that’s a sign to turn your slow cooker back on and check again later.
Common Questions
- What is barbacoa? Barbacoa is a Mexican slow cooked meat with spices. It’s extremely tender, flavorful, and usually served shredded as a filling or topping.
- Can you make barbacoa in the Instant Pot? Yes, you can! To make my barbacoa recipe in your Instant Pot, brown the beef first on the Saute setting. Blend the sauce and pour it over the beef, then pressure cook for 60 minutes on the Manual setting (high pressure). Do a quick release, discard the bay leaves, and shred as usual. The process is very similar to my Instant Pot beef short ribs, but with a different cut of beef and more spices.
- Can you make this recipe with chicken or pork? While I haven’t tried it, I don’t see why not! It would be a lot like my shredded chicken or pulled pork, except with Mexican flavors.
- Can you use frozen meat? Yes, but I recommend thawing it first. The USDA advises against placing frozen meats directly into a slow cooker.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 days. I store them in an airtight container with the liquid, to prevent drying out.
- Meal prep: You can dice the beef and blend the liquid a few days beforehand. Keep both in the fridge. The beef will lose its red color more quickly, but it doesn’t really matter.
- Reheat: I have no problems reheating this meat in the microwave. The oven at 350 degrees F also works. You can even place the barbacoa in the Crock Pot again on the Warm setting. Always include the liquid when reheating, so that it stays juicy.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to zip lock bags and freeze for up to 6 months. I love keeping batches of this barbacoa recipe in my freezer for quick meals! You can even reheat from frozen, though it takes longer than thawed meat.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many barbacoa recipes you can make with this beef! Here are some of my favorites, as well as other popular options:
- Salad – My favorite healthy way to serve beef barbacoa is in a big ol’ salad, which is what I always order at Chipotle, too. In addition to the meat, my salad shown above includes romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, red onions, jalapenos, sour cream, guacamole, and fresh cilantro. You can also add shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend), and pico de gallo in place of the tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos. Or just use the barbacoa in place of taco meat for my taco salad.
- Burrito Bowl – Similar to the salad above, but with rice instead of lettuce. Cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice make good pairings, but my cilantro lime cauliflower rice is a great lighter option. You can also add beans. Sometimes I just swap the meat in my healthy Chipotle bowl with this barbacoa recipe.
- Quesadillas – Fill your favorite tortillas with plenty of cheese (I love a mix of Mexican blend and Cotija) and the barbacoa meat. Grill in a tortilla press or on the stovetop. This also works with my almond flour tortillas or even cauliflower tortillas.
- Tacos – There are endless ways to make barbacoa tacos! Use soft shells, crunchy cheese taco shells, jicama tortillas, hard taco shells, or even lettuce wraps. You could even swap the beef for barbacoa in my taco casserole. My go-to simple taco combo with this meat includes thinly sliced avocados, red onions, some kind of salsa, and cilantro, either in corn tortillas or lettuce wraps.
- Enchiladas – Mix the beef with enchilada sauce, stuff into tortillas, roll up, and place into a baking dish, seam side down. Top with shredded cheese and bake.
- Toppers – The best part of a Mexican meal is all the toppings! Whatever you choose to make with your barbacoa, don’t forget the salsa (like my fresh tomato salsa, salsa verde, or even pineapple salsa), cheese (any shredded cheese or even queso), guac, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
More Easy Mexican Recipes
If you like my beef barbacoa recipe, you’ll also love my other Mexican-inspired dishes:
My Tools For This Recipe
- Blender – This thing is a workhorse! It gets the sauce for this copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe totally smooth, and I use it for so many other recipes. I’ve had it for almost a decade and it’s still going strong.
- Slow Cooker – It has plenty of settings and all the time increments I need.
Barbacoa Recipe (Chipotle Copycat)
Make fall-apart tender, flavorful barbacoa beef in your slow cooker! This barbacoa recipe is a Chipotle copycat that's easy to make at home.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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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.
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Place the beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour the pureed mixture from the blender on top. Add the (whole) bay leaves.
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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.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 lb, or 1/12 entire recipe
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
323 Comments
Gwen
0Mine is so spicy. Is there anything I can add to take some heat off?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Gwen, if you reduce the amount of chipotles in adobo you add to the recipe, it should make it a little less spicy for you.
Steff
0This is SO good! My whole family loves it. Better than Qdoba!
Sheri
0I 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
0Made 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
0Can I make this Barbacoa recipe in a Instant Pot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi 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.
Denise
0Which is best Brisket or chuck?
I usually do chuck but thinking of brisket?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Denise, It’s really up to your personal tastes. Chuck roast is from the shoulder and brisket from the lower chest. Brisket is generally fattier, which usually means more flavor. Both require a good bit of time for the connective tissues to break down. Whichever way you go, I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Danielle
0I 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
0Yum is all I can say about this recipe! It was so tasty and easy to make. My family devoured it, thanks!
Beth Neels
0I 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
0We 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
0I love all the Mexican flavours in barbacoa, and a slow cooker is the perfect way to make this!
Kelly Anthony
0I’m adding this to our menu this month. I love quick and easy but delicious meals and this copycat barbacoa looks perfect.
Michelle
0Hi 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
0Thank you, Michelle! Sorry, not yet, but I have another beef recipe in the Instant Pot coming up next month.
Ariel
0If 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
0Hi 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
0I agree. Storing in the sauce is fine. In fact you can use it to pan fry/reheat leftovers and it stays moist.
Lori
0I 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
0I love to hear that, Lori! Have a great day!
Amber
0Thank you for the recipe! It is so delicious!
Amy
0I 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
0Hi Amy, Yes, that’s correct – it doesn’t have to cover the meat.
Mercedes Ibarra
0Hello – I’m attempting to make this today, however i forgot cloves 🙁 what can i substitute this with? If any(Hopefully).
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mercedes, The flavor would be slightly different but you can leave them out if you don’t have them.
Mercedes Ibarra
0Thank 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
0Can’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
0Hi Erin, The peppers go into the blender (with a bunch of other ingredients), so you don’t need to cut them first.
Erin
0Can’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
0Hi Erin, They go in the blender so you can put them in whole.
Erica
0I 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
0Thank 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
0Hello! I did everything you said but the meat is not getting tender):
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lauren, This likely means it needs to cook for longer.
Bre
0Would this recipe be as good with chicken?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Bre, That would probably work but I have not tried that.
Cindy Mitchell
0In the crock pot now. Anxious to taste it will keep you posted!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope you like it, Cindy!
Diane Smith
0This 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
0I am so happy to hear that, Diane! Thank you!
Deanna
0This was sooooo good!! My husband is still talking about this! Thank you.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Deanna! Have a great day!
Liz
0I 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
0I am so happy you liked it, Liz! And even happier you remembered to plug it in! 😉
Melanie
0I 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
0I am so happy to hear that, Melanie! Thanks for stopping by!
Jaz
0Currently 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
0Hi 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
0This 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
0I am happy you liked it, Courtney! It was about 4 tsp including the peppers and sauce, but you can adjust to your liking.
Mary
0Have 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
0Hi 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
0Oh my! I made a mistake. I use 2 medium “cans” of chipotles in adobo! It was good but very 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
0Hi Andrea, Yes, that does sound spicy! I hope you’ll try it again with just the 2 peppers. 🙂
Donna
0This 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
0Thank you, Donna!
Nancy
0Getting 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
0Thank you, Nancy! I hope you love it!
Nancy
0BIG 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
0Thank you, Nancy! I’m glad you’re family liked it!
Valeria Dombiak-Woelfel
0Hello, 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
0Hi 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
0Great recipe. I used Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout instead of beef broth and used boneless short ribs.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Steve!
Shannon
0Made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! Keep up the good work!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Shannon!
Lauren
0Looks 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
0Thank 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
0Hello! 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
0Hi 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
0How 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
0Awesome, it looks so yummy. Wanna try it. Thank for sharing!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Jen!
Aaron Clark
0Barbacoa is made with cheek meat, nothing else. What you have is good but still not real barbacoa.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi 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
0Just 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
0Thank you, Paige! Sounds like a delicious combination!
Sam
0Just 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
0Thank you so much, Sam!
Billie
0I love your recipes! Always so good, and now I can’t wait to make this one!
Taryn
0Love Chipotle! The line is always out the door at lunch time. I’ll have to make it at home now.
Sarah
0Ok, this just looks amazing! My husband would love it – I will have to try it!
Kim | Low Carb Maven
0This 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
0Chiptoles Barbacoa is amazing! Love that you recreated it in the slow cooker! Making ASAP 🙂
Anna
0This looks amazing. Just pinned it in my crockpot recipes. Thanks, Anna
STACEY CRAWFORD
0I can’t eat at Chipotle, so this would much better for me. Looks good!
Georgina
0I haven’t been to a Chipotle for eons so I couldn’t compare, but the flavors in this look fantastic!
Katrin
0Wow, this looks incredible! A perfect dinner.