Beef Barbacoa

This crazy delicious Beef Barbacoa couldn’t be easier to make! Season, braise, simmer and let your oven do the rest!

If you love Chipotle, you’ll love this copycat recipe! Pair it with our copycat Cilantro Lime Rice and add some Restaurant Style Salsa while you’re at it.

Beef Barbacoa tacos topped with onions and cilantro

Perfect Consistency!

I’ve always been a sucker for Chipotle’s beef barbacoa, so I finally decided to make a homemade version for dinner. It’s so incredibly easy and it comes out tender, juicy and extremely flavorful.

In order to achieve that perfect consistency, I use my dutch oven! Why a Dutch oven? Because it’s perfect for braising and oven roasting meat.

The enameled surface lends to crispy exteriors and and easy release. Plus you can braise, simmer, and transfer the pot directly to the oven. That’s huge. Although, If you don’t own one see my NOTES at the bottom of the recipe for an alternative method.

Beef Barbacoa Recipe on a white plate

How to Make Barbacoa

BEEF. First, you’ll need a large piece of beef. I’m talking a 4-5 pound beef chuck-eye roast or short ribs (if you can find a roast), you know the ones that are nicely marbled with fat.

BRAISE. Cut it into about 8 large chunks and then braise in an oiled Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate to rest.

SAUTE. Meanwhile, in that same pot, saute the onion and garlic. Toss in the seasonings/spices and let ’em go until they’re fragrant. Toasting the spices adds a whole new level of flavor to the beef, and trust me, it’s worth it! Then whisk in a cup of chicken broth, scraping the bottom to remove any browned bits that formed earlier.

SIMMER. Add in the braised beef chunks, and all remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover and then transfer to the oven.

BAKE. Bake at 325 degrees for 3-4 hours or until the meat is fork-tender. Just know that every oven and cooking vessel is different so the time will vary. The liquid will evaporate over time leaving just a tad bit at the bottom of the pot. That’s exactly what you want!

REDUCE. Remove from the oven, return to the stovetop and reduce the liquid if you have a lot left. I didn’t have very much, so I only did this for a few minutes. You want there to be a little liquid in there, that way after you shred the meat you can toss it back in and let it absorb it.

Alternate Cooking Methods

Glass pan: If you don’t own a Dutch oven, simply do everything in a large pot, then transfer to a 9X13 ceramic or glass dish. Cover with foil and bake according to the directions. 

Slow cooker: Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours until the meat just falls apart.

Instant pot: Create your sauce in a different pot, then brown your piece of meat in the instant pot on the sear function. Combine the sauce and meat in the instant pot and cook on manual for about an hour. It should be able to be easily shredded at this point.

Barbacoa beef tacos topped with cilantro

Serving and Storing

We made tacos with our beef barbacoa, but you could use it in a number of different dishes, like:

  • Burritos
  • Salads
  • Tostadas 
  • Nachos
  • Enchiladas 
  • Quesadillas

Keep leftover meat STORED in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week. Reheat in the microwave or in the crockpot on low for a little bit.

To FREEZE, place leftover meat in an airtight bag or container and freeze for up to 6 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave, or on the stove, or in the crockpot.

For more Mexican style meat entrees, try:

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

Three soft-shell tacos filled with shredded Beef Barbacoa.

Beef Barbacoa Recipe

Experience the ultimate in easy and flavorful cooking with our Beef Barbacoa. Just season, braise, simmer, and let your oven take over to create this mouth-watering dish!
4.77 from 17 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free, Dairy Free
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 630kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4-5 lb beef chuck-eye roast - OR boneless short ribs
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 small yellow onion - thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic - smashed
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 3 chipotle chilies / chipotle peppers - seeded and minced + 1 tbsp. adobo sauce
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 (10 oz. can) diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 2 limes - juiced
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163 degrees Celsius). Adjust the oven rack to the middle-lower position (so that your pot fits).
  • Cut the beef into about 8 large chunks. You'll want the beef to remain marbled with fat, but if there are giant spots, it's okay to remove them.
  • In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the beef and braise. When the meat is crispy and brown, flip and continue to braise the other side (I let mine go for about 4 minutes on each side). Remove and set aside.
  • Add the onion, garlic, and seasonings to the pan. Allow the onions to cook until translucent and the spices to become fragrant. Scrape up any browned bits while whisking in 1 cup of chicken broth, then add in the meat. Pour the remaining chicken broth over the top, along with the minced chipotle chilies, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes with green chilies, lime juice, and bay leaves.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then place the lid on and transfer to the preheated oven. Let the beef cook for 3-4 hours, stirring twice during that time. The meat should fall apart and be extremely tender. Remove from the oven and, if needed, place over medium-high heat to reduce the liquid (I only did this for a few minutes). Remove the meat and place it on a large cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks, then return it to the pot to absorb any leftover juices. Discard the bay leaves and serve warm.

NOTES

– If you don’t own a Dutch oven, simply do everything in a large pot, then transfer to a 9×13 ceramic or glass dish. Cover with foil and bake according to the directions.
– You can find chipotle chilies in adobo sauce in the Latin aisle of most grocery stores.
STORE your Beef Barbacoa in an airtight container in the fridge; it will stay good for up to 4 days. To FREEZE, place your leftovers in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months.
To REHEAT, thaw in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm it on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating.

Nutrition

Serving: 6serving | Calories: 630kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 1306mg | Potassium: 1142mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 8mg

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Frances Bautista

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    So good and pretty easy to make. Reminds me of the barbacoa at Chipotle. This one is going in my family cookbook.
    * only thing I changed was that I used a jarred roasted tomato salsa instead of the can of tomatoes. I halved the recipe and would’ve only needed 2.5 oz of that ingredient and didn’t want to open a whole can for that.

  2. Where did you find this recipe? I was born and raised in TEXAS. an Authentic Barbacoa recipe only uses meat cut from a steer’s HEAD. Why didn’t you use a shredded beef tongue?

    1. Hi there, yes, the Mexican versions of Barbacoa use meat from the cow’s head. This is our version and like many other American beef barbacoa recipes, our recipe uses beef chuck-eye roast – OR boneless short ribs. But, feel free to make it your way with shredded beef tongue.

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe was so delicious! We made it and reheated for lunches all week. We loved the flavor and it worked inside so many things!