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Beef Barbacoa - slow cooker style

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pound beef chuck roast boneless
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 7 large cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
  • 3 large chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 medium serrano chili peppers
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons ground cocoa, natural unsweetened
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried mexican oregano plain oregano is okay
  • 1 14 ounce can beef broth

Instructions
 

  • Heat large heavy skillet (cast iron) if you have one over medium high heat.
  • Season both sides of chuck roast with kosher salt and black pepper.
  • Lay roast in very hot skillet and brown on both sides for approximately 5minutes per side (until it gets a nice color).  Leave it alone...don't move the roast around until ready to flip.
  • After you have seared the roast on both sides, place it in the bottom of large slow cooker.
  • Meanwhile, in food processor or large blender add all of the ingredients from garlic through beef broth.
  • Pulse in processor or in blender until everything is combine.
  • Pour sauce over roast.
  • Drop in bay leaves.
  • Fit slow cooker with lid and cook on low for 8 hours of high on 4-5.
  • Carefully remove roast from slow cooker.
  • Remove bay leaves from sauce and pour sauce into a container.  Let sit for a few minutes so fat rises to the top.
  • While sauce is cooling for a bit, place roast back in slow cooker.  Use 2 folks to shred the beef.
  • Skim fat off the top of the sauce.  Add about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of sauce back into shredded barbacoa.  You want it moist, but not swimming in sauce.
  • Serve as a filling for tacos, a salad or a Mexican style omelet.

Notes

Be sure to sear the roast prior to adding to slow cooker.
You can adjust the spiciness by reducing the number of chipotle and serrano chili peppers.
Don't forget, most good Mexican food is enhanced by a squirt of fresh lime juice just before eating.  This adds some acid and a fresh flavor.
 
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