Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Crock pot Recipe

Enjoy Slow Cooker Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe with very little work thanks to the crock pot. Tender beef is slow cooked to perfection and delicious over rice or in tortillas.  Each bite is so flavorful with adobo sauce, beef broth and much more!

Chipotle Barbacoa Slow Cooker Recipe:

This amazing Barbacoa Recipe in the Slow Cooker is so tender that it falls apart with a fork. The flavor is amazing from being slow cooked and your house will smell amazing.

The lime and adobo sauce with beef broth and other tasty ingredients give this recipe so many layers of flavor. It is simple delicious.

Put your crock pot to work and come home to a great dinner. This is amazing with rice and then enjoy later in the week in tortillas. My family loves this recipe.

What is Barbacoa?

Barbacoa is a Mexican cooked tender meat that is filled with spices and lots of authentic flavor. Traditionally Barbacoa is eaten served over rice or in a tortilla.

You want to make sure that you pick the right meat when preparing to make Barbacoa. The spices and the slow cooking of this meat is the key to making this the best Mexican cooked meat.

What does Barbacoa taste like?

If cooked properly, Barbacoa meat taste like tender, Mexican meat that is filled with savory flavor.

Cooking in the slow cooker all day allows for the cumin, oregano and the apple cider vinegar blend together perfectly. The meat will just melt in your mouth with all the authentic flavors from the Mexican spices.

What kind of meat is used for Barbacoa?

We use a chuck tender roast when cooking the barbacoa. You can also a brisket. I prefer the chuck roast as it cooks perfectly in the slow cooker. I like that it is so tender and you can shred with a fork.

The barbacoa beef is great to use for you tacos or burrito bowls.

Crock Pot Barbacoa Chipotle Ingredients:

• Chuck Roast
• Chipotle Peppers 
• Adobo Sauce
• Minced Garlic 
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Cumin
• Dried  Oregano
• Salt
• Pepper
• Limes juiced
• Beef Broth
• Bay Leaves

How to make Barbacoa in the Crock Pot?

• Place the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, lime juice and beef broth in a blender.  Blend until smooth and thoroughly combined. 

• Cut the chuck roast into large pieces and place these pieces in a crock pot. 

• Pour the blender mixture on top of the roast and top with the bay leaves. 
• Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the beef is tender and easy to shred. 

• Remove the bay leaves.  Shred the beef with 2 forks and stir the shredded beef into the sauce in the crock pot. 
• Let the beef sit for a few minutes to soak up the juices from the crock pot.  
• Then the beef is ready to serve and enjoy! 

Favorite Toppings:

We love to have all of our favorite toppings when serving this meal. Barbacoa Beef is a crowd pleaser and we love serving this meal when we have our friends over.

• Cheese
• Salsa
• Sour Cream
• Lettuce
• Onion
• Avocado

What to serve with Chipotle Barbacoa?

• Serve over Rice – We love the beef over rice. It is easy and delicious. Plus, the sauce tastes amazing on rice. I love to grab the rice from the freezer in the morning and when we come home it is all ready to enjoy.
• Low Carb Option – Serve with a big green salad
• Side of Vegetables –  Roasted Green Beans or learn how to steam broccoli in the microwave for a super easy veggie side dish.

Slow Cooker Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe Variation Ideas:

• Less Spicy – If you want it less spicy cut the chipotle peppers in half. The flavors of the chipotle in adobo is the main ingredient for this recipe so you do not want to omit it.
• Use Chicken – Even though we prefer this recipe with a beef roast, you can use chicken breast or chicken thighs.
• Can be made in the Instant Pot – We love to let this recipe cook all day, but you can make it in the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for about 70 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.

How to use leftover Barbacoa:

We love have Barbacoa leftover. We actually think it taste better the next day as the flavors have really marinated together. Here are some of our favorite cook once, eat twice ideas:

• Use the leftover beef to make tacos, taco salads, or burrito bowls. Serve on your favorite tortillas for an amazing meal. You can try the Best Flour Tortilla Recipe if you have a few extra minutes to make your own.
• This meat is also delicious on corn tortillas. Just use what you prefer. If you love tacos, try making Homemade Taco Shells.  They are so simple to make and these homemade taco bowls taste great and are budget friendly.
• Make Enchilada’s with your leftover barbacoa meat. Roll them up in flour tortilla’s and top with cheese. This is my husbands favorite way to have them leftover.
• My kids love to have the leftover meat in Quesadilla’s. This is a great lunch option for my family.
• Make a big pan of Nacho’s with your leftover meat. We love doing this as everyone gathers around and we top the nacho’s with all of our favorite toppings.

Do you need a Crock Pot recommendation?

I often use the slow cooker to take dishes to potluck events and this feature is amazing! There are several others on sale here.

Another favorite is this programmable crock pot  for when I am am not at home all day. I love coming home to a nice meal ready and waiting!

I also like to use crock pot liners to make clean up a breeze. These plastic bags are worth every penny and save a ton of time.

Can I prepare ahead of time?

You can prepare the marinade and place in a gallon size bag. Then once you are ready to cook just pour over the beef once it is in the crock pot.

How to store Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef?

This barbacoa beef is great leftover. If stored properly in an airtight container, it will last about 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

You can even freeze your leftover barbacoa beef. It will last about 4 months in the freezer. Place the beef in a freezer safe container and place in the freezer.

Try Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe today!

Everyone will love eating at home when you make delicious meals like this. You can enjoy this one night over rice and later in the week as tacos. No more being tempted to eat out. You will see just how easy it is and the savings will add up.

You can try other cuts of beef. I often just use what I have in the freeze or what is on sale. You can truly make this recipe your own and customize it for your family.

If you love chipotle, try this easy beef barbacoa recipe. It is slow cooked to perfection and one of our favorite spicy foods. Copycat recipes are easy and save a ton of money! It is really a great recipe.

Print this crock pot chipotle barbacoa recipe below:

More Crock Pot Beef Recipes:

• Easy Crock Pot Beef Tips Recipe
• Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
• Crock pot Cheeseburger Soup Recipe