Mexican Barbacoa

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large Dutch oven or large skillet. Bring to medium heat. The goal is to add the beef in batches to get a nice sear on all sides before placing it into your slow cooker.

Once beef has browned, add each piece to the slow cooker, and repeat with any remaining beef. After all the beef is added, rinse out the pan, return to the stove, let the water evaporate, then add remaining oil. Bring oil to medium heat.

Add onion, garlic, chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, and beef stock. Let this come to a quick boil. Add cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and lime juice, and stir. Add mixture to slow cooker, and set to the high setting. Cook for about 6 hours.

After 6 hours, check on the beef and make sure it is fall-apart tender. If not, continue to cook until it is. Shred all of the beef, making sure everything gets nicely incorporated. Cover and let this cook for about 20 minutes longer to soak up all of that delicious stock.

During this time, cook beans (if using) and warm up tortillas. Slice up any additional items such as limes, jalapenos, or onions.

Now it’s ready to serve. I like getting a bit rustic, laying out some barbacoa, beans, chilies, and have things on standby like fresh cilantro and salsa.