Ingredients
Barbacoa-style beef
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as avocado or canola oil
- 1/2 medium white onion roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice divided
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves
Equipment
- 1 5-to-7-quart Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid
- 1 Blender or food processor
- 1 Instant-read thermometer
- 2 Forks for shredding
Instructions
Method
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 325°F (163°C). Pat the beef dry and season it with 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt.
- Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in two batches until deeply browned on several sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
- Blend the onion, garlic, chipotles, adobo sauce, vinegar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 3/4 cup broth, cumin, oregano, cloves, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until mostly smooth.
- Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Pour over the sauce and remaining 1/4 cup broth, then add the bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and bake for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the pieces once halfway through, until the beef is fork-tender.
- Discard the bay leaves. Transfer the beef to a tray, skim excess fat from the sauce, and shred the meat with two forks. Return it to the pot with the remaining tablespoon of lime juice and enough cooking liquid to keep every strand juicy.
- Taste and add salt or lime as needed. Serve hot in warm tortillas, bowls, or salads with onion, cilantro, radish, cabbage, and extra lime.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving (1/8 batch)Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 35gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 690mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1g
Video
Notes
This is a practical Dutch-oven barbacoa-style beef, not a claim to reproduce Mexico’s many regional pit-cooked traditions. For a slow cooker, sear the meat and blend the sauce as written, then cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 to 6 hours until fork-tender. The USDA safe minimum for a beef roast is 145°F with a 3-minute rest; a chuck roast must cook well beyond that point to become shreddable. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 165°F. Nutrition excludes tortillas and toppings.
