Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Recipe (Gluten-Free, High Protein, Crowd-Pleaser)
If you’re looking for a recipe that feels impressive but is actually incredibly simple, this Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa is it. The name might sound fancy (it’s pronounced bar-buh-COH-uh), but it’s really just tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef that cooks low and slow with bold flavors.
This dish has quickly become a family favorite at our house, and it’s perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to serving a crowd.
It’s crockpot season!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Hands-off cooking: The slow cooker does all the work.
Protein-packed: Each serving has 41 grams of protein, making it a macro-friendly dinner.
Versatile: Serve it over rice, in corn tortillas, or as a topping for a hearty salad.
Crowd-pleasing: It’s the kind of dish that gets requested again and again.
Ingredients for the Beef Barbacoa
4 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed of visible fat (I didn’t need to do this step)
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Juice of 2 limes
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (adjust for spice level)
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 cup beef broth
How to Make It
Place beef chunks in the slow cooker. (I prefer to brown in a skillet first with s/p.)
In a bowl, combine vinegar, lime juice, garlic, chipotles, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pour over the beef.
Add beef broth, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours, until beef shreds easily. If you are short on time you can also cook on high for 5 hours.
Shred with two forks and mix back into the juices to stay tender.
How to Serve Beef Barbacoa
Here’s where the fun comes in… you can serve this barbacoa so many ways:
With cilantro lime rice: I served mine with fluffy rice seasoned with lime juice and plenty of fresh cilantro.
On corn tortillas: Keep it classic with a warm tortilla, chopped cilantro, and onion. Add avocado slices if you want a little extra richness.
With a crunchy slaw: This slaw is so simple and so good — half a bag of coleslaw mix, a spoonful of avocado mayo, juice of one lime, a handful of chopped cilantro, a pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of Trader Joe’s Chile Lime seasoning. Stir and serve on the side or right on top of your taco.
Nutrition Information (per serving of barbacoa, 1/8th of recipe)
Calories: 365
Protein: 41g
Carbs: 4g
Fat: 21g
This beef barbacoa is rich, flavorful, and versatile. Whether you’re making it for family dinner or a party with friends, it’s one of those recipes that makes you look like you worked way harder than you did.
