Tender, juicy, and with a bold flavor, this slow cooker barbacoa is the ultimate meal prep recipe. Use the beef for wraps, bowls, or salads. It creates multiple meals in a single effort.
2tablespoonsdiced chipotle peppersor 3 tablespoons, depending on your desired spice level ⠀
2lbs.chuck roast
Salad Bowls⠀
2bell pepperssliced thin⠀
6cupsromaine lettuce⠀
2cupscooked riceor cauliflower rice
2avocadossliced⠀
1cupfresh pico de galloor salsa of your choice
15cilantro leaves⠀
1limesliced⠀
Instructions
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet, and brown the roast on all sides. Note: You can skip this step if you'd like.
Chop the garlic. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon cumin⠀, ½ teaspoon dried oregano⠀, 1 cup beef broth⠀, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ½ teaspoon sea salt⠀ and ¼ teaspoon black pepper⠀. Add in 2 tablespoons diced chipotle peppers (or substitute 2 tbsp. chipotle in adobo, but check the label!).
Transfer the 2 lbs. chuck roast to your crockpot. Pour the chipotle and broth mixture into the slow cooker over the roast.
Cover the slow cooker and set it to low. Cook for 6 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Meanwhile, slice the 2 bell peppers and onions. Using the same skillet you browned the beef in, sauté the vegetables over medium heat in 1 tbsp of oil, for about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set it aside.
Tear or chop the 6 cups romaine lettuce⠀ for salads.
Once it's cooked and very tender, remove the beef from the slow cooker and set it in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the beef, setting aside any tough fatty pieces.
Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker, cover, and set it to "Keep Warm," for at least 15 minutes or until you're ready to eat.
Assemble and Serve
Cut the avocados just before you're ready to eat. Divide the romaine among four bowls. Top each bowl with the beef, 2 cups cooked rice, 2 avocados, 1 cup fresh pico de gallo, 15 cilantro leaves⠀ and 1 lime slices.
Notes
Two forks work best to shred the barbacoa beef. Try to get it as shredded as possible so that it absorbs all the flavors when it's mixed back into the juices.Searing the beef will hold in more flavor, but if you're short on time, it's not necessary.Each slow cooker heats differently, so keep an eye on the beef and make sure it reaches a safe internal temperature.