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Beef Barbacoa made in a Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa – How to Feed a Crowd

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  • Author: Caroline
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 25 tacos 1x

Description

A delicious, easy crowd pleaser! This recipe makes at least 25 tacos, or can be used on nachos, in quesadillas, or in bowls over rice or salad.


Ingredients

Scale

4 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, minced, plus all the adobo sauce it sits in
1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, peeled and cut into chunks
1 head garlic, peeled and cloves smashed
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
5 cups beef stock
6- 7 pounds beef brisket
5 dried bay leaves

To serve:
Tortillas (I prefer fresh soft corn tortillas, makes about 25 tacos)
Pickled red onion
Fresh cilantro
Mild pickled jalapeños
Queso fresca cheese (if you can find it or any cheese you like)
Lime wedges


Instructions

  1. In a blender, pulse until combined: chipotle peppers and their sauce, cilantro, red onion, garlic, cloves, salt, lime juice, cider vinegar, and broth.
  2. Put your brisket (either whole or cut in two if needed to fit) in a large slow cooker. Cover with the sauce. Top with bay leaves.
  3. Put your slow cooker on low for 8 – 10 hours, overnight works great. The cooker must get the meat to 160 degrees so it breaks down the meat making it fork tender. If needed, your slower cooker may need to be adjusted based on temperature settings. When the meat is done, you can put a fork in it and turn and see that it will easily break apart into shredded pieces.
  4. Transfer the meat to large cutting board or baking sheet. Use 2 forks to shred the meat. Place the shredded beef in a large bowl and cover with some of the sauce. It should be enough sauce to keep it moist but not covering all the meat. (hint: You can save any leftover sauce to flavor bean soup!)
  5. If you make the meat a day or more ahead, keep it in the refrigerator and return it to the slow cooker to serve on warm. You can warm leftover meat or smaller portions in a skillet and use it on salads, nachos, or in quesadillas.
  6. When ready to serve, include warm tortillas, pickled red onion, freshly chopped cilantro, pickled jalapenos, cheese, lime wedges, or any other toppings you want on your taco bar.

Notes

Make a day ahead and re-warm in your slow cookier