Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef for Taco’s!

On Wednesday we celebrated Pat’s birthday.  I made his favorite type of taco’s that he order’s from Chipotle- Barbacoa Beef Taco’s.

I found the recipe through Pinterest.  The recipe is from TheKitchn Blog.  Click HERE for the recipe or follow below for the changes that I made!

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Ingredients:

• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce plus 3 tsp of the adobo sauce ***see note below***
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 red onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 small head of garlic, peeled and cloves smashed
• 1 teaspoon cloves (the recipe called for ground- I only had whole- which is fine to use)
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• Juice of 4 limes
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• 4-5 pounds beef brisket (be sure not to pick up corned beef brisket!)
• 4 cups chicken or beef broth (I didn’t have beef-  the recipe calls for either)
• 4 dried bay leaves

Directions:

The night before:

Place the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cilantro, red onion, garlic, cloves, salt, lime juice, cider vinegar into a food processor and pulse until well combined (You can use a blender or if you have neither you can just place the ingredients on the bottom of your slow cooker insert and mix until combined.)

Pour mixture into the bottom of your slow cooker insert.

Place the meat in the insert.  (I had to cut mine in half to fit it!)

Add the broth and bay leaves.

Using tong, move meat around to combine everything.

Place lid on slow cooker insert and place in fridge to sit over night.

Next Day:

Place insert in slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours (Can do High for 4 hours, but the meat won’t be as tender).

Go to work/run errands/Do what you had planned for the day.

Remove meat from slow cooker and place on large baking sheet.

Using 2 forks, pull the meet apart.

Place shredded beef in a large bowl and ladel some of the liquid from the slow cooker over it. (Just a few ladels full, you don’t want the beef to be “swimming” in it).

Serve it with how you like to make your taco’s.

***Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce- You can find these in the aisle of the grocery store where you would find taco ingredients.  It comes in a small can.

The prep work takes a little time, but that is why I did it all the night before so that before I left for work the next morning I just turned the crock-pot on and let it cook!

Pat said it tasted better than Chipotle.  He could have just been saying that… but it was pretty good, if I do say so myself!  Here is a picture Pat put together:

Taken by Pat Kravitz via Instagram

Recipe for the birthday cake to come soon!!

Molly Jean