Main Dishes

Smoky Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen

Smoky, succulent beef barbacoa – just like Chipotle’s!

smoky-chipotle-beef-barbacoa-1

Do you have a designated taco night in your household?  Lately, there has been at least one day each week when we eat tacos for lunch or dinner, but I can’t complain about it!  The problem is…in order to make that intensely flavorful, slow-simmered, fork-tender meat filling, it usually requires advance planning like marinating the meat overnight, or allowing the meat to simmer in a slow cooker for the entire day.

Two weeks ago, I decided one day at 4pm that I wanted to make beef barbacoa tacos that same evening (my attempt at menu planning…) and after some experimentation, I think I’ve got the right recipe for a weeknight beef barbacoa taco dinner.  Beef chuck is seared and then slow-cooked in a smoky, spicy combination of chipotle peppers in adobo and hatch chiles, creating perfectly moist and succulent Mexican shredded beef.  This dish turned out so well that I knew I had to share it with you.

smoky-chipotle-beef-barbacoa-2

The meat is so versatile.  You can use it as a filling in tacos, quesadillas, burritos, or burrito rice bowls.  Even though it was just for the two of us, I made the full recipe so that it would be enough for two meals.  It makes for amazing leftovers!  We had the second serving for lunch this past weekend and it was as good as the first time.

smoky-chipotle-beef-barbacoa-3

Smoky Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

Smoky, succulent beef barbacoa - just like Chipotle's!
Author Karen @ The Tasty Bite

Ingredients

  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 4- oz can diced green chiles
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 plum tomatoes quartered
  • 1 small white onion quartered
  • 8 cloves garlic peeled
  • Salt
  • 2 lbs beef chuck fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems, tied with a kitchen twine

Instructions

  • In a blender or food processor, combine chipotle peppers, hatch chiles, chili powder, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, brown sugar, tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
  • In a heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven, cook beef in oil over medium high heat until all sides are browned. Pour reserved mixture over top. Add bay leaves and cilantro. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for 2 hours, adding up to 1 cup of water if the sauce gets too thick. Discard bay leaves and cilantro, and shred meat with two forks. Return shredded meat to the sauce and season with salt to taste. Serve with tortillas and your choice of toppings.

 

 

154 Comments

  1. Jess Prinelli

    Red

  2. I like the color red better.

  3. I’d prefer green.

  4. I prefer the red! Xoxo

  5. I like the red

  6. angela cunningham

    I like the green

  7. I like the red.

  8. mihaela day

    I like the color red

  9. Mary Casper

    I prefer red

  10. Red looks nice.

  11. I like & prefer the red color

  12. I would actually prefer the green color knife set the most.

  13. susanobryant

    Green :)

  14. I prefer green but the wallpaper in the kitchen that I haven’t had time to take down is red and blue…so I red it is!

  15. Ann Fantom

    I like the red knives the most.

    abfantom at yahoo dot com

  16. Green! My kitchen is green.

  17. I’d pick red.

  18. The red looks great

  19. Tari Lawson

    I prefer red.

  20. Amy Pratt

    I prefer green.

  21. Debbi Wellenstein

    I have a couple of kitchen appliances in red, so I will pick red.

  22. Pingback: Kyocera 2-Piece Ceramic Knife Set Giveaway - Giveaway Promote

  23. Holly Guerrio

    I prefer red.

  24. Red

  25. wilson king

    red

  26. I would pick green

  27. I like the red best.

  28. green =)

  29. I prefer red <3

  30. Definitely red.

  31. I’d like green

  32. I prefer the red set.

  33. jessica eapen

    i’d prefer red

  34. I like the green.

  35. I love the green handles.

  36. I would choose the Red. It would better match my kitchen.

  37. Anne Taylor

    I like the Red knives

  38. beth shepherd

    I like the green

  39. Carly Smith

    I prefer the green – thanks!

  40. Julie Bolduc

    I like red

  41. melanie Borhi

    Green for sure

  42. Candace Galan-Calderon

    Red…..color my kitchen is decorated in!

  43. I LOVE the colour Red!!!

  44. christina moore

    I prefer red

  45. I would choose red. Thanks for the chance!

  46. Shellie Clark

    I prefer red.

  47. red!!

  48. I prefer red please!

  49. RED IS JUST RIGHT

  50. Jan Hammersmith

    I would like the red one

  51. I would like red

  52. I would prefer red!

  53. I would like the red knives.

  54. marcusbarnes

    I prefer the red set. Thank you!

  55. Karen Deva

    I prefer green.

  56. I like the green.

  57. Mike Kozseluha

    I definitely prefer red !

  58. Karen Gonyea

    I prefer the red set :)

  59. I would love the green Kyocera 2-Piece Ceramic Knife Set , fresh for summer!

  60. tara darity

    red

  61. red

  62. natalie yeoman

    i would really like the red ones

  63. I would prefer the green! :)

  64. I like the red color the best, it would go well with my kitchen.

  65. tina reynolds

    I would pick the red

  66. I would prefer the green, it would match some handles we already have and my kitchen walls! Thanks!

  67. Red :)

  68. Red

  69. green

  70. I prefer the red.

  71. I would like green.

  72. Green please!:)

  73. Kristina S.

    I love the red! So amazing!

  74. Deborah Gardner

    I like the green set. Thank you!

  75. I prefer the red.

  76. Nataly Carbonell

    I prefer in color green :}

  77. Natalie Brown

    Hi! My kitchen is red and green. I like the green better. Thanks!

  78. I think the red knives would be fabulous!!! :)

  79. Brittney House

    I like the red best.

  80. i like green

  81. velder dixon

    i prefer green

  82. I would love the green.

  83. I prefer the red color knives. Thanks for the chance.

  84. Red, please

  85. Definitely red! We have a red themed kitchen.

  86. Diane Baum

    I love the green
    Diane Baum
    esldiane@gmail.com

  87. Definitely the RED for me!

  88. Debra Hall

    i would prefer the green

  89. Jennifer K

    love the green! favorite color

  90. Green

  91. Jill Myrick

    I would love to have the red knife set.

    jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com

  92. yana ryjova

    The red would be perfect for our kitchen.

  93. I like the green.

  94. CJ Godfrey

    I would prefer the red set. I need new knives!!!!!

  95. Eugenia Hall

    I like the red ones, easy to keep track of particularly if you take them to a picnic or pot luck.

  96. Brenda A Saball

    Green please!

  97. Green for me.

  98. Leslie L Stanziani

    I prefer the green but would be grateful for any color.

  99. I like red

  100. Karen Drake

    I would like the red set.

  101. cynthia Painter

    I prefer the red, its my favorite color!

  102. I prefer Red, most of my kitchen is red actually.

  103. I prefer the green. Thank you.

  104. Shelby Veri

    I like the green!

  105. Erin Madigan

    I would love the red set!

  106. Cathy Burnett

    I would love the Red to match my kitchen.

  107. I would appreciate either color. But green is my favorite color, so if I had to choose I would pick that.

    angelatrenna(at)earthlink(dot)net

  108. I would choose the green.

  109. I like the red

  110. I prefer the red!

  111. Danielle W

    Red!

  112. I prefer green..it’s my favorite color

  113. Peggy Rydzewski

    I like both but I think the green would be better for when you are slicing meat. Easy to see.

  114. syncingcoin

    I wouldn’t mind either color but having to choose I’d go with the green.

  115. Tammy Dalley

    I like green!

  116. I like the green.

  117. Carol M (Lushka S)

    I like red

  118. Michele Baron

    My choice would be the red knives

  119. I suppose I would choose red but either would be great.

  120. Connie Tucker

    I like the green best

  121. I like the red knives

  122. I would love to have the green!

  123. Green is really pretty!

  124. I think I would prefer the green knives.

  125. Red!

  126. willitara

    I prefer the red. I really hope I win this. I love ceramic knives and one of my was lost so I’m needing another.

  127. Red! My fave color!

  128. Melissa Mazzur

    I like the red color best. It matches my cookware!

  129. i prefer the green

  130. jesspat1990

    I would love the green one

  131. I like red.

  132. I would love either colour, but if I had to choose one, it would be red.

  133. I think I’d like green.

  134. I like the red, it goes with all of my kitchen stuff

  135. Sarah Jestings

    I would prefer red I love red it is my favorite color.

  136. Kassie Brown

    I would pick red.

  137. Thanks for the giveaway…we like the red handles !

  138. Pingback: Vacay Every Day with Palm Breeze {+Roundup of Recipes for Tropical Cocktail Party}

  139. Pingback: How To: Make Your Own Taco Seasoning Mix

  140. Pingback: 18 Cheap & Easy Slow Cooker Recipes (2024)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.