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Barbacoa

Slow-cooked beef brisket infused with dried chiles, vinegar, and warm spices until it shreds at a touch. A classic Southwestern celebration dish served with warm tortillas.

505 minEasyServes 8390 cal/serving

SouthwesternDinnerSlow CookerStandardGluten-Free

Ingredients

  • 6 lbs beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat
  • 4 dried ancho chiles, seeded
  • 2 dried chipotle peppers
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 8 large flour tortillas

Instructions

  1. 1

    Toast 4 seeded dried ancho chiles and 2 dried chipotle peppers in a dry skillet for 1 minute, then soak in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes until soft.

  2. 2

    Transfer softened chiles to a blender with 3/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth.

  3. 3

    Place 6 lbs trimmed of excess fat beef brisket in a slow cooker and add the chile paste, 2 cups beef broth, 1 quartered white onion, and 8 smashed garlic cloves.

  4. 4

    Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until beef brisket shreds easily with a fork. Alternatively, cook on high for 5 hours.

  5. 5

    Shred the beef brisket directly in the slow cooker using two forks, breaking it into bite-sized pieces. Skim excess fat from the surface.

  6. 6

    Warm 8 large flour tortillas and serve beef brisket in tortillas with cooking liquid drizzled on top and your choice of garnishes.

Questions

How long does Barbacoa keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat gently on the stovetop. It also freezes well for up to three months.

Can I halve or double Barbacoa?

Yes. As written it serves 8. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. Keep the slow cooker between half and two-thirds full; the cook time stays roughly the same.

Serve it with

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