Barbacoa

Name: Barbacoa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 505 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southwestern
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

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

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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Questions

What is 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. This reference files it under Southwestern dinner: made in a slow cooker, rated easy and about 505 minutes start to finish.

Can I skip the soak in Barbacoa?

Step 1 reads: "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." Better not. The soak in step 1 hydrates the ingredient so it softens evenly in the time given; skipping it means a longer cook and a less even texture.

Is there a substitute for chipotle in adobo in Barbacoa?

The entry for Barbacoa calls for 2 dried chipotle peppers. In its place: Use smoked paprika with a pinch of cayenne and a teaspoon of tomato paste per pepper.

How hot is Barbacoa?

Moderately. The heat in Barbacoa comes from 2 dried chipotle peppers. For a milder plate, start with half the chipotle and add more to taste at the end; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Is Barbacoa gluten-free?

Yes. As written, nothing in the ingredient list for Barbacoa is wheat, barley or rye. Gluten hides in packaged goods, so read the label on the broth.

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