Chipotle Barbacoa (Copycat Recipe with Video) (2024)

Published: Apr 30, 2021 · Modified: Feb 16, 2022 by Brooke Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Learn how to make Chipotle barbacoa in the comfort of your home with our copycat barbacoa recipe. It's slow cooked, shredded, and full of flavor, thanks to our secret sauce that has just the right amount of heat and smokiness.

If you love this Mexican restaurant, you'll also want to try our mouthwatering Chipotle pork carnitas and our Chipotle carne asada recipes.

Ingredients

The ingredients in beef barbacoa are mostly pantry staples, and are readily available at large grocery stores in the U.S. Check the Hispanic or International section for the chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce and the Mexican oregano.

• Meat: We used chuck roast for the photo shoot, but you can also use beef brisket.
• Spiciness: We used five large chipotle chilies canned in adobo sauce, and one tablespoon of adobo sauce.
• Citrus: We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
• Broth: We used beef broth for more flavor, but in a pinch you can use water.
• Dried Spices: We used Mexican oregano, cumin, cloves, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. If you can't find Mexican oregano, substitute with Italian oregano.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients for the Chipotle barbacoa.

1. Add the chilies, garlic, and beef broth to the food processor. Then, add the red wine vinegar, lime juice, and adobo sauce, and finish with the dried spices.
2. Purée the sauce; you should have 1 ⅔ cups.

3. Prepare the meat by cutting each roast into 3 or 4 chunks, then rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. This step will help prevent steam when browning the meat. Sprinkle with Kosher salt and black pepper.

4. In a large Dutch oven, heat up the oil over medium high heat until shimmering, then add three or four chunks of beef. Turn the heat down to medium and brown the beef on each side for roughly 4 minutes, or until it easily releases from the pan with a gentle tug. Repeat with the rest of the meat.

5. Put the beef in a large crock pot and pour the sauce over the meat, making sure to coat each piece. Place the 2 bay leaves in the sauce. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours. Make sure the meat is braised until tender.

6. After the meat is done cooking, remove the meat from the crock pot. Skim off any fat with a spoon and strain the liquid into a container.

Pictured above is the barbacoa after it was cooled in the fridge for 6 hours. Once it is cooled, the fat will float to the top and harden, making it easy to remove.

7. Allow the meat to cool enough to handle, then shred it with two forks or your hands.

8. Stir in enough sauce to keep the meat moist, and discard the rest. Serve our copycat barbacoa warm with our other copycat Chipotle sides, or use it to make mouthwatering burritos, tacos, nachos, or quesadillas.

Recipe FAQs

Serve

Copycat Chipotle barbacoa tastes great when served over a bed of Chipotle cauliflower rice, Chipotle black beans, or Chipotle pinto beans. Add more color and flavor with Chipotle fajita veggies, then finish it off by topping with Chipotle corn salsa, Chipotle fresh tomato salsa, or Chipotle tomatillo green chili salsa.

Store

Make Ahead: You can easily make this copycat Barbaoca recipe ahead of time.

Leftovers: Allow the meat to cool before storing in an airtight container in the fridge.

Reheat: If your meat was in the fridge, reheat the shredded meat in the slow cooker on high for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, then turn it to warm until you're ready to serve it.

Freeze: Place in a zip-top bag and freeze for up to three months.

Expert Tips

• Take the time to brown the beef.
• Use beef broth for more flavor.
• Use chipotle chilies that are canned in adobo sauce.
• Use Mexican oregano for a more authentic flavor.
• Reheat the 6 cups of the shredded meat in the slow cooker on high for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through, then turn it to warm until you're ready to serve it at your party.

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