Dutch Oven Barbacoa vs. Slow Cooker Barbacoa

I find a marked difference between using a dutch oven vs. the slow cooker. The dutch oven is my favorite piece of cooking equipment in my house, maybe tied with my cast-iron pans. You can sear your meat before braising it right in the same pot and don't have to worry about pulling the slow cooker out of the garage or the basement (Mine is forever hidden in the garage).

The rich flavor you can develop in a dutch oven for Italian Short Ribs, White Bean Pumpkin Chili, or barbacoa beef is unmatched. It's a tool everyone should have and learn to use, especially if you cook for a big family or have guests over often.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Beef Chuck Roast. A good chuck roast is the perfect meat for barbacoa tacos because of its marbling and connective fatty tissue. Cooked over a long period of time the connective tissue breaks down and the marbling of fat will keep the meat moist.
• Citrus. I love to add a combo of citrusy flavor so I use limes and orange. You could substitute lemon or other citrus like grapefruit. It's about ⅓ a cup of citrus all together.
• Tequila. I love to deglaze with tequila for my dutch oven barbacoa. When in Rome, right? Well, when in Mexico! Deglazing with tequila adds another depth of flavor and it's great for scraping off all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. You can substitute vodka, or white wine.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce. These add a little bit of spice. This dish really isn't too spicy but you can leave these out if you're completely averse to spice. You can also use the rest of the can to make a chipotle mayo!
• Vegetables. I keep it simple with a green pepper, an onion, and jalapeno. This should be all you need for this recipe. Leave out the jalapenos if you want zero spice.
• Beef Broth. Homemade beef broth is the way to go if you can get some from a local butcher or you can make you're own. But you have to go with beef broth here. Chicken broth will not match the flavor!

*Please see the recipe card below for more information about the ingredients.

The "How-To" for this Barbacoa Recipe

Preheat your oven to 325°.

Searing the beef

Step 1: Start with a well-marbled chuck roast, about 3-4 pounds for this recipe, and adjust as necessary. Cut the beef into 1-2 inch pieces, trimming off any large chunks of fat. Leaving too much fat will make this very oily. Salt and pepper the meat, generously.

Step 2: Bring your dutch oven to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the avocado oil.

Step 3: Carefully sear the beef in batches until each side develops a golden-brown crust. About 1 minute per side. Don't cook the meat all the way through.

Side Note: That's why we use the high temperature; it helps avoid overcooking the meat and allows for a crispy outer layer on the beef. You lose this crust texture if you braise barbacoa in a slow cooker. It becomes mushy and almost a pureed texture.

Step 4: Remove the beef and set it aside for later.

Sauteing the Veggies

Step 5: Lower the heat to medium heat and stir in the onion, green pepper, and jalapenos. Saute over medium heat until softened, about 8 minutes. If the onions start browning quickly, you may need to lower the heat.

Step 6: Stir in the garlic. It's always good to season in layers to help the flavor develop. Combine your seasonings and add in about half.

Step 7: Saute the garlic for 1 minute then pour in the tequila to deglaze the pan. Scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan and take a shot of the tequila to make sure it's not poisoned for your guests.

Step 8: Once the tequila is reduced by half, you'll add in the beef broth, chipotle peppers, bay leaves, green chiles, lime juice, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, and the rest of the seasoning. Bring the sauce to a low simmer.

Braising the Beef

Step 9: Add the beef back to the sauce. If the sauce isn't "almost" covering the beef, add in a little more beef broth. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Now, take some time to learn how to make margaritas and wait approximately 3-4 hours for the most incredible dutch oven barbacoa you can imagine.

Step 10: Pull the dutch oven out at about 3-4 hours to check on it. You'll know it is finished if the beef shreds with a spoon. The sauce should have been reduced slightly below the beef.

Shredding the Beef

Step 11: Remove the beef from the pot, leaving behind the sauce and vegetables. Set it in a bowl.

Step 12: Use two forks to shred the beef until it is completely shredded.

Step 13: Transfer the sauce to a food processor along with ¼ cup cilantro. Use a high-powered food processor — or a really little $15 food processor that your mom bought you and you told her you would never use but here you are writing in a blog about it — blend the sauce, veggies, and cilantro.

Step 14: Return the sauce and the beef to the pot and combine. Let it rest for 10 minutes then serve!

What to do with Barbacoa Beef

Barbacoa is a versatile food because the beef itself can just be the final product, or it can go on tacos, nachos, sandwiches, breakfasts, and anything you can think of. I love it over rice with a sunny-side-up egg on top.

My personal favorite is barbacoa beef tacos. I like to use corn tortillas even though Marisa HATES how much they rip apart when eating them. I think they're the perfect taste and texture for barbacoa. She has found a half-corn/half-wheat tortilla that she really likes, so we compromise and go with that one. These tortillas work well with Chimichurri Steak Tacos too!

Prepare the tacos with barbacoa, avocado, sliced radishes, cilantro, and cotija cheese. This is a great dish for meal prep because it can be the main event in different types of dishes. You can have it in tacos for dinner and then bring it to lunch the next day with rice and veggies or serve it with Crispy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes.

If you love these tacos try out our Shrimp Tacos with Mango Lime Salsa. They're slightly less time-consuming but another tasty meal.

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