Barbacoa Recipe + Video
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This crockpot Barbacoa Recipe delivers tender, slow-cooked beef infused with smoky chipotle peppers, warm cumin, garlic, and bright lime, braised until it falls apart in juicy, shredded strands. The sauce is deep, rich, slightly spicy, and packed with bold Mexican flavor that soaks into every bite. Pile it into tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or nachos and you’ll understand why this Chipotle copycat is wildly addictive.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE CHIPOTLE BEEF BARBACOA
- Rich, smoky flavor just like the restaurant version
- Slow cooker does most of the work
- Makes a large batch for feeding a crowd
- Perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, and nachos
- Tastes even better the next day
Barbacoa Recipe
There are a few things I always order at Chipotle. Barbacoa is one of them.
It’s smoky, a little spicy, and deeply savory in that slow-cooked way that just tastes like someone knew exactly what they were doing.
But once you realize how easy it is to make Chipotle beef barbacoa at home (and how much better it can be when you control the ingredients!), it becomes one of those recipes that earns a permanent place in the rotation.
Honestly, it’s turned into a bit of a thing in our house. We have a whole lineup of Chipotle copycat recipes now, and they’re some of the most popular recipes on our site.
I even build entire party menus around them. Two or three main proteins in slow cookers, a bunch of the sides, and suddenly you’ve got a full Chipotle-style spread that feeds a crowd without a lot of stress.
And this barbacoa recipe is always one of the stars.
The secret is the sauce. Chipotle peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, lime… everything blended together into this bold, smoky mixture that slowly works its way into the beef as it cooks.
Pure magic happens when you shred it and let it simmer in the sauce a little longer. That’s when the flavor really settles in!
BARBACOA IN CROCKPOT RECIPE VIDEO
Want to see how easy this comes together? Watch our quick recipe video 👇
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Beef Chuck Roast: The ideal cut for shredding because of its marbling and connective tissue.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: Provide smoky heat and signature barbacoa flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Brightens the sauce and balances the richness of the beef.
- Cumin & Oregano: Classic Mexican seasoning combination.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Adds acidity and keeps the flavor vibrant.
VARIATIONS
Spicier Barbacoa: Add extra chipotle peppers or adobo sauce.
Mild Version: Use only 2 chipotle peppers.
Instant Pot Option: Sear right in the pot (in batches), then cook on High pressure for 60 minutes with a natural pressure release.
Garlic Lovers: Increase the amount of garlic to 8 cloves.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Pile into tacos with cilantro, onion, and lime.
- Build burrito bowls with cilantro lime rice and pinto beans.
- Make loaded nachos with queso blanco sauce.
- Stuff barbacoa chipotle into quesadillas or enchiladas.
- Enjoy over cauliflower cilantro lime rice with guacamole.
BARBACOA CHIPOTLE FAQ
There’s mild heat from the chipotle peppers, but you can easily adjust the amount to your liking.
No, but searing adds deeper flavor and helps lock in the juices. The final texture is much better if you take the extra time.
You can. The flavor actually improves overnight! To reheat, spread the shredded beef onto a sheet pan and warm gently in the oven.
Yes. Be sure to freeze the meat in the sauce to maintain the best texture.
Chuck roast works beautifully for barbacoa chipotle because the slow cooking process breaks down connective tissue and turns it into gelatin.
That’s what creates the rich, silky texture and keeps the meat moist while shredding easily.
Blending the sauce before cooking allows the spices and chipotle peppers to distribute evenly throughout the meat.
And letting the shredded beef cook in the sauce during the final hour is what gives it that deep, restaurant-style flavor.
It’s a small step that makes a big difference in this copycat Chipotle barbacoa recipe.
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Don’t skip the sear if you want deeper flavor. It makes a difference in texture too.
- Cut the roast into chunks so it cooks evenly.
- Taste the sauce before adding the final salt. You may find you don’t need it.
- Let the shredded beef cook in the sauce for the last hour. The meat soaks up so much flavor that way.
- Skim excess fat if needed before serving. It keeps the sauce from being too greasy.
- Always finish with a squeeze of fresh lime. The acidity wakes everything up!
TOOLS NEEDED
- Slow Cooker: A 5- or 6-quart crockpot is perfect for this barbacoa recipe.
- Blender or Food Processor: To make the sauce.
- Dutch Oven or Skillet: For searing the beef before it’s slow-cooked.
- Tongs: Helps with flipping the meat while searing.
- Two Forks for Shredding: It doesn’t take much effort!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Smoky shredded beef with chipotle peppers
- Slow cooker makes it easy
- Perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, and nachos
- Chuck roast gives the best texture
- Flavor improves overnight
- Freezer-friendly
- Better than takeout
Chipotle Barbacoa (Slow Cooker Copycat) + Video
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE BEEF
- 4 pounds chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 8 chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, from 1 can
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, from the can
- 1 cup chicken stock, or 1 cup water plus 1 teaspoon chicken base
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- PREP BEEF: Trim visible fat from 4 pounds chuck roast and cut into 8 chunks. Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle all sides with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
- MAKE SAUCE: In a blender or food processor, combine 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 6 cloves garlic, 4 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1 cup chicken stock, and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice. Blend until smooth.
- SEAR BEEF: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef chunks and sear on all sides until browned and a crust forms.
- TRANSFER: Place the seared beef into a slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce over the beef and add 2 bay leaves.
- SLOW COOK: Cover and cook on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- SHRED: About 1 hour before serving, shred the beef using two forks. Stir to coat with the sauce.
- SEASON: Taste and add the remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt if needed.
- FINISH: Cover and cook for the final hour so the shredded beef absorbs the sauce.
- SERVE: Serve hot in tacos, burritos, bowls, or salads.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally Published January 2021, updated and republished April 2026
Disclosure: Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link your price will remain the same and The Slow Roasted Italian will automatically receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting us, it helps us keep creating new recipes.
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For the folks using the leftover juice and/or substituting chicken, Chipotle uses thighs, not breasts. Marinated in adobo and then grilled.
Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for sharing the recipe! Tried all the side dishes too. All tasted awesome! My 11 yr old son gave it a thumbs up and said it was better than the Chipotle version. Sharing the recipe w/my family and friends.
I am going to try this with a Venison roast, I do not usually buy beef if I can help it. Should be delicious.
Way too spicy to the point all of us found it inedible!!! Tastes NOTHING like chipotles barbacoa!!! Complete waste of time!
Kaitlin, did you use 4 chipotles from the can or 4 cans of chipotles? Sorry to hear you had difficulty.
I agree… I used 4 peppers and 1tlb spoon of the sauce from the can… yikes! My mouth is on FIRE! I will try just 2 peppers next time…. my lips are burning I am in pain…. also i have copy cat this recipe from other sites before too…so not my first time
Same here, made it tonight, followed the recipe exactly (4 peppers plus 1 T of sauce) and it was too spicy, I actually have burns on my lips from eating a small nibble of it (taste testing before putting it on the dinner table). Smells great though, just incredibly spicy. If you like things extra spicy/hot, you'd probably like it. Next time I'd only do 1 pepper and half the sauce maybe??
Followed the recipe and I loved it. Too spicy for another person in the household. Next time will use 1 pepper and 1 tsp of the adobe sauce.
Nicely done. Made for a great taco night at our house today.
What size crock pot did you use? would a 4 quart one be large enough?
We used a pressure cooker to cut down the time after we brown the meat we added the rest of the ingredient's for an 1 hr and 30 min….it turned out great thanks for the recipe!!
Thank you for this recipe a total addictive hit in my family,it's expensive sometimes to go out and get Chipotle with a single income families of 6,this is so wonderful, and the great things you can do with the leftovers ,burritos, tostadas with beans and the meat topped with lettuce,or sopes…..so versatile.
This is a really good copycat. So good that I finished more than half of my first burrito before realizing I forgot the cheese. 🙂 Thanks!
Tastes good with 1stp ofsalt but I am glad Ionly added 2 chipotle peppers and not 4. Might be too spicy for my small men (they'll get extra sour creme) but it is good for the adults. Thank you for sharing.
I loved this! I put it over a pork butt (had to get it used up) and it was so good! My linebacker boyfriend even loved it! I ate mine as a lettuce wrap with some cilantro, lime, and a little extra salsa!
This is a new staple in our household!
OK, just thought I would add some facts. First off barbacoa is sheep, or mutton, cooked in a hole in the ground and has nothing like chipotle or the other ingredients. It is very tender mutton served for tacos, burritos or however you want to eat it. It's served with a consume made from the juices of the meat. It has nothing to do with beef or chipotle. It's also not mexican barbecue, it has nothing to do with barbecue. Common misconception of those in the us. What chipotles is calling barbacoa is not, it's shredded beef seasoned in chipotle sauce. We have shredded beef in chipotle sauce at home here in mexico, but it's totally different. Barbacoa you serve it's just meat, you make taco's, etc, add chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, etc. and eat with the consume. Nothing to do with barbecue. Just setting the record straight, there's a lot of mexican food in the us that is not really mexican food or misnamed as is this.
Thank You
Drives me nuts when they don't do research.
I bet you are a lot of fun at parties
Bud, Relax. It's a burrito place. No one is claiming it's the epitome of authentic Mexican cuisine.
And you're wrong, Barbacoa most certainly can be beef. Beef tongue and cheek Barbacoa is a staple in most Sunday breakfast for Mexican households at either side of the Texas boarder. YOU'RE region might do it different, but that's how cuisine works. Which is why in US America we also have a name for barbecue (derives from Barbacoa), and practically each region does it WAY different too.
Its origins are from the METHOD, yes, but cultural influences change as well, so you have that too.
Don't be a sour puss.
(Am Mexican without a complex)
I never, ever comment on anything. Ever. But, this recipe needs to be praised. We've moved away from our beloved Chipotle and miss the barbacoa. I tried a few other copy cat recipes I found online and it just wasn't right. This recipe, however, nailed it. It tasted exactly like Chipotle (and I was lazy and didn't brown the meat). While this technically isn't barbacoa in the truest sense, it is in the Chipotle sense. If you're looking for an authentic "barbacoa" this isn't it. If you're looking for a Chipotle barbacoa, then this is the ONLY recipe to use. Thank you!
Just wanted to say thank you again for a great meal. We follow the recipe to the letter and it comes out perfect every time. Thank you so much!
What size crock pot did you use?
Made this tonight with the rice. Family loved it. Rave reviews from all my guys. I've never eaten at a Chipotle before so I can't compare but we loved it. I just need to learn to not put so much in each burrito. 🙂
How do you think this be if beef was substituted w/ shredded chicken breasts?
As a broke college student with none of the ingredients needed for this in my pantry, it was quite the investment ($50) but so worth it! I made the cilantro-lime rice too and made tacos, can't wait to use the leftovers tomorrow (and the rest of the week) for burrito bowls! And can't wait till next time when it's not so expensive to make because i'll already have the basic ingredients! Thanks!
Made this last night. Came out great..however, one thing that occurred to me was how much flavor was left behind in the fond in the pan used to sear the meat. Next time I might try using a dutch oven rather than a slow cooker so I can cook in the same pot that the meat was browned in. Either that or pour the chicken stock into the pan after browning the meat to deglaze it and use this to make the sauce.
Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth before adding it to the slow cooker. Gets all of those nice brown bits!
^^^ I am doing exactly this; I seared the meat (60 oz chuck roast with 10 oz fat removed!) in a Dutch oven, used the stock to deglaze it, add the sauce and mixed well, added the meat and the juices from standing, and tucked in the bay leaves. I'm going to cook it (covered) in the oven for 3.5-4 hours at 275. I'm sure it will come out great–smells delicious already.
I don't know if I just got a super-fatty chuck roast, but are there any other cuts of meat that will work well for this recipe?
True barbacoa is meat from a cows head.
Made this last week with pork and was great!! I used the whole can (small) of chipotles and Adobe as I didn't have a use for the rest of the can and didn't want to waste it. Was probably 6-7 peppers and it came out perfect! I didn't have clove so ommited that as well. Plan to make it again!
Oh and I added a little brown sugar!
Making this right now but also added some thyme and a half orange worth of juice. Smells delicious!
Well, I've never eaten at Chipotle's, although there is one about 10 miles away. But I made this yesterday and WOW! Now my mouth is watering just thinking about it and I'll be fixing up the (very few) leftovers in just a minute. I made the whole deal. Once again, Donna, I'm grateful to you down to my socks!
Anna, you totally made my day. This is one of my favorite dishes and I am so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for your comment.