Dutch Oven Barbacoa is an easy way to make this extremely flavorful shredded beef! Serve in tacos, enchiladas, nachos or even in Beef & Noodles. You’ll love the spicy chili sauces that every bite is drenched in!
What You Will ❤️ About Dutch Oven Barbacoa
- Tender Shredded Beef – slow cooking chuck roast is the key to a tender shredded beef
- Flavor Bomb! The chili paste becomes the au jus that the chuck roast takes a sauna bath in – and with garlic, cumin, lime, chipotles in adobo and more!
- Versatile – once you’re done you have a big pot of shredded meat that can make so many different dishes!
Ingredients for Dutch Oven Barbacoa
First we’ll start with a Chili Paste in a blender and then we’ll add our chuck roast! Here’s what you need to make this delicious Barbacoa dish!
Chili Paste Ingredients – so many delicious flavors!
- Apple cider vinegar – you could use regular vinegar but I would strongly reco the apple cider
- Garlic – fresh garlic is essential for this recipe!
- Mexican oregano or marjoram – resist the urge to use regular oregano – you can find Mexican oregano in many stores but, surprisingly, marjoram is the closest substitute!
- Lime – Load up on fresh limes for the recipe and for serving! You could also add some orange juice and lemon juice – it’s all about the citrus!
- Ground Cumin – my absolute favorite seasoning – the aroma is the best!!!
- Mild chili powder – If you like it spicier, you can add a hotter version
- Chipotles in Adobo Sauce – we’re gonna use a few of these guys – but no worries – it’s still not super hot – unless you want it to be!
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Barbacoa Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast – this is my favorite cut because it has some fat which breaks down and make the meat more tender. But you can also use bottom blade roast, tri-tip or rump roast. They are typically around 3 lb.
- Vegetable oil
- Beef stock or beef broth – you could sub water if needed
How to serve Beef Barbacoa
I had something similar when visiting friends from Ecuador – but that was made with goat! This shredded beef is so tender – I made up some tacos right off the rip! But there are more ways to serve it. Here are my favorite options:
- Beef & Noodles – I typically make these Beef & Noodles with the Italian Beef but this Barbacoa is a great match!
- Enchiladas – swap out the chicken in these enchiladas for barbacoa!
- Tacos – of course you can make some tacos! i made mine with cilantro, pickled red onion and sour cream
- Nachos – make these Trash Can Nachos even better by layering in some shredded barbacoa!
How to make Beef Barbacoa in a Dutch Oven
This recipe does take a few hours but good things come to those who wait! You can’t speed up that process for breaking down meat and expect it to be super juicy and tender. I promise – it’s worth the wait! Here’s how we’ll make Barbacoa:
- Combine the cider vinegar, garlic, marjoram, cumin, chili powder, lime juice, chipotle peppers, salt and enough water to make a smooth paste in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Pre-heat your oven to 275º.
- On medium high heat, add oil to the Dutch oven. Place chuck roast in the hot Dutch oven and sear on all sides – about 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the roast from the pot and set on a large plate.
- Adjust your heat to medium low. Do not remove the fat in the pot. Pour the chili vinegar paste from blender and 1/4 cup beef stock into the pan. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot and simmer.
- Add remaining beef stock and stir to combine. Return the browned roast to the dutch oven. Spoon sauce over roast so it’s coated and bring to a simmer.
- Cover Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven.
- Braise beef for 2-3 hours. Every hour, open pot and turn beef.
- After 2nd turn, check beef with a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature of the chuck roast is 210º, it should be fork tender and ready. My chuck roast was 3 lb and only took 2 hours. Check every 20-30 minutes until ready.
- When beef is at internal temp of 210º, remove pan from the oven. Remove the beef from the pot and place into a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Shred beef into bite-sized pieces. Discard any excess fat from center of roast.
- Return shredded beef and liquid to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes to reheat.
- Serve on corn tortillas for tacos, chips for nachos, burritos, quesadillas, salads and more! Add cotija cheese, pickled red onions, cilantro to make it even tastier and a squeeze of fresh lime juice!
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can store in the freezer up to three months. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
I’m sure you can – I’m just not an IP fan!
Yes – it will likely take more like 3-4 hours in a slow cooker. Add to slow cooker after browning the roast in the dutch oven.
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More Dutch Oven Recipes
Side Dishes for Barbacoa Beef
Dutch Oven Beef Barbacoa
Equipment
Ingredients
Chili Paste
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano or marjoram
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1-3 chipotles in adobo pepper individual peppers – not whole can plus some of the adobo puree – depending on how spicy you like it.
- 1 tsp salt
Beef Barbacoa
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast
- 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups beef stock
Instructions
- Combine the cider vinegar, garlic, marjoram, cumin, chili powder, lime juice, chipotle peppers, salt and enough water to make a smooth paste in a blender. Blend until smooth.1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp Mexican oregano, 1 lime, 2 tsp cumin, 1/4 cup chili powder, 1-3 chipotles in adobo pepper, 1 tsp salt
- Pre-heat your oven to 275º.
- On medium high heat, add oil to the Dutch oven. Place chuck roast in the hot Dutch oven and sear on all sides – about 2 minutes per side.1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil, 3 lbs beef chuck roast
- Remove the roast from the pot and set on a large plate.
- Adjust your heat to medium low. Do not remove the fat in the pot. Pour the chili vinegar paste from blender and 1/4 cup beef stock into the pan. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot and simmer.2 cups beef stock
- Add remaining beef stock and stir to combine. Return the browned roast to the dutch oven. Spoon sauce over roast so it’s coated and bring to a simmer.
- Cover Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven.
- Braise beef for 2-3 hours. Every hour, open pot and turn beef.
- After 2nd turn, check beef with a meat thermometer. When the internal temperature of the chuck roast is 210º, it should be fork tender and ready. My chuck roast was 3 lb and only took 2 hours. Check every 20-30 minutes until ready.
- When beef is at internal temp of 210º, remove pan from the oven. Remove the beef from the pot and place into a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Shred beef into bite-sized pieces. Discard any excess fat from center of roast.
- Return shredded beef and liquid to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes to reheat.
- Serve on corn tortillas for tacos, chips for nachos, burritos, quesadillas, salads and more! Add cotija cheese, pickled red onions, cilantro to make it even tastier and a squeeze of fresh lime juice!
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