Mexican Beef Barbacoa Recipes

MEXICAN BEEF BARBACOA

Steps:

• Place dried peppers into a bowl or jar and fill with water until covered. Soak 1 to 4 hours until softened.
• Season chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron pot over high heat. Add in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sear chuck roast on all sides. Once seared, remove pot from heat and set aside.
• In a blender, add in guajillo peppers, ancho peppers, chipotle, garlic, cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, oregano, cinnamon, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and water. Blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary to thin it out enough to blend.
• Pour sauce over chuck roast in the pan. Place the lid on and braise in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours, until meat is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
• Shred and serve. Serving Suggestion: serve on a warmed corn tortilla with some red onion, cilantro, and jalapeno.

BEEF BARBACOA TACOS

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and cook, pressing them down with a spatula, 10 seconds per side; transfer to a plate. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are charred in spots, about 10 minutes.
• Peel the garlic and transfer to a blender along with the tomatoes and onion (reserve the skillet). Tear the chiles into pieces and add to the blender along with 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt; pulse until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the skillet, pressing it through with the back of a spoon.
• Add the beef to the skillet and turn to coat in the chile sauce using tongs. Cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until a crust starts to form on the meat, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and cook 1 more minute. Meanwhile, puree 2 1/2 cups water, the cilantro and thyme in the blender; add to the skillet along with the bay leaves.
• Reduce the heat to low. Cover and gently simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours, adding up to 1 1/2 cups water if the sauce gets too thick. Remove the bay leaves and season with salt and black pepper. Serve in tortillas with assorted toppings.

SLOW-COOKER BEEF BARBACOA

Steps:

• Cut roast in half. Mix next 9 ingredients; rub over roast. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Add stock and beer. Cook, covered, until meat is tender, 6-8 hours., Remove roast; shred with 2 forks. Reserve 3 cups cooking juices; discard remaining juices. Skim fat from reserved juices. Return beef and reserved juices to slow cooker; heat through., Serve with tortillas and pico de gallo. If desired, serve with lime wedges, queso fresco and additional cilantro.Freeze option: Place shredded beef in freezer containers. Cool and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, stirring gently; add broth if necessary.

SOUTHERN TEXAS-STYLE BEEF BARBACOA

Steps:

• Prepare a smoker with dampened hickory wood charcoal. The heat inside your grill or smoker should be around 180 to 200 degrees F (80 to 95 degrees C). Combine the black pepper, oregano, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and seasoned salt in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed.
• Place the chuck roast into a mixing bowl, and rub all over with the spice mixture. Place the meat into the smoker, and smoke for 1 1/2 hours, turning about every half hour. The meat should be a dark red color, and the edges should be darkened. Place the meat into a roasting pan, and seal tightly with aluminum foil.
• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Bake the barbacoa in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours until very tender. Uncover the beef, and shred with two forks while still hot.

BEEF BARBACOA (BARBACOA DE RES)

Steps:

• Place brisket in a stovetop pressure cooker. Add onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt; cover with water. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 10 minutes. Adjust temperature until regulator is gently rocking. Cook for 60 minutes.
• Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and remove.
• Remove brisket from the pressure cooker and shred with 2 forks. Strain the cooking liquid, discarding solids. Measure 2 cups for the barbacoa sauce and save the rest for another use.
• Combine guajillo chile peppers and ancho chile peppers in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand in the hot water until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Combine softened chile peppers, vinegar, garlic, cloves, allspice, black pepper, oregano, thyme, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and reserved 2 cups cooking liquid; blend until thick and very smooth.
• Pour sauce into a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and season with salt. Bring to a soft boil; reduce the heat to low. Stir in shredded beef, coating completely with sauce. Cover pot and cook until flavors combine, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.