Easy Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Ingredients

• Chuck roast
• 3 Chile de árbol (Spicy)
• 4 Guajillo chiles
• 1 Chile pasilla
• 0.5 Onion (Half onion)
• 5 Garlic cloves
• 2 Bay leaves
• Oregano (For chicken seasoning; quantity to taste, as shown in the video)
• Onion powder (For chicken seasoning; quantity to taste, as shown in the video)
• Garlic powder (For chicken seasoning; quantity to taste, as shown in the video)
• Cumin (For chicken seasoning; quantity to taste, as shown in the video)
• Black pepper (For chicken seasoning; quantity to taste, as shown in the video)
• 2 cup Water
• Seasoning mixture (Add some of the mixed seasonings to the sauce; amount not specified)

Steps

1. 1

   Set the two bay leaves aside. On a comal or pan, roast the chile de árbol, guajillo chiles, pasilla chile, and half onion until nicely charred. The smaller ingredients will char faster than the larger ones. Work in a well-ventilated area; chile smoke may irritate your nose and may affect pets and children.

2. 2

   Set the charred chiles and onion aside, then place them in a blender cup.

3. 3

   In a bowl large enough to hold the roast, mix the oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and black pepper. The source refers to the video for the amounts.

4. 4

   Add the chuck roast to the seasoning bowl and coat it well on all sides.

5. 5

   Using the same comal or pan, char the roast on all sides until it has a good color.

6. 6

   Transfer the seared roast to a slow cooker.

7. 7

   Pour 2 cups of water into the blender cup with the charred chiles and onion. Blend until smooth.

8. 8

   Add some of the seasoning mixture to the blended chile sauce, then blend again until well combined.

9. 9

   Pour the chile sauce over the roast in the slow cooker and place the bay leaves on top. Cover and cook for 6–8 hours.

10. 10

    Every 2 hours, check the meat, turn it over, and coat it with the sauce so it continues soaking up the flavor. By about the 6-hour mark, check whether the meat is beginning to break apart.

11. 11

    Once the meat begins to break apart, break it down and mix it into the sauce. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes to 1 hour.

12. 12

    Taste the meat and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve.

Notes

The source gives no amount for the chuck roast or seasonings; it says to follow the video for seasoning quantities. The stated slow-cooker time is 6–8 hours, with an additional 30–60 minutes after breaking up the meat. An alternate video using boiling instead of charring is mentioned, but its method is not provided here.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Mexican
• slow-cooked
• slow cooker
• beef
• gluten-free
• dairy-free