Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef

Who likes Barbacoa? I thought that Barbacoa was something I could only order when out to eat at places like Chipotle, but now I know I can make it at home, too! I have really had to change the way I eat since I started eating a more low carb diet, so the truth is, I do not have much experience with preparing and cooking meat. I actually had never even bought chuck roast before I made this recipe! I could not believe how easy it was to cook this barbacoa beef.  The prep time for the meal was less than 5 minutes, and then I just let my slow cooker do its magic. The meat was cooked in the slow cooker until tender, and it shredded beautifully. The meat is incredibly flavorful, thanks to the spice mixture that is rubbed on it prior to it going into the slow cooker. Greg and I ate the barbacoa in a salad four nights in a row. Greg said there are some meals he gets tired of if he has to eat them too much, but he said he was still loving this meal on the fourth night. I made the barbacoa salad with romaine lettuce, rice, beans (kidney or black), corn, tomato, avocado, Colby jack cheese, sour cream, salsa, and bacon habanero tortilla chips. You can prepare it however you like, though. Use it in tacos, burritos, salads, or just eat it over rice with vegetables. Enjoy!

Recipe for Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef 

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp. of garlic powder

1 Tbsp. of oregano
1 1/2 Tbsp. of cumin
1/2 tsp. of ground cloves
2 tsp. of salt
3/4 tsp. of black pepper
2 1/2 pounds of chuck roast
3/4 cup of beef broth
1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 1/2 Tbsp. of apple cider vinegar
3 bay leaves

DIRECTIONS: 
Put the chopped onion into a slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, oregano, cumin, ground cloves, salt, and pepper. Spoon some of the mixture over the meat and rub over the surface of the meat using the spoon. Continue until the surface of the meat is coated with the spice mixture. Put the meat in the slow cooker with the onion, and include any of the spice mixture that may have fallen off. Then add in the beef broth, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaves. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours (I cooked it for 8 1/2 on low) or you can cook it on high for 4 - 6 hours.

Once meat finishes cooking, transfer it to a large plate and shred. Get rid of the fatty pieces of meat. Discard the bay leaves from the slow cooker. Add the meat back to the slow cooker and let it soak in the liquid for about 10 minutes before serving.

Store any leftover meat in the fridge in airtight containers and consume within 4 days.

Recipe Source: Seeded at the Table

Makes approximately 8 servings.