Beef Barbacoa

Every once in a while I really crave beef. I don’t want chicken or fish or turkey or vegan wanna be meat, I want beef!  Today was one of those days and I had a beauty of a chuck roast staring at me from the fridge this morning as I put away the leftover bacon from breakfast.

Side note, my awesome friend, Khara, picked up the best bacon at Whole Foods for me – Wellshire Farms Paleo Bacon is damn delicious!  I wanted to eat it all up, but begrudgingly put the rest away for a later meal.

Back to the roast – I needed to cook that bad boy. I had a cast iron skillet full of delicious bacon fat and Beef Barbacoa had been on my mind for awhile so I figured this brisk winter day was as good a day as any to give it a whirl….

To begin I placed 2 dried Guajillo chilis in a measuring cup and add 2 cups of boiling water and allow to sit while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

In a small bowl I made a dry rub mix for the roast, filled with ancho, chipotle, cumin, oregano & salt.  I generously coated all sides of the roast with the rub and massaged gently into the meat.

Remember the skillet full of bacon fat? I turned that bad boy on high and seared the seasoned roast. You should hear a loud sizzle – this means you’re getting a good sear on your meat.  A good sear = more flavor, so make sure to allow each side to get nice and brown.

While the meat was searing, I add about 2 cups of roughly chopped onion, 3 minced garlic gloves and the Guajillo chilis with their soaking water to the bottom of a large crock pot.  

When my roast was done searing on all sides I placed it on top of the chopped onion mixture and poured all of pan drippings into the cock pot as well. Next, I squeezed the juice of one lemon over the top, covered and cooked on low for 8 hours.

My house smelled SO amazing……8 hours later I removed the roast to a cutting board and shredded it with 2 forks.  Once you get to this step try not to take a bite….just kidding, you better try it!  

Next I used an immersion blender to blend up blend up the onion, chili mixture in the bottom of the crock pot.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, no worries, just pour the liquid into a regular blender, blend (very carefully) until you have a smooth mixture.

Then I returned the shredded beef and blended sauce to the crock pot on low and allowed to mingle together for 30 minutes before serving.

And voila, I ended up with this unctuous spiced beef.  This would make awesome tacos topped with jack cheese, sour cream, avocado and a bright cabbage slaw.  Or rolled into a burrito with quinoa or rice and nestled in with crisp lettuce and pico de gallo.  Leftovers could be used to make ooey gooey cheese and beef quesadillas.  The possibilities are endless!

I am currently on day 18 on my first Whole30, so dairy and grain are a no go for me.  I enjoyed a mountain of Barbacoa atop steamed Asian sweet potato slices and topped it with a quick red cabbage salad.  I wanted to lick the plate it was that good….

Clean Eats Beef Barbacoa

Recipe by Laura RanieriCourse: Crock Pot RecipesCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Medium

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

8

hours 

Ingredients

• 3.5 # Chuck Roast

• 2 dried Guajillio chilis

• 1 Tablespoon ground Ancho chili powder

• 2 teaspoons ground Chipotle powder

• 2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 4 teaspoons Kosher salt

• 2-3 cloves minced garlic

• 2 cups roughly chopped yellow onion

• 2 cups water

• Juice on 1 lemon

• 2 Tablespoons avocado oil (or any other cooking oil or fat)

Directions

• Place the Guajillo chilis in a measuring cup and add 2 cups of boiling water and allow to sit while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.
• In a small bowl mix the dry rub for the roast – ancho, chipotle, cumin, oregano & salt.  
• Coat all sides of the roast with the rub and massage gently into the meat.
• In a large skillet heat your cooking fat on high and add in the roast – you should hear a loud sizzle – this means you’re getting a good sear on your meat.  A good sear = more flavor, so make sure to allow each side to get nice and brown.
• While the meat is searing, add in the rough chopped onion, minced garlic Guajillo chilis and water to the bottom of a large crock pot.  
• Once the roast is seared on all sides place it on top of the chopped onion mixture and pour any pan drippings into the cock pot as well. Squeeze lemon juice over the top, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
• Remove the roast to a cutting board or plate and shred with 2 forks.
• Using an immersion blender blend up the onion, chili mixture in the bottom of the crock pot.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, no worries, just pour the liquid into a regular blender, blend (very carefully) until you have a smooth mixture.
• Return the shredded beef and sauce to the crock pot on low and allow to mingle together for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Did you make this recipe? Tag @thegreengiraffeeats on Instagram and hashtag it #thegreengiraffeeats