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Top view of beef barbacoa garnished with cilantro and onion in a bowl.

Beef Barbacoa

Beef barbacoa is a tender, savory, and succulent dish. It's made with beef chuck roast, salt, black pepper, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 3 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb beef chuck roast
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 white onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Add the beef chuck roast, salt, black pepper, bay leaf, onion, and garlic to a medium or large pot.
  2. Add enough water so that half to three-quarters of the meat is submerged.
  3. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to the lowest heat setting and cover. Simmer gently for about 3 hours or until chuck roast is very tender and it shreds easily with a fork.
  4. Remove the chuck roast from the pot and transfer to a bowl. If necessary let it cool down and then shred the meat.
  5. Return the shredded meat to the pot and let it soak up the consome or broth for a few minutes. Keep heat at low setting. Cover to keep warm if needed.
To Serve
  1. Serve with corn or flour tortillas, onion, cilantro, salsa, and lime.

Notes

  1. You can also use beef short ribs, country style ribs, or even beef cheeks. Cuts of beef that have plenty of fat and connective tissue, which when you cook at low temperatures and for several hours it becomes tender.
  2. Check every hour or so to make sure the water level stays the same. If it isn't, the meat won't cook properly and it can dry out. Add a quarter cup of water at a time if needed, until the water level is back up to covering the meat by half to three-quarters.
  3. Check after three hours if the meat is tender when shredded with a fork. If it shreds easily, it's ready. If it's not ready yet, continue cooking and check every 15 to 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. The internal temperature of the meat should reach to about 205°F for very tender results.
  4. Spoon some of the consome or broth from the juices the meat releases during the slow cooking onto your barbacoa. It will provide an extra layer of rich flavor to the meat.
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