Recipe: Slow cooker barbacoa by Beef Loving Texans

Can also be made in instant pot, pressure cooker

Slow cooker barbacoa by Beef Loving Texans. (Robert Morin, KSAT)

SAN ANTONIO – It’s cold outside, so break out the comfort food! This recipe by Beef Loving Texans is a great option if you’re looking for easy Tex-Mex, and you can make it in an instant pot or pressure cooker, too.

Served with flour or corn tortillas, it makes it the perfect dish for a “taco Tuesday” dinner the entire family will enjoy. Plus, adding the beef barbacoa into a salad mixed with all your favorite veggies is a great way to stay on track with your new year’s resolutions.

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If you’ve got leftovers, beef barbacoa can even be served the next day for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This hearty recipe is an excellent source of protein, iron and B vitamins.

Beef Loving Texans is a one-stop shop for recipes and stories brought to you by the Texas Beef Council.

Slow cooker barbacoa

Ingredients:

• 3-5 pounds beef cheek or chuck roast, cut into 4-inch pieces

• 1 cup orange juice

• 1/2 cup lime juice

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 can chipotle in adobo, diced

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 5 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 onion, diced

Optional ingredients:

• Tortillas

• Cilantro

• Onion

• Lime wedges

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl. Cover and marinate for 2 to 24 hours.

Add marinated beef and leftover marinade to cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until fork tender.

Carefully remove beef from cooker with little sauce as possible. Placing on a cutting board, shred beef with two forks and return to cooker. Cook for additional 10 minutes to absorb remaining liquid.

If desired, crisp meat in a cast-iron skillet before serving.

RECIPE: Beef tri-tip with simple preparation

Pressure cooker/instant pot alternative:

This recipe can be made in a 6-quart electric pressure cooker. Place beef and marinade in pressure cooker. Close and lock pressure cooker lid. Use beef, stew or high-pressure setting on pressure cooker; program 90 minutes on pressure cooker timer. Leave the pressure release switch in Sealed position and let steam naturally release (when the pressure is fully released, the float valve will drop and the lid will unlock and open). Carefully remove lid.

Carefully remove beef from cooker with as little marinade as possible. Placing on a cutting board, shred beef with two forks and return to cooker.

Turn pressure cooker to sauté mode on normal heat setting and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove shredded beef from pressure cooker and serve with tortillas.

ELDER EATS: Sarah’s Barbacoa & more

Barbacoa tacos by Beef Loving Texans. (KSAT)

About the Author:

Diana Winters is a San Antonio-area native, Emmy award-winning and GLAAD-nominated journalist who loves the Alamo City. She is the executive producer of SA Live, creator of South Texas PRIDE and co-creator of Texas Eats.