Dutch Oven Beef Barbacoa Recipe

No ratings yet

Dutch oven beef barbacoa recipe is tender, juicy, and so flavorful! Chuck roast is slow cooked in a braising liquid with fresh citrus until it is fall-apart tender. Serve it as a main course, or in tacos, burritos, or enchiladas. This will be a family favorite!

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 45

Total Time2

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: barbacoa, beef, beef barbacoa, dutch oven

Servings: servings

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Elise Shivamber

Equipment

Ingredients

2½ pounds Chuck Roast
2 tablespoon Avocado Oil or other neutral oil
½ White Onion diced
4 Garlic Cloves minced
⅔ Cup orange juice freshly squeezed (about 3 oranges or substitute for store bought juice)
¼ Cup Lime Juice about 3 limes
1 Cup Red Enchilada Sauce
2 Cups Water or Beef Broth

Spice Mix

2 teaspoons Garlic Salt
2 teaspoons Paprika
2 teaspoons Cumin
2 teaspoons Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Dried Oregano

Instructions

Cut the chuck roast into even 2 inch cubes. Remove as much of the fat as possible.
Pour spice mix onto large cubes of beef and make sure beef is evenly coated. (You can use a large baking dish)
Heat 2 tablespoon avocado oil in a large pot on the stove over medium heat. Sear the beef cubes until all sides are browned. Make sure to sear in groups so as to not overcrowd the pot. If you notice the bottom of the pot gets dry, add some more oil. Once all pieces are browned, place beef on a plate or in a bowl to the side.
In the same pot (keep the browned bits), add diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. You can add oil if the pot is a bit dry. Turn down the heat to medium.
Stir in the minced garlic.
Pour in orange juice and lime juice and scrape the browned bits of the pan while mixing together. Add the enchilada sauce and water to the pot.
Add the cooked beef meat and all of the juices back into the pot. Stir to make sure it is completely mixed together.
Bring heat back up to medium-high until liquid is boiling. Place the lid on the pot and turn down the heat to a low simmer.
Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir the liquid and meat around 1-hour into the simmer.
After simmering for 1 hour and 15 minutes, your meat should be tender. If you press the meat with a wooden spoon, it should break apart into pieces.
While keeping the sauce simmering, remove the beef cubes using tongs and into a prep bowl. Take two forks and shred the beef chunks. If there are any pieces of fat that didn’t cook off, remove it from the beef at this time.
Raise heat to medium, add the shredded beef back to the pot. Cook for 15 more minutes, letting the sauce thicken up and the beef soak up the sauces.
Remove barbacoa meat from the dutch oven and into a serving bowl or container. Reserve ½-1 cup of the remaining consomme for serving and reheating.

Notes

Store barbacoa meat leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days at most. Keep barbacoa consomme in a separate airtight container, or with the meat in its airtight container.
To reheat, microwave the shredded meat for 60-90 seconds with a tablespoon or so of the consomme, this will ensure the beef stays extra juicy.
To freeze barbacoa meat, simply drain as much of the meat from its consomme as possible. Freeze consomme separately in an ice cube tray. Store the shredded beef in an airtight ziplock or other container, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost prior to serving.

Nutrition