Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (2024)

This beef is slow cooked until tender in a perfect blend of spices. It's great for filling tacos, burritos, salads, or just served over rice.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (1)

If you love Chipotle, you’re going to love this copycat slow cooker chipotle’s barbacoa beef. This was really easy and made my house smell amazing all day!

If you’re looking for a new slow cooker, this one is a favorite.

We love to serve this beef as filling for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, salads, or just “bowl style” over rice with vegetables on the side.

How to make slow cooker chipotle’s barbacoa beef:

Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chipotles, and cloves in a blender or food processor.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (2)

Trim all fat off meat, cut into 4 inch chunks. Season with salt and pepper and brown on high heat in 1 teaspoon oil. If you’re short on time, you can skip this step, but it does give a nice depth to the flavor of the meat.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (3)

Add liquefied spices, water, bay leaves and cook in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (4)

Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks, and reserve the liquid for later (discard the bay leaf). Return the shredded meat to the pot, adjust salt and cumin (you may need to add more) to taste and add some of the reserved liquid back. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to let the flavors penetrate.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (5)

Slow Cooker Chipotle Barbacoa Recipe Notes:

This recipe uses canned chipotles in adobo sauce (you can see the kind we prefer to use below) and calls for 2-4, depending how spicy you would like it. My kids don’t like spicy food, so I can usually only get away with one chipotle pepper and a little bit of adobo sauce.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (6)

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Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (8)

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Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (9)

Serves: 8

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle’s Barbacoa Beef Recipe

This beef is slow cooked until tender in a perfect blend of spices. It's great for filling tacos, burritos, salads, or just served over rice.

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

PrintPin

Ingredients

  • 5 teaspoons minced garlic
  • ½ medium yellow onion
  • ½ lime juiced
  • 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon ground oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 pounds bottom round roast (or beef eye of round, all fat trimmed)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 cups cooked rice

Instructions

  • Place garlic, onion, lime juice, chipotles, cumin, oregano and cloves in a blender until smooth; set aside.

  • Trim all fat off meat, and cut into 4 pieces. Season all sides with salt and pepper and brown in a skillet over high heat in 1 teaspoon olive oil just until the outside is brown and seared to seal in the juices.

  • Remove meat from skillet and place in the bottom of a slow cooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.

  • Pour liquefied spices, water and bay leaves on top and cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.

  • Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks, and reserve the liquid for later (discard the bay leaf).

  • Return the shredded meat to the pot and mix together with juices in the slow cooker. Let cook on warm for 10 minutes.

  • Serve over cooked rice.

Notes

  • My kids don’t like spicy food, so I can usually only get away with one chipotle pepper and a little bit of adobo sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 358 kcal · Carbohydrates: 25 g · Protein: 40 g · Fat: 9 g · Saturated Fat: 3 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g · Cholesterol: 105 mg · Sodium: 147 mg · Potassium: 644 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 202 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 56 mg · Iron: 4 mg

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

This post was included in our 10 of the Easiest One Pot Meals Video – for more inexpensive and delicious recipes like this one, click here to check it out!

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See how to make these quick and easy slow cooker steak fajitas below:

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (10)

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  1. Darci says:

    Yum! Going to have to try this one as well. You could have a complete Chipolte meal and make the Cilantro Lime Rice from her site as well. I made it last night as a side dish to chicken tacos and it was delish. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Tessa says:

    Love Chipotle. It can be high calorie, but you can eat healthier there too. It all depends on what you add.

    Their barbacoa has to be my favorite meat, so I'm happy to have this one. Showed it to the hubbs, and he thinks we need to make it this next week :) Thanks for the recipe!

  3. A Kitchen Witch says:

    Ah, Chipotle's. We don't have one where I live, now, just a Freebird's (same concept...not as good). Funny thing, if you're ever in South Texas and order Barbabcoa, you'll find a nasty surprise. Barbacoa around these parts is typically cooked cow head! Not a fan : (

  4. ladywiththeredrocker says:

    Just made this and posted this recipe on my blog tonight! So yummmm! Seriously good! Thanks for sharing it!
    Stephanie @

  5. Misty says:

    I looove Chipotle's barbacoa meat so this is a must-try for me. Thanks!

  6. kandigurrl says:

    I can't find a way to "PIN" this dang it....I don't think I will survive....LOL

  7. Susan H says:

    can you find the recipe for the Chipotle's Carnita Pork??? That's my favorite :)

  8. Sarah says:

    I'm confused. You mention the crock pot, but the recipe calls for a pressure cooker. I'd love to make this, but only have a crock pot. Any advice on cook times for the crock pot?

  9. Ruthann Marie says:

    I'd like to know the answer to your question too!

  10. Barbara says:

    Ditto! I have both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. I'd prefer to use the slow cooker because my pressure canner is is a huge monster.

  11. Chelle says:

    I'm wondering the same thing. I'd love to be able to do this in the crockpot.

  12. Sarah Belz says:

    I made it in the crock pot and it worked great! I did not brown the meat first. Just cut it into large chunks and put it on for 5 hours on high with a cup and a half of water.

  13. Kim says:

    How many points and what's the serving size

  14. Cyd says:

    Hi Kim, just click on the MAGIC button under the picture and then click on NUTRITION. It will give you all of the nutritional information on this recipe. This recipe is just for the barbacoa beef only. It would be more calories if you served it over rice or as quesadillas.

  15. stan poth says:

    I hunt for most of my food and tried this with deer and goose. Takes a lot longer in crock pot, but it is delicious.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (11)

About The Author:

Elyse Ellis

Elyse lives in northern Utah with her husband and her four kids: 2 boys and 2 girls. She loves working out and movie theater popcorn.

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Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chipotle's Barbacoa Beef Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cut of beef is Chipotle barbacoa? ›

Beef – The best cut of beef for homemade Chipotle barbacoa is chuck roast. It has enough fat to keep the beef moist during the slow cooking process, and it adds plenty of flavor as well.

What is barbacoa seasoning made of? ›

Ingredients
  • 4 dried guajillo chilies.
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds.
  • ⅛ whole cloves.
  • 1 cup boiling water.
  • ½ teaspoon ground ancho chile powder.
  • 1 large onion, quartered.
  • 6 cloves garlic.
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano.
Aug 27, 2023

Is Chipotle barbacoa fully cooked? ›

This beef is cooked sous-vide to lock in moisture, marinated overnight in the brand's proprietary spicy chipotle pepper adobo, seasoned with spices including oregano, cloves, and bay leaf (via Chipotle's nutrition calculator), braised slowly at a low temperature until tender, and then shredded by hand.

Is Chipotle's barbacoa goat meat? ›

The barbacoa at Chipotle is made with beef.

Barbacoa is a slow-cooked beef dish that is marinated in a blend of spices and chili peppers and braised for many hours. The end result of the long, slow cooking process is flavorful, juicy meat that is savory and spicy, with a tender texture that is easily shreddable.

Is barbacoa healthy from Chipotle? ›

If you're looking for a healthy balance of fat, protein, and carbs, your best meat options would be plain grilled chicken, steak, or barbacoa. Between those options, they include no more than 7 grams (g) of fat, at least 21g of protein, and no more than 2g of carbs.

Why is Chipotle barbacoa so good? ›

To achieve barbacoa's signature tender texture, Chipotle cooks its beef sous vide at length before marinating it for a half-day in a flavorful adobo blend and braising it. The meat is then shredded by hand. The process yields exceptionally moist and juicy meat despite the lengthy cooking process.

What is Mexican seasoning for barbacoa? ›

This Mexican-style seasoning is made with chipotle peppers, cumin, cloves and garlic. Use it to marinade meats before slow cooking until melt-in-the-mouth tender, then serve in tacos or over rice.

What cut of beef to use for barbacoa? ›

In the US, people typically make barbacoa with chuck roast, brisket and beef cheeks. However, any cut of beef that has a lot of connective tissue and takes a long time to cook until tender works well.

How is barbacoa traditionally cooked? ›

Barbacoa is a method of cooking meat (historically lamb or goat, though beef or pork is often used today) that produces tender and juicy results. It's traditionally steam-cooked underground, but modern barbacoa can be prepared over an open fire, on the stove, or in a slow cooker.

What kind of lettuce does Chipotle use? ›

Your choice of meat or sofritas served with our fresh supergreens lettuce blend made of Romaine, Baby Kale, and Baby Spinach.

What's the difference between barbacoa and carnitas at Chipotle? ›

The main difference between barbacoa and carnitas is the type of meat and how they are cooked. Carnitas is made with pork. Barbacoa can be made with different types of meat such as beef, lamb or goat.

What oil does Chipotle use? ›

Rice bran oil is our primary cooking oil at Chipotle.

Is barbacoa healthy for weight loss? ›

A: Barbacoa can be a healthy choice when consumed in moderation. It is a good source of protein and essential nutrients. However, keep in mind that it can be high in fat and sodium, so it's important to balance it with other nutritious foods and control portion sizes.

What is the fake meat at Chipotle called? ›

Chipotle is a trailblazer when it comes to plant-based proteins and added its first vegan option, Sofritas, to its menu in 2014. Made from organic tofu that is spiced with poblano pepper, cumin, and chipotle chiles, by 2018, Sofritas became a popular mainstay at Chipotle, selling 7.5 million pounds that year alone.

Where does Chipotle get their barbacoa from? ›

Round and round we go When it comes to beef, it's not just the quality that matters - it's the cut, too. Our Barbacoa mainly comes from the shoulder, because those cuts have enough fat to keep the meat moist during our long braising method, making the end result seriously juicy and tender.

Is barbacoa at Chipotle Cow Head? ›

Our Barbacoa mainly comes from the shoulder, because those cuts have enough fat to keep the meat moist during our long braising method, making the end result seriously juicy and tender.

Which cut of beef is best for barbacoa? ›

In the US, people typically make barbacoa with chuck roast, brisket and beef cheeks. However, any cut of beef that has a lot of connective tissue and takes a long time to cook until tender works well.

What part of the cow is the barbacoa? ›

“Barbacoa, made from the meat of a cow's head, is cheap yet rich in flavor.” Customarily served at weekend breakfasts, the cheek, or cachete, is loaded with collagen, and slow-roasting enhances its savory flavor and silky texture.

What is the difference between carnitas and barbacoa at Chipotle? ›

The main difference between barbacoa and carnitas is the type of meat and how they are cooked. Carnitas is made with pork. Barbacoa can be made with different types of meat such as beef, lamb or goat. The other difference is the cooking process.

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