Delicious Beef Barbacoa Sliders Recipe

These savory and spicy Beef Barbacoa Sliders are made with tender, slow-cooked beef that’s seasoned with a blend of spices and served on a soft bun. The slider is typically topped with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and a squeeze of lime juice, which adds a burst of flavor to each bite.

» You might also like this Quick & Easy Hot Crab Dip.

If you’re a fan of Mexican cuisine, then you’re probably familiar with delicious beef barbacoa. Making your own beef barbacoa sliders at home is easier than you might think. All you need is a few simple ingredients, a slow cooker, and a little bit of time.

The key to making the perfect beef barbacoa sandwich is to start with a high-quality cut of beef, like chuck roast, beef cheeks, or brisket. These cuts are ideal for slow cooking because they become tender and flavorful when cooked low and slow.

If you like sliders, you’ll definitely want to check out the rest of our slider recipes. I adore these fried chicken sliders and shredded BBQ chicken sliders. We also have a collection of things to serve with sliders.

Ingredients You Need

To make a delicious beef barbacoa sandwich, you will need to gather a few key ingredients. These include meat, seasoning, and sauce. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Beef Roast – The star of the show is the beef. You’ll want to choose a cut of beef that is tender and flavorful, such as chuck roast or brisket. Look for a piece of meat that is well-marbled with fat, as this will help keep it moist and tender during cooking.
• Stewing ingredients – The roast will cook is a broth for many hours, consisting of onions, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, and cilantro.
• Seasonings – To give your beef barbacoa sandwich its signature flavor, you’ll need to use a blend of spices. The most important of these are cumin and oregano, which will give the meat a warm, earthy flavor. You’ll also need salt, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, bay leaves, and black pepper to round out the seasoning.
• Toppings – The sliders require slider or small hamburger buns or slider buns, onion, tomatoes, and Chipotle mayo or Sriracha mayo.

How to Make Beef Barbacoa

Slow Cooker Method

Using a slow cooker is a great way to make barbacoa beef. It’s easy and allows the meat to cook slowly, resulting in a juicy and tender shredded beef. Here are the steps:

1. Start by trimming the fat off a beef chuck roast and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
2. In a slow cooker, mix together adobo sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves.
3. Add the beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat it with the sauce.
4. Cook the beef on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until it is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
5. Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.
6. Pour the leftover sauce from the slow cooker over the shredded beef, along with the cilantro.
7. Toast the buns, if you want. Top them with barbacoa, onion, tomato, and chipotle mayo.

Oven Method

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also make barbacoa beef in the oven. Here’s how:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
2. Trim the fat off a beef chuck roast and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
3. In a Dutch oven, mix together adobo sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic, oregano, cumin, and bay leaves.
4. Add the beef to the Dutch oven and stir to coat it with the sauce.
5. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and bake in the preheated oven for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
6. Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the Dutch oven and shred it with two forks.
7. Pour the leftover sauce from the Dutch oven over the shredded beef.
8. Toast the buns, if you want. Top them with barbacoa, onion, tomato, and chipotle mayo.

No matter which method you choose, you’ll end up with delicious and juicy barbacoa beef that you can use for your sandwich.

Additional Serving Suggestions

The best thing about making a large quantity of beef barbacoa is that you can use it for many different things. It’s great on sliders, but there are so many other options.

Tacos and Burritos

One classic way to serve beef barbacoa is in tacos or burritos. Soft corn tortillas are the traditional choice for tacos, but you could also use flour tortillas if you prefer. Simply spoon some of the beef onto the tortilla and add your favorite toppings. Salsa, guacamole, and sour cream are all great choices. For burritos, you can add rice, beans, and cheese to the mix.

Sandwiches and Quesadillas

Another option is to use the beef as a filling for sandwiches or quesadillas. For sandwiches, you could use a crusty roll or a soft bun. Add some cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce to create a tasty sandwich. For quesadillas, place some of the beef between two tortillas with some cheese and cook until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are crispy.

Nachos and Enchiladas

If you’re feeling indulgent, you could use the beef to create some nachos or enchiladas. For nachos, simply layer some tortilla chips with beef, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly. For enchiladas, roll some of the beef into tortillas with cheese and sauce. Bake until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are heated through.

Storage and Reheating

When you have leftover beef barbacoa, it’s important to store it properly to ensure it stays fresh and safe to eat. Here are some tips on how to store and reheat beef barbacoa:

Refrigerating

If you plan on eating your beef barbacoa within a few days, you can store it in the refrigerator. To refrigerate beef barbacoa, follow these steps:

1. Allow the beef barbacoa to cool down to room temperature.
2. Place the beef barbacoa in an airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
3. Label the container or wrap with the date and contents.
4. Place the container or wrap in the refrigerator.

Beef barbacoa can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to eat it, simply reheat it using your preferred method.

Freezing

If you don’t plan on eating your beef barbacoa within a few days, it’s best to freeze it. To freeze beef barbacoa, follow these steps:

1. Allow the beef barbacoa to cool down to room temperature.
2. Place the beef barbacoa in an airtight container or freezer bag. Be sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
3. Label the container or bag with the date and contents.
4. Place the container or bag in the freezer.

Beef barbacoa can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it using your preferred method.

Reheating

When reheating beef barbacoa, it’s important to do so properly to ensure it stays moist and flavorful. Here are some methods for reheating beef barbacoa:

1. Microwave: Place the beef barbacoa in a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a damp paper towel. Heat it on high for 1-2 minutes, or until it’s heated through.
2. Stovetop: Place the beef barbacoa in a saucepan and add a splash of water or broth. Heat it over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through.
3. Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the beef barbacoa in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Bake it for 10-15 minutes, or until it’s heated through.

No matter which method you choose, be sure to stir the beef barbacoa occasionally to ensure it heats evenly. And remember, always reheat beef barbacoa to an internal temperature of 165°F to ensure it’s safe to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Yield: 8 servings

Beef Barbacoa Sliders

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

These easy beef barbacoa sliders make a great appetizer or finger food for party.

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Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce deseeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1 white onion chopped (divided)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 8 slider buns
• 1 tomato, diced
• ¼ cup Chipotle mayo

Instructions

1. Start by trimming the fat off a beef chuck roast and cut it into 2-inch pieces. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
2. In a slow cooker, mix together adobo sauce, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, half of the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano and bay leaves.
3. Add the beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat it with the sauce.
4. Cook the beef on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until it is tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
5. Once the beef is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks.
6. Pour the leftover sauce from the slow cooker over the shredded beef, along with the cilantro.
7. Toast the buns, if you want. Top them with barbacoa, onion, tomato, and chipotle mayo.

Notes

• Chuck Roast is the best cut of meat for this dish. The meat needs to have adequate marbling (fat) to create a nice fall-apart texture and flavor.
• The meat must be cooked low and slow for around 6 hours. Trying to cook it faster on a higher heat doesn’t yield the best results.
• If you leave the seeds in the peppers, it will be quite hot. Remove all the seeds for no heat.

Laura

Laura is the founder and editor of the travel blogs Savored Sips and Savored Journeys. She is dedicated to sharing the best information about drinks found around the world.