Beef Barbacoa

Beef Barbacoa

I don't know if I'd had beef barbacoa before I made it at home. My husband liked it in burritos at Chipotle or other burrito restaurants, but I hadn't tried it. When I saw that Target carried an Archer Farms brand barbacoa seasoning, I decided to try it. I have to admit, that Archer Farms brand and this recipe here both create a scent in my house that I don't really enjoy. I think it's the cloves. They smell very strong, and it just doesn't match what I think beef should smell like roasting in the oven. I know, I'm weird. But when I eat this dish, it's fantastic, and does not taste too much like cloves. It's tender, juicy, beefy...mmm...so good. 
Last night I purchased a chuck roast but didn't realize I didn't have the Archer Farms barbacoa seasoning to complete my mission. Dang it. So I had to look a recipe up on the internet. I read a few, but this one not only sounded right, but I had almost all of the ingredients on hand. The original recipe at Unsophisicook (a great blog I need to explore further) called for allspice, which I didn't have. I don't even know what it does or tastes like, so I subbed 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and crossed my fingers. I also cut back on the cloves, because 1/2 teaspoon sounded like it would overwhelm me. I went conservative on the chipotles and added 2, which was perfect for me and my family. It was just spicy enough--actually much spicier than the Archer Farms. Overall, I think it tasted the same as Archer Farms, except for the added spice. I'll be making this again for sure.
Oh, and Unsophisicook's recipe is for a slow cooker, so if you want to see how to prepare this dish in a slow cooker, click on any one of those Unsophisicook links you see here.

Beef Barbacoa
   --adapted from Unsophisicook

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• scant 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (depending on the heat level you like)
• 3-4 pound beef chuck roast

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 
In a blender or in a tall cup using a hand blender, blend together the vinegar, onion, limejuice, garlic cloves, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, salt, pepper, and chipotle pepper(s) until it's a chunky paste.
Place roast in a roasting dish (I used my Pampered Chef deep covered stoneware baker). Slather on the blended paste.
Cover the dish with foil and then the cover if you have one. Cook at 325 degrees for 3-4 hours, or until meat is very tender and shreds easily.
Serve with warm flour tortillas, Mexican rice, salsa, beans, guacamole, and whatever burrito/taco ingredients you enjoy.

Makes 8-10 servings