Description
Tender, fall-apart beef slow-cooked with dried chiles and spices, served with a smoky charred onion and lime crema. A versatile, set-it-and-forget-it Mexican dinner that delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal active prep time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 large limes (juice of 1 for marinade, 1 for crema)
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon guajillo chile powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (Mexican preferred)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 dried bay leaves
- ½ medium white onion, sliced into rings (for crema)
- 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small jalapeño, minced (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Corn tortillas for serving
Instructions
- Pat the chuck roast dry and rub with a mixture of ancho chile powder, guajillo chile powder, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Optional: Sear the beef in a hot skillet with oil on all sides until browned to enhance flavor.
- Place quartered onions and garlic at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the seasoned beef on top.
- Pour in beef broth and lime juice. Add bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours until beef is fork-tender.
- Remove beef to a cutting board. Discard bay leaves and mushy aromatics. Shred beef with two forks, removing large fat pieces.
- Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir in about 1 cup of cooking liquid to keep moist.
- In a cast iron skillet, char sliced onion rings until blackened and sweet. Transfer to a bowl.
- Blend charred onions, sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, and salt until smooth to create the crema.
- Warm corn tortillas in a dry skillet or over a gas flame.
- Assemble tacos with shredded beef, drizzle generously with lime crema, and add desired toppings.
Notes
For best texture, cook on LOW setting. Save the cooking liquid to moisten the meat or use in other dishes. The recipe is naturally gluten-free if using certified gluten-free chile powder and broth. For dairy-free, substitute coconut cream for sour cream.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Tacos with corn tort
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 30
Keywords: slow cooker barbacoa, beef tacos, mexican dinner, chuck roast recipe, lime crema, charred onions, weeknight dinner, meal prep