4 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
½ large white onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup lager beer
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground clove
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
Add the beef cubes to the skillet, and sear to brown the meat on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the beef from the skillet, and allow to cool 5 minutes before proceeding.
Add chipotle peppers in adobo, onion, garlic, beer, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, cumin, oregano, clove, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend the ingredients together until smooth.
Place the seared beef in the bottom of the slow cooker. Fully cover the beef with the chipotle marinade, and place bay leaves on top. Allow the beef to marinate (with the slow cooker OFF) for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight. The longer the steak marinates, the more flavorful the barbacoa will be.
When you're ready to cook, turn the slow cooker on low power. Allow the beef to cook for about 8 hours total. Avoid opening the lid for at least 7 hours.
After 7 hours, open the slow cooker, and remove and discard the bay leaves.
Using two forks, carefully shred the beef inside the slow cooker. Alternatively, remove the beef from the slow cooker, shred on a cutting board, and put it back in the slow cooker. Stir the beef in the sauce. Re-cover the slow cooker, and allow the meat to cook for up to another hour, depending on your desired tenderness.
To serve, use spoons or tongs to scoop the beef from the slow cooker to a serving dish, or portion individually for tacos, burritos, enchiladas and so forth.
Pro-tip: For a spicier steak, add sliced jalapeño or dried red chili flakes to the marinade.
Pro-tip: For the most authentic taco, garnish simply with raw white onion and cilantro.
