Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Slow Cooker Barbacoa is hands down my husbands favorite recipe. Especially when we make it into tacos. Barbacoa is a way to cook meat that started in the Caribbean, with barbecue type flavors. Generally, it refers to meats that are cooked long and slow to yield fall-apart tender meat. The flavor I infuse into this barbacoa is totally brag worthy, and your kitchen will smell incredible as it cooks. This recipe is paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free, and 100% freakin delicious!

(Looking for more barbacoa recipes? Try out my Easy Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa or my Chipotle Beef Barbacoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.)

Why We Love Making Barbacoa in the Crockpot

Cooking short ribs low and slow in a fragrant blend of smoky spices and tangy balsamic vinegar builds the most amazing, complex flavor in this slow cooker barbacoa recipe. I know you’re going to love it as much as my family does!

• Hands-off cooking. After a quick sear to add depth to the flavor, just add everything to your slow cooker and let it do the rest of the work!
• Incredibly tender meat. Short ribs are rich and marbled, and they become irresistibly tender after a long simmer in the slow cooker.
• A multi-tasking protein. I’ll show you how to make this barbacoa into tacos, but you can also use it in meal bowls, add it to salads, spoon it into baked sweet potatoes—so many options!
• Great for meal prep. Barbacoa is awesome for storing and reheating, so I love to make a big batch on the weekend and use it in different meals all week long!

What You’ll Need

This recipe is ALL about the herbs and spices! Make sure yours aren’t expired for the best flavor. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Spice blend – Sea salt, dried rosemary, dried sage, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and ancho chili powder.
• Beef short ribs – Use boneless short ribs for easy shredding.
• Avocado oil – Or another oil you like to use in your cooking.
• Tomato sauce – This adds moisture and a subtle sweetness.
• Balsamic vinegar – I love the tanginess and complexity this adds to the slow cooker barbacoa!
• Dried apricots – For a sweet, subtle fruitiness. 
• Garlic and red onion – Aromatics that infuse the short ribs with flavor as they simmer in the crockpot.
• Jicama tacos – A low-carb alternative to tortillas. 
• Toppings – Avocado, red onion, fresh cilantro, and lime.

How to Make Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Here’s what you’ll need to do to cook the most delicious barbacoa in your crockpot!

• Mix the spice blend. Combine all of the seasonings in a small bowl.
• Season and sear the beef. Pat the short ribs dry, rub generously with the spice mix, and sear in hot oil for 2–3 minutes per side.
• Assemble. Add the seared short ribs to the slow cooker along with the tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, dried apricots, garlic, and red onion.
• Slow cook until tender. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4–5 hours or LOW for 6–8 hours.
• Shred and return to sauce. Remove the ribs, shred with two forks, and stir the meat back into the sauce.
• Assemble the tacos. Spoon the barbacoa onto jicama tacos and top with avocado, cilantro, red onion, and a squeeze of lime.

More Ways to Serve Barbacoa

You’re not limited to tacos! Here are some more ideas for using your slow cooker barbacoa.

• Add it to meal bowls and salads. Make burrito bowls with Cilantro Lime Rice, Instant Pot Black Beans, salsa, and queso fresco.
• Use it for nachos. Make barbacoa nachos with tortilla chips, vegan queso, avocado, and Pickled Onions.
• Make barbacoa potatoes. We LOVE this barbacoa stuffed into sweet potatoes with pickled onions, queso fresco, crema, and cilantro.
• Add it to all the Tex-Mex things. Enchiladas, burritos, quesadillas, taquitos—whatever!

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate: Store this slow cooker barbacoa in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Freeze the shredded barbacoa in the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Love

• Beer Braised Slow Cooker Brisket Sliders
• Crockpot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
• Easy Crockpot Chicken Curry
• Crockpot Turkey Spinach Stuffed Shells