Andy Cooks Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Source video by Andy Cooks on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

Andy demystifies barbacoa: traditionally a pit-cooked Mexican lamb, goat or beef, modernised here as a slow cooker brisket dish. The brisket is cut into 5 cm chunks (preserving big enough pieces for proper shreds), salted hard, seared in a dry cast-iron pan to render fat and build colour, then nested in the slow cooker with a steeped-chilli blender sauce and a cinnamon stick. 10 to 12 hours on low and the meat pulls apart with a couple of forks. Andy notes the recipe doubles and triples easily; the cooked meat freezes, makes nachos and sandwiches the days after taco night. Serves with salsa verde, white onion, lime and radish.

Ingredients

• 1 kgbeef brisket, cut into 5 cm chunks
• fine salt, for seasoning

• 4 chilliesdried ancho chillies, deseeded and destemmed
• 3 chilliesdried pasilla chillies, deseeded and destemmed
• 2 chilliesdried chipotle chillies, deseeded and destemmed

• 1 headgarlic head, cloves peeled
• 1 onionwhite onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tbspdried oregano
• 3 cloveswhole cloves
• 200 mlwhite distilled vinegar

• 1 stickcinnamon stick

• soft corn tortillas, warmed (add late)
• salsa verde, tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic, coriander, lime, salt, blended (add late)
• white onion, radishes, fresh coriander, lime wedges, diced / sliced / chopped / wedged (add late)

Method

1. Cut the brisket into 5 cm chunks. Big chunks matter: they pull into proper strands at the end. Salt generously all over.

   ~8 min

2. Heat a dry cast-iron pan (no oil) over a high heat. Sear the brisket chunks hard on all sides, starting with the fattiest bits down so they render and lubricate the pan.

   ~12 min

3. Boil a kettle. Tip the deseeded ancho, pasilla and chipotle chillies into a pot, pour in just-off-the-boil water to cover, and steep for 20 minutes with the heat off and the lid off.

   ~22 min

4. Tip the steeped chillies (with some of their water) into a blender. Add the peeled garlic head, white onion, oregano, three cloves and the 200 ml white vinegar. Blend until smooth, loosening with chilli water if needed.

   ~4 min

5. Tip the seared brisket chunks into the slow cooker. Pour the blender sauce plus any remaining chilli water over so the meat is mostly bathed but not fully covered (it shouldn't braise like a stew).

   ~3 min

6. Drop in the cinnamon stick. Stir to coat the meat in sauce. Cover.

   ~1 min

7. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. Overnight is ideal, the meat is forgiving for a couple of hours past the minimum.

   ~720 min

8. Pull the brisket chunks out into a large bowl and shred with two forks (or hands once cool enough). Keep some pieces in bigger strands for texture.

   ~8 min

9. Add the cooking liquid back to the shredded meat a ladle at a time, mixing, until the meat is juicy and saucy but not soaking. You may not need all the liquid; freeze any leftover sauce.

   ~5 min

10. Warm corn tortillas. Build tacos: brisket, white onion, salsa verde, radish, a squeeze of lime and a scatter of coriander. Andy recommends doubling up two tortillas per taco.

    ~5 min

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