Get the Recipe:
Fall Apart Sous Vide Barbacoa
This recipe for sous vide barbacoa recipe uses chuck roast cooked for 24 hours to create the most tender filling for tacos or rice bowls.
Ingredients
For the barbacoa
- 1 3 lb chuck roast, fat trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground oregano
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Limes, cut into wedges
- Avocado, diced
- Corn tortillas or white rice
Instructions
- Preheat water bath using an immersion circulator to 165 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients for the barbacoa until the chuck roast cubes are coated. Transfer the mixture to a vacuum seal bag and seal. Tip: Cuff the top of the vacuum seal bag to make transferring easier. Since there's liquid in this mixture, you may need to press the "Seal" button on your vacuum sealer early. Press this button when liquid approaches the seal line.
- Add the bag to the preheated water bath and secure in place with sous vide magnets, or set something heavy like a ceramic plate on top of the bag to keep it from floating. Cover the bath with foil, plastic wrap, or a lid to prevent evaporation. Cook for 24 hours.
- When done cooking, pour the entire contents of the bag into a large, shallow serving bowl. Remove the bay leaves. Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Serve with corn tortillas or rice, cilantro, limes, and avocado.
Notes
Do I really have to cook this for 24 hours?
The short answer: yes. If you want the best possible texture, that is. If you're really on a time crunch, you could try shortening it to 12 hours, but the results won't be as good. If you're really, really on a time crunch, I recommend looking at Instant Pot recipes! (Which, of course, will not be as good!)
Can I freeze this?
Absolutely. This will freeze well before or after sous viding. I typically prepare it all the way through the vacuum seal step, freeze, then go straight from the freezer to the water bath when I want to cook it. You do not need to add extra cook time for this.
How should I serve the barbacoa?
I always do tacos or rice bowls. So, choose your carb vessel, then make sure to have plenty of chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, avocado, and whatever else sounds yummy available! This is a great "build it yourself" meal for the family or guests.
Couldn't I just do this in a slow cooker?
Yes, you could! However, slow cooking with sous vide results in moister, more tender meat. Have you ever noticed that slow cooked meat is often somehow a little dry? You don't get those results with sous vide.
Calories: 358kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 117mg, Sodium: 723mg, Potassium: 735mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 0.4g, Vitamin A: 86IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @chel.seacole on Instagram or tag #aducksoven.