Barbacoa Beef Lettuce Wraps

You don’t even have to slave that much. Mix some ingredients, throw them in the crock along with meat and wait a few hours. Or for a quicker meal, you can use your instant pot. Either way, you end up with tender, flavorful meat. Shred it and load whatever you have in my mind… from tacos to burritos to nachos to THESE lettuce wraps… ALL GOOD…SO Good…

You’ll love your Barbacoa Beef cos’

What is Barbacoa?

Barbacoa is an authentic Mexican and Caribbean dish typically made with beef, goat or lamb but some like it with pork butt too. Barbacoa pork is one of our most popular posts of GypsyPlate. Traditionally it’s slow cooked, often in pits, with seasonings until tender. Meat is seasoned with Mexican chilies and spices and cooked slow and low till it’s fork tender. Then it’s shredded and swirled around with the braising liquids so the end result is moist, flavor rich meat. It tastes slightly tangy with distinct spicy and smoky flavors from chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

What is the best cut of beef to use?

Anything that would result in tender, melt in your mouth beef. Top contenders are chuck roast, brisket, beef cheeks and boneless short ribs. Find a cut which is nicely marbled with fat. Avoid leaner cuts, as they tend to be dry and not juicy tender.

These are the simple ingredients you need to make Barbacoa Beef Lettuce Wraps

Chuck RoastChipotles in adobo sauce – You will easily find this in the Latin section in your grocery store. This is a MUST in any barbacoa. It’s a most defining flavor. Chipotle peppers are dried and smoked jalapeno peppers. In this canned form, these peppers are mixed in with a tangy, spicy and smoky red sauce called adobo. We use both chilies and a little of the sauce to get the good flavor kick going.Garlic – Always fresh.OnionSpices – Cumin, oregano, cloves, bay leaves.Cilantro – A handful.Beef brothLime juiceApple cider vinegarSalt and PepperOil – If you are searing the meat first. We highly recommend this step, as it adds tons of flavor.Lettuce – Use any lettuce that is hearty enough to hold the meat. Butter lettuce or Boston lettuce are really great for lettuce wraps.

How to make Barbacoa Beef Lettuce Wraps

In three simple three steps:

Crock Pot Method

Heat some oil in a pan and sear the chuck roast on all sides till it gets brown all over. You can cut the roast into big chunks to handle it easily. Blend onion, garlic, cilantro, chipotle peppers, all the spices except bay leaves, beef broth, lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Place the chuck roast in the crock pot. Pour the sauce all over the meat so it’s covered nicely then add on bay leaves. Cover and cook it on low for 8-9 hours. When the meat is fork tender, remove the bay leaves and shred the meat with a couple of forks and mix it well with the braising liquids in the crock. We recommend it slow and low for a longer duration, but in a hurry you can cook it on high for 4-6 hours.

Instant Pot Method

Press the Saute setting on your instant pot and add oil. Once hot, add the meat and sear until browned on all sides. Press cancel to turn off the heat. Blend onion, garlic, cilantro, chipotle peppers, all the spices except bay leaves, beef broth, lime juice, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add sauce and bay leaves to the pressure cooker and toss everything well. Seal the lid on the pressure cooker and set to High Pressure on Manual mode for 60 minutes. Once cooked, allow pressure to naturally release. Once vented, remove the lid, remove the bay leaves and shred the meat with a couple of forks and mix it well with the braising liquids. Today we are serving Barbacoa in lettuce wraps. Just place the heaping shredded meat in lettuce leaves and chow down!

Toppings options

Other ways to serve Barbacoa Beef

Make barbacoa sliders.Arrange it in a burrito bowl with regular rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice.Build a giant burrito like Chipotle with rice, beans, guacamole, cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce… YUMM.Serve it over soft flour tacos or corn tacos or on low carb tortilla wraps.Make quesadillas.Make easy sheet pan nachos for the crowds with tortilla chips, salsa, beans, cheese and sour cream.

Some variations

How to store Barbacoa Beef

Barbacoa refrigerates beautifully. As it sits, the flavors get accentuated and it’s great for the next 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for future meals in an airtight container. Use it within 3 months. This is a great meal prep option for so many varied types of meals. There is so much to do with this simple crock pot (or instant pot) meal. How many of you have thought of lettuce wraps to try barbacoa before? It’s an absolutely delicious way to enjoy your favorite Mexican flavors if you are watching your carbs. This is the meal that can satisfy every single member of the family. Serve it low carb, serve it on tacos, or serve it whichever way your heart desires. Barbacoa is here to stay…