Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Burrito with Double Meat Tips, FAQ & printable recipe

Tips for success

Shred the beef while it is warm; cooled chuck resists the forks and breaks into short, dry pieces instead of long strands. Skim the fat from the braising liquid before folding any back in — a little keeps the barbacoa glossy, too much turns the burrito greasy by the last bite.

Season the rice assertively, since it is the largest component and quietly decides whether the burrito tastes like the original.

Warm every filling before it hits the tortilla, and steam the tortillas so they fold without cracking. When rolling, tuck the ends in firmly and keep the filling in a narrow band down the center — width, not quantity, is what bursts a burrito.

Slice with a single long draw of a sharp knife rather than sawing, and the layered cross-section will hold its lines for serving.

Variations

• Barbacoa Bowl: Skip the tortilla entirely and layer the rice, beans, barbacoa, corn salsa, cheese and guacamole into wide bowls. Everything stays warm longer, and it is the easiest way to serve a group without rolling a single burrito.
• Spicy Adobo Barbacoa: Add two extra chipotle peppers and a full tablespoon of adobo sauce to the braise, and swap the Monterey Jack for pepper Jack. The burn builds slowly through the braise, so taste the shredded beef before assembling.
• Breakfast Burrito: Use the barbacoa with the cilantro-lime rice and Monterey Jack, add softly scrambled eggs, and roll the same way. Wrap in foil and steam for the same two minutes for a hot, hand-held morning burrito.
• Quesadilla Version: Spread barbacoa, corn salsa and Monterey Jack over half a large tortilla, fold it into a half-moon, and crisp it in a dry skillet on both sides. Cut into wedges and serve with guacamole for dipping.

Storage and make-ahead

Fridge

Barbacoa keeps 4 days refrigerated in its braising liquid; assembled burritos keep 2 days wrapped in foil.

Freezer

Freeze the shredded barbacoa with its liquid for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat

Reheat a wrapped burrito in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 15–20 minutes, or microwave unwrapped for 1–2 minutes, then re-crisp in a skillet.

Store the components separately rather than as assembled burritos whenever possible: barbacoa in its braising liquid, rice, salsa and guacamole in their own containers.

Assembled burritos hold together best if wrapped in foil and refrigerated while still slightly warm from the steam rest. Cool any leftovers for no more than 2 hours before they go into the refrigerator.

The barbacoa is the ideal make-ahead component: braise it up to 3 days ahead, shred it, and refrigerate it submerged in its skimmed braising liquid so it stays moist. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave before assembling.

The cilantro-lime rice can be cooked a day ahead and refreshed with a squeeze of lime. The corn salsa and guacamole are best made the same day, though a store-bought guacamole keeps the assembly fast on a busy evening.

Serving ideas

Serve the burritos hot, unwrapped halfway so the foil acts as a holder, with the cut face showing the layered cross-section. A little extra corn salsa or a spoonful of the skimmed braising liquid on the side gives anyone who wants more heat or more sauciness an easy option. Cut each burrito on a slight diagonal for the fullest view of the guacamole center.

For a fuller spread, set out the components burrito-bar style: warm barbacoa in one bowl, lime rice, beans, corn salsa, cheese and guacamole in their own, with steamed tortillas stacked under a clean towel. Everyone builds their own, wraps it in foil and lets it steam for the same two minutes — the same method, scaled to a table.

Frequently asked questions

Recipe card

Copycat Chipotle Barbacoa Burrito with Double Meat

Prep 30 minCook 3 h 30 minRest 10 minTotal 4 h 10 minServes 4

Ingredients

• 2 lb chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 4 chunks
• 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 2 tbsp adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup long-grain white rice, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup roasted corn salsa, store-bought or made ahead
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup guacamole, store-bought or made ahead
• 4 large flour tortillas (12-inch), steamed warm

Instructions

1. Pat the chuck roast completely dry with paper towels. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until a drop of water skitters across the surface. Sear the chunks until a deep brown crust forms on all sides, about 8 minutes total, turning with tongs rather than piercing the meat so the juices stay inside the beef.
2. Add the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, ground cloves, cumin and oregano, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the beef broth, scraping up the browned bits. Nestle the beef back in, cover, and braise over low heat until it shreds with no resistance and reads at least 145°F (63°C) at its thickest point, about 3 hours. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and let it rest at least 3 minutes.
3. Pull the rested beef apart with two forks into long strands, discarding any gristle. Skim the fat from the braising liquid, then fold a few spoonfuls into the shredded meat so the barbacoa stays glossy and juicy without turning greasy. Taste a shred and adjust with more braising liquid if the flavor needs a lift.
4. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then cook it by your usual method. Spread the hot rice on a plate or sheet pan for a few minutes so steam escapes and the grains stay separate rather than turning mushy inside the wrapped burrito later on.
5. Fold the chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice into the warm rice, fluffing with a fork as you go. Taste and adjust the lime — the rice should taste bright and seasoned on its own, because it carries a lot of the burrito's flavor once everything is wrapped together in the tortilla.
6. Warm the black beans in a small saucepan over low heat for five minutes. Warm the roasted corn salsa in the same pan or a skillet just until it loses its chill — a minute or two is enough, since it should stay chunky and bright rather than cooking down to mush before assembly.
7. Warm each tortilla in a dry skillet for 20 seconds per side, or over a low flame, until soft and pliable. Lay a tortilla flat and layer down the center: 1 cup cilantro-lime rice, 1/2 cup black beans, 6 oz barbacoa, a spoonful of corn salsa and 1/2 cup Monterey Jack divided among all four burritos.
8. Spoon a generous scoop of guacamole down the center of each burrito. Fold in the sides, roll tightly from the bottom, and wrap each one snugly in heavy-duty foil. Let them sit wrapped for 2 minutes; the trapped steam softens the tortilla and melts the cheese into every layer.
9. Unwrap each burrito halfway, hold it steady, and slice through with a sharp knife to show the layered cross-section — the shredded beef, the melty cheese seam and the green guacamole center. Serve immediately, with any extra corn salsa on the side, while the tortilla is still soft and steaming.

Contains: gluten, milk, sulfites

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories

820

Protein

45 g

Carbohydrates

75 g

Fat

38 g

Fiber

8 g

Sodium

1250 mg

Automatic estimate from the ingredient list, not laboratory-verified.