Slow-Cooker Oaxaca Enchilada Beef Barbacoa Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you start, make sure you have a 6-quart slow cooker and a clean workspace. If your beef chuck cubes are very large, cut them into roughly 2-inch pieces so they cook evenly.

Drain and rinse the pinto beans in a colander, and shred the cheeses if you bought them in blocks. Have your Spanish rice ready to go—this recipe is best served over rice, so cook it while the slow cooker does its thing.

Instructions

Layer and Top

1. 1Layer the beef and sauce
   Place the beef chuck cubes in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker in an even layer. Pour the red enchilada sauce over the beef, making sure the meat is mostly covered. Add the drained pinto beans and stir gently to combine everything.
   Look for The beef is coated in red sauce and beans are scattered throughout.
   Tip Use a spatula to spread the sauce evenly so the beef is well coated.
2. 2Top with cheese
   Sprinkle the shredded Oaxaca cheese and Mexican four-cheese blend evenly over the top of the beef and sauce mixture. Do not stir after adding the cheese; it will melt into a blanket as it cooks.
   Look for The top is covered with a thick layer of shredded cheese.
   Tip For a more even melt, let the cheese come to room temperature before adding.

At the end of this phase, the slow cooker contains raw beef cubes coated in red sauce, with pinto beans scattered throughout and a thick layer of shredded cheese covering the top. The cheese should be evenly distributed, and the sauce should reach about halfway up the beef. Everything is ready to cook.

Slow-Cook and Shred

3. 3Slow-cook on low
   Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and easily shreds. The cheese will melt and blister around the edges, and the sauce will thicken into a rich gravy. Let it rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
   Look for The sauce is bubbling gently and the cheese has melted into a golden blanket.
   Safe temperature 145°F (63°C) internal temperature (steaks, chops and roasts)
   Tip Resist lifting the lid during cooking; each peek adds 20 minutes to the cook time.
4. 4Shred the beef
   Turn off the slow cooker. Using two forks, shred the beef right in the pot, mixing it into the sauce and beans. The meat should pull apart easily. Let it rest for at least 3 minutes before serving.
   Look for The beef shreds effortlessly and is moist and tender.
   Safe temperature 145°F (63°C) internal temperature (steaks, chops and roasts)
   Tip For chunkier pieces, shred less; for finer shreds, keep pulling.

After 8 to 10 hours on low, the beef is fork-tender, the sauce has thickened into a rich gravy, and the cheese has melted and blistered into a golden crust.

The aroma is deeply savory with a hint of chili. The beef should shred easily with two forks, and the internal temperature should read at least 145°F (63°C).

Serve and Enjoy

5. 5Serve over rice
   Spoon the hot barbacoa mixture over a bed of cooked Spanish red rice on each plate. Use a slotted spoon to serve if there is extra sauce, and top with additional cheese or a drizzle of sauce if desired.
   Look for The beef and sauce mound over the rice, with cheese stretching from the spoon.
   Tip Warm the plates in the oven to keep the dish hot while serving.

The shredded beef and sauce are spooned over warm Spanish rice, with the blistered cheese stretching from the spoon. Each plate is a mound of tender meat, velvety sauce, and gooey cheese. The rice soaks up the sauce, and every bite is rich, spicy, and comforting.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is lifting the lid to check on the food, which lets out heat and extends the cooking time. Another is adding too much liquid—the enchilada sauce and beef juices are enough.

Also, don't stir the cheese into the sauce; it needs to stay on top to form that blistered crust. Finally, don't rush the cooking. Low and slow is the only way to get truly tender beef.

How to tell it’s done

The barbacoa is done when the beef shreds easily with a fork and has reached an internal temperature of at least 145°F (63°C).

The cheese should be fully melted and blistered on top, and the sauce should be thick and glossy rather than watery. Let the meat rest for at least 3 minutes after shredding to allow the juices to redistribute.

• Steaks, chops and roasts: 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part, then a 3-minute rest