Recipes

Messy Barbacoa Beef Nachos

The Daily Meal Staff|

Messy Barbacoa Beef Nachos
3.7 (3 ratings)
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This recipe makes a generous portion of beef, which is also delicious wrapped in soft corn or flour tortillas with a garnish of onions and cilantro.This recipe by Melissa Elsmo originally appeared in The Pioneer Press and Chicago Tribune.
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
10
hours
Servings
8
Barbacoa beef nachos with a chipotle lime cream sauce
Total time: 10 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
  • kosher salt and coarse black pepper
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and thickly sliced
  • 8 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 2 ounce bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 (7.5 ounce) can chipotle in adobo, 2 chilies reserved
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon dried mexican oregano
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 3 limes, halved
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can reduced sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 reserved chipotle chilies, finely chopped
  • zest and juice of 1 lime
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1 (16 ounce) bag sturdy lightly salted tortilla chips (i used el milagro brand)
  • 1 cup queso quesadilla cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded american cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 cup barbacoa beef
  • 1 (15 ounces) can pink beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 small white onion, minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • cilantro lime cream
  • 4 scallions, snipped
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • hot pickled nacho peppers (optional)
Directions
  1. Step 1: Season a 3-4 pound bonless beef roast liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle half a large sliced onion, 8 cloves of smashed garlic and 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate in the bottom of a 6-8 quart slow cooker. Add the roast to the cooker and top with the remaining onion, chipotle chiles and all the adobo sauce, 3/4 cups brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves. Tuck 3 bay leaves and the 3 halved limes around the roast and pour 12.5 ounces chicken stock over the whole thing.
  2. Step 2: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours until the meat shreds easily with two forks.
  3. Step 3: Remove the limes and bay leaves before shredding all the meat. Whisk the liquid in the pot and moisten the meat with some of that chocolatey goodness. Shredded meat can be covered and refrigerated for two days before proceeding with this recipe.
  4. Step 1: Mixed all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate the cream overnight to allow flavors to blend.
  5. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Step 2: Spread 16 ounces of tortilla chips in an even layer on the baking sheet.
  7. Step 3: Combine 1 cup shredded American cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar in a medium bowl. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chips.
  8. Step 4: Top with 3 cups shredded barbacoa beef and 1 can rinsed and drained pink beans. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the nachos and place in the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and beef is hot.
  9. Step 4: Remove the sheet pan from the oven and sprinkle the entire thing with the onions and cilantro. Drizzle or dollop the chipotle lime cream over the entire tray of nachos. Garnish with the scallions, tomatoes and pickled pepper slices. Serve at once with loads of napkins.
 
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