Crockpot Barbacoa Beef and Killer Spicy Nachos

Raise your hand if your need for Chipotle falls somewhere below having a roof over your head, but well above having cable. 

If I have to choose between the ability to watch hours of movies featuring washed up actors and men beating/cheating/leaving their wives (yes, I'm talking about you Lifetime Originals) and eating Chipotle, Chipotle wins. By a landslide.  

I've loved Chipotle for a long time. In fact, I still credit their pico de gallo with curing me of my hatred for fresh tomatoes (Thanks again, Chipotle!). But I was never very adventurous with my Chipotle orders. I always got the soft tacos. Always the chicken. Always the black beans. Always the mild salsa, sour cream, and cheese. 
But then one day, at the Mr.'s suggestion, I tried the barbacoa beef. In a bowl. With peppers and onions. 

Mind blown. 

The stuff was incredible! Soaked in flavor, tender, spicy, meaty. I don't think I've ordered chicken since. 

The crazy thing is I never even thought about trying to make the stuff at home. It seemed totally out of my league. I was positive it must contain obscure ingredients and require that I buy a specially trained Mexican cow for the beef.
But then I found this unassuming recipe for Crockpot Barbacoa over at the Kitchn. 

Believe me, I had my doubts too. I didn't expect it to be Chipotle good, but I figured it was worth a try anyway.

Wanna know something?

It's better. Fresher. Juicier. Tender. Even more spicy and flavorful than the original. 

And you know something else?

It's not hard! You throw a bunch of ingredients into your blender and puree them. Spread it over the bottom of a crockpot. Top with beef. Cover with beef broth, set to low, and walk away. The hardest part is waiting all day to eat it!

This recipe makes a boatload of barbacoa, so it's perfect for a party. But even if you aren't expecting an army of people, I'd encourage you to make the whole batch. We froze over half of our recipe and love having it on hand for a quick and stress free weeknight meal. We've found it pairs well in all sorts of dishes, not just the usual Tex-Mex fare. We've put this stuff in eggs, on grilled cheese, and of course, on these Killer Spicy Nachos. 

Yes, you can have Chipotle at home. And with all the money we'll be saving not going to Chipotle all the time, maybe we'll be able to afford cable after all. Lifetime here I come!

Crockpot Barbacoa Beef and Killer Spicy Nachos
Makes about 35 tacos
Recipe adapted from The Kitchn

**One more note about this recipe. It is quite spicy. Spicier than Chipotle's. So if you're sensitive to spice, you may want to dial back on the chipotle peppers or at least take the seeds out of the peppers. I thought the spiciness was perfect, but I love spicy, so use your judgment and do what's best for your tastes!

For the Barbacoa:
5 canned chipotle peppers plus all the adobo sauce with it
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks 
1 head garlic, peeled and cloves smashed 
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Juice of 4 limes
1/2 cup cider vinegar
5 dry bay leaves
5 to 7 pounds roast beef 
4 to 6 cups beef stock

For the nachos:
Tortilla chips, enough to cover a medium sized baking pan
Shredded monterey jack or pepper jack cheese (the beef is spicy, so if you aren't a huge fan of spice, use monterey jack)
Barbacoa
Sour Cream
Salsa
One lime
Chopped Cilantro

Directions:
1. In a blender or food processor combine chipotle peppers, cilantro, red onion, garlic, cloves, salt, lime juice, and cider vinegar. Pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined and has formed a thick puree. 
2. Place mixture at the bottom of a large crockpot. Layer roast beef on top (I had two 3 pound roasts, so I just stacked them on top of each other). 
3. Add enough beef stock to fully cover the roasts. Lay dry bay leaves on top. 
4. Cover and cook on High for 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaves. Remove beef to a cutting board and shred. If serving immediately, put shredded beef in a bowl and cover with sauce. Otherwise, return beef to crockpot and keep on warm until ready to serve. 

For the nachos:
1. To make the nachos, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread tortilla chips in an even layer over the pan. Sprinkle liberally with shredded cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden brown. 
2. Divide nachos among plates and top with barbacoa, sour cream, and salsa. Squeeze the juice of about 1/2 a lime over each portion of nachos and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.