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Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa

Tender smoked beef chuck roast is coated in a bold blend of black pepper, oregano, cayenne, chili powder, garlic, cumin, and salt. The slow preparation develops deep, spicy flavor, making this barbacoa a hearty filling for tacos and burritos.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook3 hrs
  • Serves12
  • DifficultyEasy
Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

58 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
67 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
18 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
90 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

38
Heart Health
73
Metabolic
13
Digestive
23
Inflammatory
54
Performance
48
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Prepare a smoker with dampened hickory wood charcoal. Maintain the heat inside the grill or smoker at around 180 to 200 degrees F (80 to 95 degrees C).

  2. 2

    Combine black pepper, oregano, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, and seasoned salt in a small bowl until thoroughly mixed.

  3. 3

    Place the chuck roast in a mixing bowl and rub it all over with the spice mixture. Place the meat in the smoker and smoke for 1 1/2 hours, turning it about every half hour. The meat should be dark red, with darkened edges. Place the meat in a roasting pan and seal it tightly with aluminum foil.

  4. 4

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

  5. 5

    Bake the meat in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours or until very tender.

  6. 6

    Uncover the meat and shred it with two forks while still hot.

About This Recipe

Texas Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa is made with 9 ingredients and serves 12. It takes about 3 hrs 15 mins and is rated easy. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, and Chuck Roast. Each serving provides about 158.4 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Chili Powder, Chuck Roast, Dried Oregano. The full list of 9 is above.
How long does it take to make Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa?
About 3 hrs 15 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 3 hrs to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 158.4 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa easy to make?
This recipe is rated easy, with 9 ingredients and 6 steps.
Is Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa healthy?
Texas-Inspired Smoked and Braised Beef Barbacoa has an easyChef Pro health score of 58/100. Per serving, it provides 158.4 calories and 24.47 g of protein, or 49% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: saturated fat at 1.53 g (8% of the Daily Value). It contains Garlic, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

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