Slow-Cooker Elk Barbacoa
Slow-Cooker Elk Barbacoa is a rich, shredded meat dish made from lean elk shoulder or roast, slow-cooked with Mexican-inspired spices, chiles, and aromatics until tender. It draws inspiration from traditional barbacoa, a method of slow-cooking meat (often beef or goat) in a pit, but adapted for a modern slow cooker using game meat. The dish is a flavorful, high-protein alternative to beef barbacoa, popular in North American home cooking.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is very high in protein and low in carbohydrates, with minimal fat due to the leanness of elk meat. It provides key nutrients like iron, zinc, and B vitamins, with a rough calorie estimate of 250-300 kcal per serving.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 280 kcal |
| Protein | 42 g |
| Carbs | 3 g |
| Fat | 10 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
| Iron | 4.5 mg |
| Zinc | 8.2 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 12 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.8 mg |
| Phosphorus | 320 mg |
| Selenium | 28 mcg |
| Potassium | 480 mg |
| Magnesium | 35 mg |
Per 1 cup (225 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Using elk instead of beef makes this a nutritionally dense, leaner game meat option, reflecting a growing interest in sustainable and wild-harvested proteins. The slow-cooking method tenderizes the naturally tough cut while infusing it with deep, complex flavors from the spice blend.
