Slow-Cooked Beef Barbacoa with Chipotle and Mexican Spices

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-02 · Updated 2026-05-02

Tender, slow-braised beef infused with smoky chipotle and traditional Mexican spices, perfect for tacos, burritos, or festive Cinco de Mayo gatherings. This mexican-inspired cinco de mayo ready in about 260 minutes turns beef chuck roast, large, quartered white onion, garlic cloves into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 8, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast
• 2 peppers plus 2 tbsp sauce chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 large, quartered white onion
• 5 cloves garlic cloves
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 2 tsp, divided salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup chopped for garnish fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a blender, combine 2 chipotle peppers with 2 tbsp adobo sauce, 1 large quartered white onion, 5 garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
2. Step 2: Pat dry 3 lbs beef chuck roast and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply browned.
4. Step 4: Transfer the seared beef to a slow cooker. Pour the blended chipotle sauce over the roast, add 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, and the remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
5. Step 5: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
6. Step 6: Remove beef from slow cooker and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or connective tissue. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat in the cooking juices.
7. Step 7: Serve hot, garnished with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges for squeezing.