Slow-Cooked Beef Barbacoa with Guajillo and Chipotle Chilies

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-12 · Updated 2026-06-12

Succulent shredded beef barbacoa simmered slowly in a rich sauce of guajillo and chipotle chilies with traditional Mexican spices. This Mexican-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 510 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, dried guajillo chilies, dried chipotle chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• 4, stemmed and seeded dried guajillo chilies
• 2, stemmed and seeded dried chipotle chilies
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Place 4 dried guajillo chilies and 2 dried chipotle chilies in a bowl with hot water to cover and soak for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Drain chilies and transfer to a blender. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 medium quartered white onion, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until smooth.
3. Step 3: Season 2 pounds beef chuck roast with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place in a slow cooker and pour chili sauce over the beef. Add 2 bay leaves.
4. Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
5. Step 5: Remove beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return shredded beef to the sauce, stir to combine, and serve warm with tortillas or rice.