Slow Cooker Mission-Style Beef Barbacoa

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-27 · Updated 2026-07-27

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Tender, slow-cooked beef barbacoa infused with smoky chipotle and traditional spices, perfect for tacos or burritos. This Mexican-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 615 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 600 min Serves 6 Mexican cuisine 450 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 lbs, trimmed and cut into 3-inch chunks beef chuck roast
3 peppers, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup beef broth
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 whole bay leaves
for serving lime wedges
8-10, warmed corn tortillas

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Instructions

Step 1: In a blender, combine 3 chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until smooth.
Step 2: Place 3 lbs beef chuck roast chunks into the slow cooker. Pour the chipotle sauce over the beef, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Add 2 whole bay leaves.
Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily with a fork.
Step 4: Remove bay leaves, shred the beef in the slow cooker using two forks, and stir to combine with the sauce.
Step 5: Serve the barbacoa in warmed corn tortillas with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over.