Wood-Fired Mexican Barbacoa with Pickled Red Onions

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-05 · Updated 2026-07-05

Slow-cooked barbacoa beef infused with smoky spices, served with tangy pickled red onions and warm corn tortillas for a vibrant Mexican meal. This Mexican-inspired taco and burrito recipe, ready in about 510 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, dried guajillo chilies, dried ancho chilies 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.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast
• 4 pieces dried guajillo chilies
• 2 pieces dried ancho chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 5 cloves, peeled garlic cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano oregano
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 large, thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 4 dried guajillo chilies and 2 dried ancho chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt. Remove stems and seeds, then soak chilies in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: In a blender, combine soaked chilies with 1 medium quartered white onion, 5 peeled garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp dried oregano, 3 whole cloves, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 cups beef broth, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Blend until smooth to create the barbacoa sauce.
3. Step 3: Cut 3 lbs beef chuck roast into large chunks and place in a slow cooker. Pour the barbacoa sauce over the beef and add 2 bay leaves. Cook on low for 8 hours until beef is tender and falls apart easily.
4. Step 4: While the beef cooks, prepare pickled red onions by combining 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 tbsp kosher salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour the hot liquid over 1 large thinly sliced red onion in a jar. Let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.
5. Step 5: Once beef is cooked, shred it using two forks and mix with the cooking juices for moisture.
6. Step 6: Warm 12 small corn tortillas on a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until pliable.
7. Step 7: To serve, pile shredded barbacoa onto tortillas, top with pickled red onions and sprinkle 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for brightness.