2 lb chuck roast or stew beef

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 onion, diced

3 bay leaves

2 cups beef broth

3–4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 tbsp adobo sauce

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

5 garlic cloves

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

5 whole cloves or 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Rice

Black beans

Guacamole

Pico de gallo

Sliced jalapeños

If you’re using the Dutch oven method, preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

For the Dutch oven: Heat the oil over medium-high heat and sear the beef for about 3 minutes per side, until deeply golden. Remove from the heat and add the diced onion around the beef.

For the slow cooker: Sear the beef in a skillet for about 3 minutes per side, transfer it to the slow cooker, then add the onion.

Short on time? The original recipe notes that you can skip the sear. You lose a little crust, but dinner survives.

Add the beef broth, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and cloves to a blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour the barbacoa sauce over the beef and add the bay leaves.

Dutch oven: Cover and bake at 350°F for 2 1/2–3 hours, until the beef easily pulls apart with a fork. Check around the 2-hour mark and add about 1/4 cup more broth if the pot looks dry. If it is still tough after 3 hours, keep cooking in 30-minute increments.

Slow cooker: Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until fall-apart tender.

Remove the bay leaves. Shred the beef with two forks, then stir it back into the cooking liquid so all that smoky chipotle sauce gets back into the meat.

Do. Not. Drain. Those. Juices.

Start with warm rice and black beans, add the barbacoa, then finish with guacamole, pico de gallo, sliced jalapeños, and whatever else your Tuesday needs.

And tomorrow? Warm corn tortillas + leftover barbacoa = dinner round two.