By Sunday dinner with whoever comes — the table is always set, the caldo always ready. The children come in shifts now: Isabella between hospital shifts, Sofia from the bakery, Diego from wherever bridges need building, Camila from wherever music lives. The shifting is the rhythm. The rhythm is the family.
The caldo is always the anchor, but it’s the pot roast I pull out when the table fills up and I don’t know exactly how many are coming — because with this family, it’s never quite certain until they’re already sitting down. A slow-cooked Mexican pot roast filling stretches the way a mother learns to stretch everything: with patience and the right spices. Diego can fold it into a tortilla on his way back out the door, Isabella can eat it slow and quiet between shifts, and the pot will still have something left for whoever comes last.
Mexican Pot Roast Filling
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 3 hrs 30 min | Total Time: 3 hrs 50 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
- 1 cup beef broth
- Juice of 1 lime
- Fresh cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- Season the roast. Pat the chuck roast dry with paper towels. Combine salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, paprika, and oregano in a small bowl, then rub the spice mixture evenly over all sides of the meat.
- Sear. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the roast 3–4 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer to a plate.
- Build the base. Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add the liquids. Stir in the chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and beef broth. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Slow-cook. Return the seared roast to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, turning the roast once halfway through, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Shred. Remove the roast and shred with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot and stir to coat with the braising juices. Squeeze lime juice over the top and stir to combine.
- Serve. Use as a filling for tacos, burritos, or tortas, or serve over rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 480mg