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Take taco night to a whole new level with my melt-in-your-mouth, ultra-flavorful Barbacoa! These super-simple tacos only need homemade barbacoa and a sprinkling of your favorite toppings to be totally delicious. The meat is just that good!
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Barbacoa Tacos
There's nothing quite like barbacoa to get your whole family drifting into the kitchen! Every time I set up a pot full of barbacoa to cook, my family members come one by one, eager to ask what's cooking. Imagine the delight when I say barbacoa tacos!
And the best part is, barbacoa is surprisingly easy to make. Once the chilis are mixed and the beef is browned, it's just set and forget. Or rather, set and anticipate, because the smell of this beef cooking is absolutely divine!
So next time it's taco night, game day, or time for a big family gathering, load up the crock pot with barbacoa, and get ready for the best tacos you've ever had! With a process this easy, you'll be looking for any chance to make them again, and again, and again!
Barbacoa Recipe Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast
- Guajillo peppers
- Ancho peppers
- Olive oil
- Chipotles in adobo
- Beef stock
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lime
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Mexican oregano
- Cumin
- Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper
Barbacoa Taco Ingredients
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Optional: Cilantro, onion, jalapeno, radish, and queso fresco
What is barbacoa meat?
Typically, barbacoa uses tougher meats that fare better when cooked slowly over a low temperature to become tender, such as the beef chuck roast used in this barbacoa tacos recipe. Beef, lamb, or goat are generally used for barbacoa meat.
What are barbacoa?
Barbacoa is a classic Mexican seasoned meat, typically made with beef, lamb, or goat that gets stewed in spices and chilis until it's fall-apart tender. This dish is heavy on seasonings and has an emphasis on silky, tender texture only achieved from long, slow cook times.
While it's used in many ways, a beloved classic is barbacoa beef tacos! It can also be served on salads, wraps, or even added to chili or served over rice. It's delicious on everything!
Slow Cooker Barbacoa
- Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho peppers, then place them in a small dish and cover them with boiling water. Rest for 20 minutes.
- Drain the soaked peppers, then add to a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Slice the beef into chunks, then add to a bowl and pour on blended peppers. Toss well to coat the beef completely.
- Add the oil to a cast iron skillet, and set it to medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, sear the beef chuck until each side is browned well.
- Transfer the beef to a slow cooker. Deglaze the pan with beef stock to scrape up the browned bits, then add it and all other ingredients to the slow cooker pot.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beef is fork tender and shreds easily. Once cooked, shred the beef.
How to Make Barbacoa Tacos
- Toast tortillas on a pan, then fill with shredded beef and your favorite toppings.
- Serve warm with extra toppings on the side, and enjoy!
Beef Barbacoa Recipe Toppings
- beans
- lettuce
- tomatoes
- your favorite cheese
- salsa
- chipotle peppers
The toppings are endless! Another fun way to enjoy this recipe is to make burritos or quesadillas!
Barbacoa Recipes Tips
- Don't be tempted to set the crock pot to high! It needs to be cooked low and slow, and cooking it on high can make the meat too tough to shred.
- Because it's best when cooked for longer and does well stored in the fridge, barbacoa tacos are the perfect make-ahead meal! Just cook the meat ahead of time and pack it away in the fridge, or freeze it in small batches in freezer-safe containers.
- Make sure to find the right chiles! It makes a huge difference. Typically they can be found dried in the vegetable section of the grocery store, but they can be easier to find at Mexican grocers or produce markets.
- If you want to add more spice, feel free to leave in the seeds from the chilis. Just be careful: it gets hot fast!
Barbacoa FAQs
It is classically made of beef, lamb, or goat, though in the US, it's most commonly made with beef. The cut can vary as it only needs to be a high-muscle cut, but I find that chuck and shoulder do the best cooked slow and result in the most tender meat.
They typically consist of barbacoa, fresh lime juice, queso fresco, and jalapeno peppers! The meat is so tender and flavorful, it doesn't need accompaniment to be delicious.
Not quite! Barbacoa and birria tacos are both stewed meats, but the stewing ingredients and type of meat can vary, lending them slightly different flavor profiles. Additionally, birria tacos are specifically served with the birria broth to dip them in, while barbacoa is less saucy.
Mexican Beef Recipes
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📋 Recipe
Barbacoa
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Beef chuck roast cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 Guajillo peppers dried
- 2 Ancho peppers dried
- 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 7 oz Chipotles in Adobo canned
- 12 oz Beef stock
- 4 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
- 1 Lime juiced
- 1 Yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 3 Bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 tortillas flour or corn
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
For the Barbacoa:
- Remove the stems and sees from the guajillo and ancho peppers, then place them in a small dish and cover with boiling water. Rest for 20 minutes.2 Guajillo peppers, 2 Ancho peppers
- Drain the soaked peppers, then add to a food processor and blend until smooth.
- Slice the beef into chunks, then add to a bowl and pour on blended peppers. Toss well to coat the beef completely.3 lbs Beef chuck roast
- Add the oil to a cast iron skillet, and set it to medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, sear the beef chuck until each side is browned well.3 Tablespoons Olive oil
- Transfer the beef to a slow cooker. De-glaze the pan with beef stock to scrape up the browned bits, then add it and all other barbacoa ingredients to the slow cooker pot.7 oz Chipotles in Adobo, 12 oz Beef stock, 4 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar, 1 Lime, 1 Yellow onion, 3 cloves Garlic, 1 Tablespoon Mexican oregano, 2 teaspoons Cumin, Salt and pepper, 3 Bay leaves
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beef is fork tender and shreds easily. Once cooked, shred the beef.
For Tacos:
- Toast tortillas on a pan, then fill with shredded beef and your favorite toppings.
- Serve warm with extra toppings on the side, and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't be tempted to set the crock pot to high! Barbacoa needs to be cooked low and slow, and cooking it on high can make the meat too tough to shred.
- Because it takes so long to cook and does well stored in the fridge, barbacoa tacos are the perfect make-ahead meal! Just cook the barbacoa ahead of time and pack it away in the fridge, or freeze it in small batches in the freezer.
- Make sure to find the right chilis! It makes a huge difference. Typically they can be found dried in the vegetable section of the grocery store, but they can be easier to find at Mexican grocers or produce markets.
- If you want to add more spice, feel free to leave in the seeds from the chilis. Just be careful: it gets hot fast!
Nutrition
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