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    Home » Recipes » Mexican Beef Recipes

    Barbacoa Tacos

    Published: May 8, 2023 Modified: May 22, 2023 by Isabel Laessig

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    Take taco night to a whole new level with my melt-in-your-mouth, ultra-flavorful Barbacoa Tacos! 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!

    three filled barbacoa tacos on a plate with japaleno slices
    Jump to:
    • Barbacoa Taco Recipe
    • Barbacoa Recipe Ingredients
    • What kind of meat is barbacoa?
    • What is barbacoa?
    • Barbacoa Des Res Recipe
    • Barbacoa Taco Recipe Tips
    • Barbacoa Tacos FAQ
    • Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
    • 📌 Pin it for later!
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Barbacoa Taco Recipe

    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!

    garnished barbacoa tacos on a plate next to extra fillings and a pepper

    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 Tacos

    • Flour or corn tortillas
    • Optional: Cilantro, onion, jalapeno, radish, and queso fresco
    all the ingredients for barbacoa tacos with labels

    What kind of meat is barbacoa?

    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 is 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!

    barbacoa tacos on a white plate next to extra fillings

    Barbacoa Des Res Recipe

    Making Barbacoa Beef

    1. Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho peppers, then place them in a small dish and cover with boiling water. Rest for 20 minutes.
      the peppers seeded and soaking in hot water
    2. Drain the soaked peppers, then add to a food processor and blend until smooth.
      the soaked pepper mixture blended in a blender
    3. Slice the beef into chunks, then add to a bowl and pour on blended peppers. Toss well to coat the beef completely.
      the beef being coated in pepper mixture in a glass bowl
    4. 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.
      the beef chunks being browned in a cast iron pan
    5. 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 barbacoa ingredients to the slow cooker pot.
      all the rest of the barbacoa ingredients added to the pot
    6. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beef is fork tender and shreds easily. Once cooked, shred the beef.
      barbacoa being shredded on a cutting board with two forks

    Assembling Barbacoa Tacos

    1. Toast tortillas on a pan, then fill with shredded beef and your favorite toppings.
      a taco assembly station for barbacoa tacos
    2. Serve warm with extra toppings on the side, and enjoy!
      three assembled and garnished barbacoa tacos

    Barbacoa Taco Recipe Tips

    • 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's best when cooked for longer 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 freezer-safe containers.
    • 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!

    Barbacoa Tacos FAQ

    What kind of meat is barbacoa?

    Barbacoa 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.

    What are barbacoa tacos made of?

    Barbacoa tacos are very simple! They typically consist of barbacoa, lime juice, queso fresco, and jalapeno peppers, or just barbacoa! The meat is so tender and flavorful, it doesn't need accompaniment to be delicious.

    Are barbacoa tacos the same as birria tacos?

    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.

    Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

    • Slow Cooker Short Ribs
    • Slow Cooker Beef Brisket
    • Crockpot Chuck Roast
    • Crockpot Taco Meat
    • Crockpot Lasagna

    If you love barbacoa, be sure to try my Birria Tacos Recipe next!

    a plate stuffed with three filled barbacoa tacos and lime slices

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    📋 Recipe

    three barbacoa tacos on a plate with onions, radish, lime, onion, and jalapeno
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    5 from 1 vote

    Barbacoa Tacos

    Savor the smoky and succulent flavor of Barbacoa Tacos! Slow-cooked and seasoned to perfection, these tacos are a true delight.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time7 hours hrs
    Total Time7 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: barbacoa de res, barbacoa recipe, barbacoa taco recipe, barbacoa tacos
    Servings: 12 tacos
    Calories: 372kcal
    Author: Isabel Laessig

    Equipment

    • Slow cooker
    • 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
      the peppers seeded and soaking in hot water
    • Drain the soaked peppers, then add to a food processor and blend until smooth.
      the soaked pepper mixture blended in a blender
    • 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
      the beef being coated in pepper mixture in a glass bowl
    • 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
      the beef chunks being browned in a cast iron pan
    • 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
      all the rest of the barbacoa ingredients added to the pot
    • Cook on low for 6-8 hours, until the beef is fork tender and shreds easily. Once cooked, shred the beef.
      barbacoa being shredded on a cutting board with two forks

    For Tacos:

    • Toast tortillas on a pan, then fill with shredded beef and your favorite toppings.
      a taco assembly station for barbacoa tacos
    • Serve warm with extra toppings on the side, and enjoy!
      three assembled and garnished barbacoa tacos

    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

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1731IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg

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    About Isabel Laessig

    Isabel Laessig, better known as Family Foodie and the founder of the Sunday Supper Movement, is passionate about food and family! She is the author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook, and makes regular television appearances to spread her mission of bringing Sunday Supper back around the family table in every home.

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    Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie. Welcome to my beef-obsessed recipe website!

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