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

Barbacoa

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

Equipment

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