Barbacoa Tacos are filled with tender chuck roast slow-cooked in a spicy, flavor-packed sauce that comes together quickly in a food processor. This traditional Mexican recipe is one of my favorites, and it is so incredibly versatile. Leftovers heat up wonderfully and are delicious in burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and chimichangas.
Barbacoa Beef Tacos
Looking for a new and tasty dish to add to your dinner repertoire? Look no further than barbacoa beef—a delicious and versatile recipe for tacos, burritos, salads, and more! Here’s how to make it at home.
There is something wonderful about having the main part of your meal ready at the end of the working day, not to mention the fantastic aroma of slow-cooked beef simmering with garlic, peppers, cumin, oregano, and lime filling every room of your house. These Barbacoa Tacos are one of my family’s favorite meals. If you like this flavorful recipe, try ropa veija, chile verde, Cuban picadillo, and beef birria.
Barbacoa Beef Taco Ingredients
How Do You Make Barbacoa Tacos?
First, brown the chuck roast in a little bit of vegetable oil, preferably in a cast-iron skillet. When browned on both sides, place it in a large slow cooker. Add garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, onion powder, oregano, cloves, salt, pepper, vinegar, beef broth, and lime juice to a food processor. Pulse several times to blend, and pour the mixture over the chuck roast in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves to the crock pot. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for about eight hours.
Shred beef in the slow cooker using a couple of forks, removing any fat or gristle. Spoon the meat into soft taco shells and top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and avocado. Serve it promptly so the meat is warm and juicy and the taco shells do not get soggy.
Recipe Tips
- You do not have to brown the chuck roast before placing it in the crockpot. However, I think it is worth the effort. The caramelized surface of the meat adds excellent flavor to the barbacoa recipe.
- If you do not have a food processor, use a blender, but mince the garlic and chipotle peppers first.
- Cook the roast whole and then shred, removing unwanted fat and gristle.
- If you like things spicy, add four chipotle peppers. If you like things less spicy, add two chipotle peppers.
- You can cook on high for about six hours or until fork tender. I prefer it cooked on low as it seems a tad more tender and more flavorful.
- Customize your choice of toppings to suit your taste.
Topping Suggestions for Barbacoa Tacos
- Crisp lettuce
- Thin sliced red onions
- Halved grape tomatoes
- Avocado slices
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Black olives
- Salsa
- Roasted Corn
- Guacamole
- Pico de Gallo
- Chopped Cilantro
What are chipotle peppers?
Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are dried smoked jalapenos packed in a slightly sweet, spicy red sauce. The peppers and the sauce pick up flavors and aromas from each other, creating a cook’s flavor haven. Use the pepper and adobo sauce in salad dressings, meat marinades, tacos, nachos, burritos, sauces, dips, and soups.
Chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce are in the Mexican food section of most grocery stores. They come in a small can. You only need a few, but you can freeze the rest for future recipes. Freeze flat in a freezer bag, then break off a piece when needed.
Barbacoa Tacos
Ingredients
- 3-4 lb beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2-4 chipotle peppers
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 lime juiced about 2 tablespoons
- 2 bay leaves
- Flour or corn tortillas
- Chopped romaine lettuce
- Grape tomatoes halved
- Red onions thinly sliced
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chuck roast on both sides; place in a large slow cooker.
- Add garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, onion powder, oregano, cloves, salt, pepper, vinegar, beef broth, and lime juice to a food processor. Pulse several times to blend and pour the mixture over the chuck roast. Add the leaves to the crock pot.
- Cover the slow cooker; cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5-6 or until fork tender.
- Using a couple of forks, shred chuck roast right in the slow cooker removing any fat or gristle. Spoon meat into soft taco shells and top with lettuce, tomato, red onion, and avocado. Serve promptly.
Notes
- You do not have to brown the chuck roast before placing it in the crockpot. However, I think it is worth the effort. The caramelized surface of the meat adds great flavor to the barbacoa recipe.
- If you do not have a food processor, use a blender but mince the garlic and chipotle peppers first.
- Cook the roast whole and then shred, removing unwanted fat and gristle.
- If you like things spicy, add four chipotle peppers. If you like things less spicy, add two chipotle peppers.
- You can cook on high for about six hours or until fork tender. I prefer it cooked on low as it seems a tad more tender and flavorful.
- Customize your choice of toppings and suit your own taste.
Nutrition
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Becky Hardin
These are so amazing!
lauren kelly
Just in time for Taco Tuesday! These are so delicious! I need to make these again soon.
Claudia Krusch
Love how amazing your recipe looks! Tacos are one of our favorite meals!
Subhashish Roy
I love this spicy Tacos & would love to polish off a plate. Good recipe & I love slow cooked food. I find them tastier.
Elizabeth O
I love how we can make meat leftovers into a scrumptious looking taco. I guess chicken meat is also good to make.
Megha
i love tacos. yours look so healthy and easy to make! i shall definitely make them this weekend!
Heather
I’m not sure I’ve ever tried barbacoa before. I wonder if my family would enjoy it?
Kristine Nicole Alessandra
I love your recipe! My family loves spicy food so I think I will add more peppers to the crock pot. This would make a really hearty dinner this weekend. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Toni
This will surely be a hit at my house! Looks delicious!
Emman Damian
Barbacoa Tacos is one of my favorites. It really brings out the fiesta in any party! It’s perfect for Tuesdays!
Tiffany La Forge-Grau
Those are some killer tacos! I would literally live off of these!
Beth Pierce
Thank you! You should try them! We love them!
Bill Sweeney
I already love these tacos! I will have to replace our usual tacos with these when we do Taco Tuesday.
Brianne Tursi Manz
Those are some delicious tacos! They look so amazing. I look forward to making these soon!
Mayuri Patel
Amazing how many different types of fillings that go into a taco. One can enjoy a different main filling along with the the toppings you’ve suggested.
Beth Pierce
Yes indeed!
artchee
I really like tacos as snacks. I would try your version of Barbacoa Tacos. :0)
Emily Fata
I just had something similar for dinner, funnily enough, but with refried beans instead of beef. I noticed roasted corn and Pico de Gallo as suggested toppings on your list — I wish I had done that! I’ll have to do it next time. 🙂