Juicy, tender and easy Mexican Barbacoa tacos are made using a humble hunk of chuck roast, slow cooked with Mexican herbs and spices, lime juice and onion; resulting in a tangy, tender, loaded-with-flavor beef, the perfect complement for these healthy, delicious Barbacoa Street Tacos.
You don’t need much with these easy and filling street tacos, but if you’d like this Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Rice is a great compliment, wash it all down with an easy margarita!
During a particularly crazy week, I needed a good go-to, recipe for a few dinners this week and this one definitely rose to the occasion. A super easy weeknight might meal, feel like pork instead? Try these Instant Pot Carnitas.
Not only were these easy, didn’t heat up my kitchen (95º yesterday-ugh!) but the beef was so very tender and packed with marvelous, savory Mexican flavors and spices.
What Does Barbacoa Mean?
“Mexican barbacoa is perhaps the most well-known, and its most popular manifestation is that which is used in the central states of the country.
A brick-lined oven, usually about 60 centimeters (23 inches) in diameter and about a meter (3 feet) deep, is dug into the earth. Wood is placed at the bottom and burned until the whole oven is red hot.” (Source)
Can I make Barbacoa Beef in the Oven?
I would treat oven baked Barbacoa beef just like I would a pot roast, following all of the instructions and place in a dutch oven at 275 degrees and cook for 3 hours (for a smaller roast) and 4-6 hours for a larger roast.
If necessary, check the liquid levels about hour 4 or 6 if cooking longer adding a cup or so of additional broth.
Paired with this amazingly simple, bright, fresh, and creamy Avocado Lime Dressing it’s a filling, yet light lunch or dinner! Even picky eaters will love this!
Start your Barbacoa beef about 5 hours before you want to eat, though it will be fine if you need it to go longer.
How to Make Mexican Barbacoa
- In a large pan or pot*, pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil or your favorite oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot.
SLOW COOKER | If you have a slow cooker that can go from cooker to stove, you can do this step in your pan; which is what I did, I love my All-Clad Slow Cooker!
I buy my chuck roast in bulk, wrap what I don’t need in plastic wrap, place in a freezer ziplock, squeezing out any extra air and be sure to mark it so you don’t end up with a mystery meat.
I’ve also started writing what I could make with whatever I’m freezing, kind of takes some of the guesswork out of a frozen piece of meat!
- Sear the chuck roast (or some people call them chuck steaks) on each side until crisp brown, sprinkling with a little kosher salt. It helps to pat it dry before placing in the hot oil.
Why Doesn’t My Meat Sear or Brown?
If your meat doesn’t brown, it means one of two things, or possibly both.
- Searing requires HIGH HEAT, your pan should be “screaming hot” (over medium high heat) we are not cooking the meat, but just browning the outside, sealing in the juices and creating flavor!
- Or perhaps you took your meat out of the package and it was dripping in bloody juices (sorry, gross I know). I suggest to always rinse your meats and pat them dry with a towel, this allows the meat to sear and not the juices to just steam the meat, this is what makes it look like a blaze brown, vs. crispy crusted sear!
- While your Mexican Barbacoa meat is searing, in a small mixing bowl, place the following ingredients; beef broth, apple cider vinegar, tomato sauce, lime juice, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and sea salt and pepper. Stir or whisk until combined.
- Once the beef is seared, return to the crock pot (slow-cooker) and then pour the mixture over the roast.
- Chop onion and sprinkle over the top of the chuck roast.
- Cover and cook on low for 5-8 hours (I needed to rush mine just a bit, so I cooked on high for the first hour, then returned to low for 3 hours). Resist the urge to check on it as slow cookers do best when you don’t open the lid.
Slice, “pull” or cube the chuck roast into bite size pieces and ta-da, tender, easy Mexican Barbacoa beef waiting for you to serve as desired, but especially as tacos barbacoa.
MEXICAN POT ROAST
At this point the beef may be eaten just like a pot roast, a delicious Mexican pot roast if you will.
Spoon on some of the juices from the crock pot, serve with Cilantro Lime Rice and a crisp salad or….read on and make it into these fresh and amazing street tacos barbacoa.
How to Grill Corn
- While my roast was doing it’s thang, I also grilled up a quick ear of corn, totally optional!
- Shuck your corn and rinse well, pat dry. On a hot grill or griddle pan place your corn on the cob on the griddle and grill all sides until blackened in places and tender.
- Cool slightly, then cut corn off the cob for serving with the tacos. (Optional)
If making Mexican barbacoa street tacos, assemble your toppings in small bowls, for easy taco making.
I love these small bowls, great for toppings, dips, sauces, salsa’s and more!
I provided the option of Mini-Taco (or street taco) sized corn or flour tortillas, found at my local grocery store or you may certainly use regular sized corn tortillas or soft flour if you’d like.
GRAIN FREE, PALEO, LOW CARB, GLUTEN FREE STREET TACOS
If trying to go grain free all together, pile your taco fixings on a sturdy leaf of Butter or Romaine lettuce. The Mexican barbacoa beef is naturally gluten free.
How to Make Avocado Lime Dressing
If making the Avocado Lime Dressing which is delicious on salads as well as street tacos.
Place a peeled, seeded and sliced avocado into a blender* along with juice of 1 lime to start and 1 tablespoon plain yogurt, season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
TFC PROT TIP | *I used my Ninja blender (one of my favorite kitchen tools!) worked fabulous!
HINT | Watch the size of your avocado and limes, you may need to adjust your lime juice up or down depending on the size of the avocado or else it will be really limey — which I like, but others may not.
Blend and add a little lime juice at a time, taste, adding water to thin as needed. Store covered and refrigerated until ready to use.
Street Taco Topping Suggestions
- Sliced olives
- Roasted red peppers
- Feta or Goat cheese, Mexican Shredded or other crumbly Mexican Cheese
- Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
- Make Barbacoa Beef Chipotle style and drizzle on this delicious White Queso.
- Sliced Jalepeños
- Finely chopped yellow or pickled red onions
- Shredded Red Cabbage
- Chopped fresh Cilantro
- Salsa | Super easy blender salsa and so good!
- Sliced avocados or make this super easy Guacamole.
A few other simple, fresh recipes to try:
- Summertime Shish Kebabs
- Grilled Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Easy Pulled Pork
- Cheese Enchiladas (The Cheesiest)
- Copycat Chipotle Chicken
- Hibiscus Margarita
- Hibiscus Dark & Stormy
This recipe was moderately adapted from Jar of Lemons.
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Chuck Roast cut into large chunks, about 6-8 pieces, large pieces of fat removed
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other high heat oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
- 1 medium yellow onion or white, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
Barbacoa Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 – 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (See Note 1)
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup lime juice fresh squeezed, about 2 medium limes
- 3 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 2 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano or regular dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Remove beef from fridge 30-60 minutes before starting. Cut beef into 6-8 large chunks, removing any large areas of fat (you want some!) and pat dry with a paper towel, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- In a large pot or skillet, heat 1-2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Without crowding (may need to do in batches) sear all sides until brown and crusty, remove to plate and continue until all beef is seared.2 tablespoons avocado oil
- Place beef in the bottom of a 6-7 quart crockpot, add chopped onions.1 medium yellow onion
- Add the chipotle chiles (use less for less spicy, more for more), beef broth, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, cumin, oregano and cloves and whir in blender until smooth.1 cup beef broth, 1 – 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, 6 cloves garlic, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup lime juice, 3 ½ teaspoons cumin, 2 ½ teaspoons Mexican oregano, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pour over beef, tucking bay leaves around the meat.3 bay leaves
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (See notes for other methods). The beef should shred easily, if it doesn't, continue cooking for another 30 minutes then try again.
- Remove beef from crockpot, shred using 2 forks. Return shredded beef to slow cooker and allow to absorb sauce for 10-20 minutes.
- Enjoy in tacos with your favorite fixings. Be sure to make the avocado lime crema below, so delish on tacos!
Notes
-
- If time is tight, you can skip the searing step, adding the seasoned chunks of beef straight to the slow cooker. But don’t it adds so much more flavor!
- Chipotles in adobo sauce – dried, smoked jalapenos in a spicy red sauce. Usually found in cans on the Mexican aisle of the grocery store. Store any unused chiles in a freezer baggie for using in other recipes.
- Avocado Lime Crema (delicious on tacos!)
- 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded
- 1-2 limes, juiced, adjust according to taste and texture
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- Salt & Pepper to taste Blitz above ingredients together in blender, until smooth. Adding more lime juice to taste. If too thick, add a little water. Store 3-4 days in fridge.
- Other Cooking Methods:
- HIGH Slow Cooker: Beef is most tender when it’s cooked low and slow, so I prefer 8-9 hours on low, verses 4-5 on high, but you can cook on high.
- Oven: 325°F (165° C) in a Dutch oven (covered) for 3 – 3 ½ hours.
- Instant Pot: I haven’t tried this but from research you can do this in your Instant Pot for 1 hour on high.
Nutrition
Lynn Hernandez
This is NOT barbacoa. Not even close to being authentic. The title is definitely misleading.
Sorry you feel that way Lynn, send me your favorite Barbacoa recipe! I’d love to see it!
Miz Helen
Congratulations!
Your awesome post is featured on Full Plate Thursday,447 this week. Thanks so much for sharing with us and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
You are so good, Miz Helen!!! Thank you!
Kristin
I could make this recipe once a week — it was so good. Loved the dressing!
Thanks Kristin! I do appreciate you!!
Cameron
Wow! Made this today in the slow cooker; ate it all up tonight! My son said, “The food gods are smiling on us!” Really easy — and the avocado / line / yogurt sauce is sublime! Terrific combo. We’ll Make this again for sure!
YIPEE! Thank you Cameron, so glad to hear!!
Allie
They sure were winners! So yum! Thank you…
Thank you Allie!! Always so fun to have you over!
Allie
They sure were winners! So yum! Thank you…