The Best Beef Barbacoa Tacos
As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs, Easy Homemade Life may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. This comes at no additional cost to you, and all the prices and availability are accurate at the time of publishing.
Make Taco Tuesday extra fun with these barbacoa tacos! Juicy, tender, spice-kissed beef barbacoa is piled high into soft, warm tortillas then finished off with avocado, sour cream, and fresh herbs. Made with ease in a slow cooker, it’s a high-flavor, low-effort meal that gives off some serious crowd-pleasing energy!
Taco Tuesday is serious business in our home. I’m constantly looking for ways to make it more exciting, whether it’s setting up a simple taco bar or serving my kids’ favorite taco soup. Since my copycat Chipotle barbacoa became a hit at dinner, it only made sense to turn it into barbacoa tacos. I’ve never seen tacos disappear this fast!
Aside from being insanely delicious, these tacos come together so easily, too, making them perfect for busy days, last-minute entertaining, or meal prep. Serve them up family-style for a fun DIY taco night, or turn them into a dinner party centerpiece with a spread of toppings and fresh margaritas. Either way, it’s going to earn a steady spot in your weekly rotation!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The easiest taco recipe: Throw everything together in your slow cooker, go about your day, shred, assemble, then dig in!
- Big, bold flavor: The cumin and vinegar are the secret ingredients here, bringing that irresistible smoky, slightly tangy flavor unique to this dish.
- Delicious textures: You get juicy, melt-in-your-mouth beef, chewy tortillas, crunchy onions, and mushy avocado in every heavenly bite!
- All-around treat: These barbacoa tacos make a great all day, year-round treat, whether for family meals, game days, potlucks, backyard BBQs, or birthdays.
- Customizable toppings: Add toppings that you love or have on hand. You can build your taco your way!
- Make-ahead friendly: Makes a big batch, stores well, and tastes even better the next day.
How to Make Barbacoa Tacos
We’re making beef tacos, but not just any beef tacos. We’re making it with beef barbacoa, which is a more tender, more flavorful upgrade to traditional ground beef. And the good news is that it’s not harder or more complicated to make. All you need are a few simple ingredients and your slow cooker. Prep this after lunch and return to an impressive dinner!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
For the barbacoa:
- Beef chuck roast: Chuck roast is my go-to for this recipe because it’s well-marbled, has a rich flavor, and becomes perfectly tender when slow cooked.
- Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce: Gives the dish that signature barbacoa flavor.
- Yellow onion
- Garlic cloves
- Beef bone broth: Use low-sodium broth to control the saltiness of the final dish.
- Lime juice: Freshly-squeezed juice makes a noticeable difference, skip bottled if you can. Make sure to set aside extra wedges for garnish!
- Apple cider vinegar: Helps tenderize the beef as it cooks. A little goes a long way – don’t overdo it or it can overpower.
- Spices and seasonings: We will use a simple mix of ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and ground black pepper for this recipe.
- Bay leaves: Adds aroma and depth of flavor to the slow-simmered meat.
For the tacos:
- Corn tortillas: Warm them quickly on a skillet or open flame to make them pliable and flavorful.
- Diced white onion
- Sliced avocado: Choose just-ripe avocados – they should give slightly when gently squeezed. Toss slices with lime juice to prevent browning if prepping ahead.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture.
- Cilantro
Step-By-Step Instructions
This recipe requires just 10 minutes of easy prep and your slow cooker does the heavy lifting. Simply combine the ingredients in your slow cooker, go about your day, shred the beef, and assemble your tacos!
Step 1: Prep
Add the beef pieces to the slow cooker. Cover with all ingredients, reserving the bay leaf. Mix with a few stirs of a spoon until the meat is mixed into the seasonings. Top with bay leaf.
Step 2: Slow cook
Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
Step 3: Shred the beef
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Shred the beef using two forks, mixing it back into the sauce for extra flavor. If the beef doesn’t shred easily, keep cooking and checking in 30 minute intervals until it falls apart easily.
Step 4: Rest
Let the beef rest for about 10 minutes so that it can absorb every last bit of flavor.
Step 5: Add the toppings
Serve in tortillas with toppings.
Substitutions
Barbacoa tacos are endlessly customizable! If you’re missing some ingredients from the list or prefer to use alternatives, no worries – try these substitutes. Let’s build the taco of your dreams!
- Beef chuck roast: Substitute with beef brisket or bottom round roast. You can also try it with eye of round or lamb shoulder.
- Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce: Use a mix of smoked paprika and cayenne for mild heat, or dried chipotle powder if you can’t find the canned version.
- Yellow onion and garlic cloves: If skipping fresh garlic and onions, substitute with ¾ teaspoon garlic powder and 2 teaspoons onion powder.
- Beef bone broth: Use regular beef broth or stock, or chicken or vegetable broth.
- Lime juice: Replace with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or a splash of white vinegar in a pinch.
- Apple cider vinegar: Swap with white vinegar or red wine vinegar
- Spices and seasonings: Use a taco seasoning blend in a pinch.
- Corn tortillas: Use flour tortillas, or lettuce wraps for something lighter.
- Diced white onion: Replace with red or pickled onions.
- Sliced avocado: Substitute with guacamole.
- Sour cream: Mexican crema or Greek yogurt make good substitutes.
- Cilantro: Not a fan of cilantro? Use flat-leaf parsley instead.
Expert Tips
- Blend beforehand: Blend everything but the beef and bay leaf into a sauce then pour over the meat if you prefer a smoother texture. Skip if you like a chunkier, more rustic appeal.
- Shred outside the pot: For best care of your slow cooker pot, remove the beef to a cutting board with a slotted spoon and shred it. Then add it back to the pot to mix with the sauce. This will prevent you from accidentally scratching your pot.
- Warm the tortillas: Instead of microwaving tortillas dry, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave, warm them in a steamer basket, or char over an open flame or hot pan to keep them soft.
- Skim excess fat if needed: Chuck roast is rich in fat. After cooking, let the sauce settle and skim off any excess fat for a cleaner-tasting dish.
- Taste before serving: Slow cooking can mellow out flavors. Taste the beef before assembling into tacos and adjust as needed.
- Use leftovers creatively: Leftover barbacoa makes excellent quesadillas, burrito bowls, breakfast hash, or stuffed sweet potatoes. It’s not just for tacos.
How to Store This Recipe
To store beef barbacoa, keep the cooled meat and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth. For best results, store tortillas and toppings separately and assemble tacos just before serving.
If you must prep tacos ahead, wrap them individually in foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then reheat in the oven. Avoid adding sour cream or avocado in advance, as they can turn soggy or brown.
What to Serve with Barbacoa Tacos
Barbacoa tacos make a great stand-alone meal, but pairs effortlessly with a wide variety of sides. Serve it with a side of pico de gallo, coleslaw, or roasted vegetables. For something heartier, enjoy with cilantro-lime rice, refried beans, smoky black beans, or elote (Mexican street corn).
Don’t forget tortilla chips with salsa ranchera, guacamole, or queso for a snackable start to your Mexican night. Try pineapple mango salsa for a fun sweet and spicy spin!
More Easy Dinner Recipes To Try
- Slow cooker baby back ribs
- Apricot chicken
- Herb-crusted chicken
- Pineapple teriyaki pork chops
- Holiday ham
Easy Barbacoa Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
For the barbacoa
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 2-inch pieces
- 4 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup beef bone broth
- ¼ cup lime juice fresh,extra wedges for garnish
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
For the tacos
- corn tortillas
- white onion diced
- avocado sliced
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Add the beef pieces to the slow cooker.
- Cover with all ingredients, reserve the bay leaf. Mix with a few stirs of a spoon until the meat is mixed into the seasonings. Top with bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Shred the beef using two forks, mixing it back into the sauce for extra flavor.
- Let the beef rest for about 10 minutes to absorb the sauce before serving with optional lime wedges and fresh chopped cilantro.
- Serve in tortillas with toppings.
Notes
- For a smoother texture, blend everything but the beef and bay leaf into a sauce and then pour over the meat before cooking.
- For the best care of your slow cooker pot, remove the beef to a cutting board with a slotted spoon and shred it. Then add it back to the pot to mix with the sauce.
- Instead of microwaving tortillas dry, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave, warm them in a steamer basket, or char over an open flame or hot pan to keep them soft.
- Chuck roast is rich in fat. After cooking, let the sauce settle and skim off any excess fat for a cleaner-tasting dish.
- Slow cooking can mellow out flavors. Taste the beef before assembling into tacos and adjust as needed.
- Leftover barbacoa makes excellent quesadillas, burrito bowls, breakfast hash, or stuffed sweet potatoes. It’s not just for tacos.
