Our Beef Barbacoa recipe makes the juiciest, most flavorful barbacoa, perfect for tacos! This recipe is so easy to make, whether you cook it on the stove or in a crockpot!
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Why You’ll Love Our Beef Barbacoa Recipe
These barbacoa tacos are one of my absolute favorite meals to make! Not only is it incredibly easy to prepare, but it’ll make your kitchen smell amazing. Whether you’re hosting a taco night, prepping for a busy week, or just craving something flavorful, these tacos are perfect for any occasion. Use this juicy and tender barbacoa recipe in tacos or any dish you’d like!
Pick your Flavor: Dress them up with pickled onions, avocado, or spicy jalapeños!
Flexible Cooking Methods: Enjoy them stove-top or in a slow cooker for your convenience.
Perfect for Meal Prep: Make a big batch and savor them all week long!
Impress Your Guests: Your friends and family with fall in love with this crowd-pleaser at parties!
Versatile Dishes: Use the barbacoa in tacos, sandwiches, quesadillas, and more!
READ NEXT: Looking for more delicious and easy-to-make recipes? Check out our Easy Ground Beef and Tomato Cream Orzo in One Pot, The Best Easy Beef Stew on the Stove Top, and Shrimp Linguine in Lemon Garlic Wine Sauce.
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Ingredients
Barbacoa Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion, diced
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh lime juice
- Sugar
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Beef broth
- Bay leaves
- Cumin
- Chipotle chile powder
- Black pepper
- Salt
- Oregano
- Whole cloves
- Paprika
Taco Ingredients
- Corn tortillas – Heat in a pan over medium-high heat to get it perfectly toasty.
- Pickled red onions – make the easiest homemade pickled red onions here
- Lime wedges
- Queso fresco – or any cheese you prefer!
- Cilantro, optional
How to Make Beef Barbacoa (Stove Top)
Step 1: Cut the excess fat from the chuck roast, then cut into 6-8oz chunks. Season the pieces of beef generously with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the beef and sear on each side until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. You will probably have to brown the beef in batches to prevent overcrowding. Use 1 tablespoon of oil per batch. Remove browned beef to a separate plate.
Step 3: Add the diced onion and sauté, scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the pot, about 4-5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
Step 4: Add the beef back into the pot and pour in just enough beef broth to cover the meat. Then, add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir. Let simmer with the lid cracked for 2 hours.
Step 5: Once the beef is done cooking, shred it by either placing the meat in a stand mixer and mixing on low with a paddle attachment or by simply shredding with two forks. Then, place the shredded beef back into the pot with the broth and juices and stir.
Step 6: Assemble your barbacoa tacos with the corn tortillas, queso fresco, and pickled onions. Garnish with lime wedge and cilantro!
How to Make Beef Barbacoa (Crock-Pot)
Step 1: Cut the excess fat from the chuck roast, then cut into 6-8oz chunks. Season the pieces of beef generously with salt and pepper.
Step 2: In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the beef and sear on each side until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. You will probably have to brown the beef in batches to prevent overcrowding. Use 1 tablespoon of oil per batch. Place the browned beef into the crock pot.
Step 3: Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté, scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the pot, about 4-5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
Step 4: Add the sautéed onions and garlic to the crock pot. Then, pour in 1 – 1 1/2 cups of beef broth along with the rest of the ingredients into the crock pot and give it a stir. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Step 5: Once the beef is done cooking, shred it by either placing the meat in a stand mixer and mixing on low with a paddle attachment or by simply shredding with two forks. Then, place the shredded beef back into the pot with the broth and juices and stir.
Step 6: Assemble your barbacoa tacos with the corn tortillas, queso fresco, and pickled onions. Garnish with lime wedge and cilantro!
Tools You’ll Need
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven – to cook the beef barbacoa on the stove top
- Crock Pot – to cook the barbacoa in the slow cooker
Tips and Variations
Taco Toppings: Dress these beef barbacoa tacos any way you’d like! Some other great taco toppings include diced white onion, avocado, jalapeño, tomato, beans, rice, radish, sour cream, and more. the options are endless!
Storing: Store the barbacoa in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
ACV: You can swap the apple cider vinegar for more lime juice, just as long as you’re getting that acidity in there.
Turn up the heat! Like it spicy? Use a few extra chipotle chiles in adobo.
How to Serve Barbacoa
This juicy and tender beef barbacoa recipe can be used in so many dishes – not just tacos!
Some of my favorite ways to eat this beef barbacoa are in a sandwich, over nachos, taco bowls, quesadillas, and soup.
Recipe Card
The BEST Beef Barbacoa (Stove-Top and CrockPot Instructions)
Course: Lunch, DinnerDifficulty: Easy10
minutes2
hoursIngredients
- For the Barbacoa
3-4 lbs beef chuck roast
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp sugar
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3-4 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
2 tsp black pepper, divided
Pinch of salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp paprika
- For the Tacos
Corn tortillas
Pickled red onions
Lime wedges
Queso fresco
Cilantro
Directions
- These are the stove-top directions. Crock pot instructions are above the recipe card.
- Cut the excess fat from the chuck roast, then cut into 6-8oz chunks. Season the pieces of beef generously with salt and pepper.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the beef and sear on each side until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. You will probably have to brown the beef in batches to prevent overcrowding. Use 1 tablespoon of oil per batch. Remove browned beef to a separate plate.
- Add the diced onion and sauté, scraping the brown bits at the bottom of the pot, about 4-5 minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add the beef back into the pot and pour in just enough beef broth to cover the meat. Then, add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir. Let simmer with the lid cracked for 2 hours.
- Once the beef is done cooking, shred it by either placing the meat in a stand mixer and mixing on low with a paddle attachment or by simply shredding with two forks. Then, place the shredded beef back into the pot with the broth and juices and stir.
- Assemble your barbacoa tacos with the corn tortillas, queso fresco, and pickled onions. Garnish with lime wedge and cilantro!
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