These Barbacoa Tacos are an all-time favorite! They are super flavorful, juicy, and fall-apart tender.
The beef is slow cooked in bold marinade for 8 hours until perfection. We love to serve these on warm corn tortillas, and load them with fresh toppings!
This recipe is easy and involves minimal prep work. Plus, they are make-ahead and freezer friendly.
Whenever it’s taco night at our house, it’s a full party! These slow cooker barbacoa tacos are one of my family’s most requested recipes for a simple reason: they are DELICIOUS!
Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican dish that involves slow cooking meat, usually beef, in a flavorful marinade made of spices and chipotle peppers. The flavors are bold and rich with a kick. The beef is cooked for hours until it falls apart and melts in your mouth.
In today’s recipe, we’re using the beef to make barbacoa tacos, but you can use it on burritos, taquitos, rice bowls, or even quesadillas.
We always serve these with this fresh and crunchy Mexican slaw and a side of Mexican red rice. So good!
We LOVE these beef barbacoa tacos:
- Very easy to make: Because it is slow-cooked, prep work is minimal.
- So flavor-packed! It’s savory, a bit tangy, mildly spicy, and smoky. It all cooks in a delicious marinade made with spices and peppers.
- Tender and juicy: After 8 hours, the barbacoa beef just falls apart beautifully. It’s so incredibly tender.
- Make ahead and freezer friendly.
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Ingredient Notes
As always, the full ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card down below, but I wanted to provide a few ingredients notes here that I hope you find helpful.
- Beef chuck roast: This is the perfect beef cut when it comes to slow cooking.
- Olive oil, Kosher salt, and ground black pepper for seasoning and searing.
- Dried oregano, bay leaves, and white onions: We’ll add these to infuse everything with amazing flavor.
- Beef broth: Adds richness and helps keep everything juicy.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: Adds a smoky, spicy kick to the marinade. They come in cans. Adjust the amount according to your heat preference.
- Apple cider vinegar and fresh lime juice: Add acidity and tanginess to the marinade for balance and flavor.
- Fresh garlic cloves: Every marinade needs garlic, and this one is no exception.
- Ground cumin: This spice is popular in Mexican cuisine and a key component in this recipe.
- Corn tortillas: I think corn tortillas are best for barbacoa tacos, but if you prefer flour tortillas, go for it!
- Toppings: I use cilantro, sliced radishes, limes, and my Mexican coleslaw (optional).
Step-by-Step
The first few steps of this barbacoa tacos recipe involve making the marinade and searing the beef, and the rest is just letting the slow cooker do its job. Here’s how I make it.
Step 1 | Make barbacoa marinade
In a food processor, combine the garlic cloves, chipotle peppers (adjust amount for preferred level of heat), ground cumin, apple cider vinegar, and fresh lime juice. Pulse until you get an evenly combined and smooth marinade.
Step 2 | Season and sear beef
Cut the chuck roast into 3 equal-sized pieces. I like doing this to help flavors penetrate into the meat faster.
Season generously with Kosher salt and ground pepper. I use about 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper for 3 pounds of beef. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat and sear the seasoned chuck roast on all sides until golden brown. This step helps to lock in flavors and moisture.
Step 3 | Slow cook
Transfer the seared beef to a large slow cooker. Add bay leaves, oregano, sliced onions, beef broth, and the barbacoa marinade. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 8 hours (or on high for 4 hours) until the beef is tender and falls apart. Once ready, shred with two forks and return the beef back into the juices for maximum flavor.
Step 4 | Assemble tacos and serve
Warm the tortillas over the stovetop or in the microwave oven. Assemble the barbacoa tacos with some of the barbacoa beef and your favorite toppings.
Make Ahead and Freezing
This is a great make-ahead recipe! The beef keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days in a sealed container and reheats well in the microwave oven or over the stovetop.
Other ways to prep ahead: Make the marinade up to 3 days in advance and keep refrigerated.
Freezing: Let the meat cool down completely. Transfer to freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving and Topping Ideas
The most exciting part about serving tacos is deciding what toppings to use. For these barbacoa tacos, I use a generous serving of my Mexican coleslaw, radishes, and cilantro.
As for sides, try my go-to restaurant-style Mexican rice. It’s a traditional red rice made with a tomato base. So good!
Here are more amazing toppings to try: Avocado Crema, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole.
More Taco Recipes
If you’re a taco lover and are looking for more delicious recipes, definitely check these out! They are all reader favorites and also my family’s most requested.
Recipe FAQs
Beef chuck roast is ideal for this recipe.
It’s a bit spicy but the level of heat can be adjusted by reducing or increasing the amount of chipotle peppers in adobo. Remove the seeds for an even milder flavor.
They are sold in the Mexican foods aisle in most grocery stores. They come in cans (usually 7 or 10 ounce cans).
You can braise the beef in a 6-quart Dutch oven in the oven at 325 degrees F for 3 hours until tender.
This recipe was originally published in 2021 and updated in May 2024 to include new photos and information.
Tips for Success
- Searing for flavor: Don’t skip the searing step. It adds caramelized flavors and locks in moisture.
- Cutting the chuck roast into smaller pieces ensures faster flavor penetration while it cooks. I usually cut the meat into 3 or 4 equal parts before searing.
- Cooking time: Either 8 hours on low, or 4 hours on high if you’re running short of time.
- Adjust the level of spice: Chipotle peppers in adobo are slightly spicy. If you don’t like spicy that much, use fewer peppers and remove the seeds.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a blender.
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Barbacoa Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast - excess fat trimmed
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - for searing
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 dried bay leaves
- 1 small white onion, sliced
- Corn taco tortillas - for serving
For the marinade
- 5 cloves garlic - crushed
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo (canned) - use 2 peppers for less spicy, see notes
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
Toppings
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced white onions
- Sliced radishes
- Lime wedges
- Mexican coleslaw - optional
Instructions
- Make the marinade: In a food processor, combine the garlic cloves, chipotle peppers in adobo, ground cumin, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice. Pulse to combine until you get a smooth and even marinade.
- Cut the beef chuck roast into 3 equal parts. Pat dry with paper towel. Season evenly on all sides with the 2 teaspoons of salt and the 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until nicely browned. Transfer the meat into a large 6-quart slow cooker. Tip: Let the meat sear undisturbed for about 3 to 4 minutes per side for best results.
- Pour the prepared marinade over the beef in the slow cooker. Then, add the beef broth, dried oregano, bay leaves, and sliced onions. Stir until roughly combined. Cover with the lid. Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
- Once ready, shred the beef and return to the slow cooker so it sits in all the delicious juices.
- Serve over warm corn tortillas, and add the toppings of your choice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Chipotle peppers in adobo have some level of spice. If you don’t like spicy food that much, use fewer peppers and remove the seeds. They come in cans, usually 10-ounce.
- Make ahead: Make 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate in airtight containers until ready to serve. Reheat in the microwave oven or over the stovetop.
- Freezing: Let cool completely and transfer to freezer-friendly bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat.
- Oven method: Braise in a Dutch oven in the oven at 325 degrees F for 3 hours until tender.
- Apple cider vinegar: Fresh lime juice.
- Beef: Lamb is also a great choice to make barbacoa!
Patty says
Hi, I made your Mexican street corn salad and it was a huge hit at a party I went to. I want to make the barbacoa tacos. Can I make them in the instant pot? Thx!