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GET IT NOWI think some of my best healthy recipes come from questions many of you ask — and you have your fellow readers to thank for my barbacoa tacos! So many of you have been asking me how to make my Crock Pot barbacoa in the oven instead, and while I had a general idea how, it was about time to test it for myself. So, I tweaked my recipe for the meat to work best for the oven (hint: you need more liquid), loaded it up with toppings, and we had the most amazing taco night. If that sounds pretty great, make these with me!
Why You Need My Barbacoa Tacos Recipe
- Bold, flavorful, fall-apart tender beef – It soaks up all that smoky, tangy sauce chipotle peppers, garlic, lime, and spices… and practically shreds itself.
- Quick and easy prep, without special appliances – The meat takes minutes to throw together (the oven does most of the work), and all you need is a Dutch oven. And the toppings are so simple!
- Perfect for feeding a crowd – Whether it’s taco night with the fam or you’re having people over, my recipe for barbacoa tacos makes plenty. It’s much easier to make a big batch compared to regular steak tacos. Plus, everyone can build their own! My family all did theirs a little differently, but here I’ll show you how I make mine.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my barbacoa taco recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Barbacoa Beef:
- Chuck Roast – You want a cut of beef with a lot of marbling and connective tissue, which will break down and get super tender as it cooks slowly. I originally made this recipe with beef chuck roast, but used brisket for the photos. Both of these work great!
- Beef Broth – This is an important one to keep your barbacoa tacos moist, as I found the meat dried out a lot more easily in the oven than the slow cooker. I had to triple the amount! Chicken broth will also work, but the beef flavor tastes much better.
- Acidic Ingredients – A blend of apple cider vinegar and fresh lime juice tenderizes the meat, plus both add flavor. You can use just one or the other (or even swap in other vinegars or lemon juice), but I like the taste best with this combo.
- Chipotle Chiles In Adobo – For smoky heat and yep, flavor (again)! If you want it spicier, toss in an extra pepper. Although chipotle chili powder can work (I’d do a teaspoon), it’s just not the same.
- Garlic – I highly recommend fresh, but 2 1/2 teaspoons of the jarred kind will work.
- Seasonings – Dried oregano, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, a pinch of ground cloves for a warm, earthy flavor, and a couple bay leaves. Feel free to also add a little smoked paprika for extra depth. The cloves are optional, as some people in my original recipe for the meat didn’t like them.
- Olive Oil – For searing the beef. Avocado oil works, too.
For The Tacos:
- Corn Tortillas – I use corn tortillas because I’m gluten-free, but you can use flour tortillas if they fit your lifestyle, or lettuce wraps for a lighter option.
- Cheese – I used Cotija cheese as it feels a little fancy and reminds me of the barbacoa tacos I’ve had in Mexico. You can go more classic American with cheddar or Mexican blend if you prefer.
- Fresh Toppings – Choose your faves! I went with red onion, fresh cilantro, my homemade fresh salsa, sliced avocado, and lime wedges for serving. My taco slaw goes really well in these, too.
How To Make Barbacoa Tacos
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make the sauce. In a blender, combine the broth, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, dried oregano, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, and ground cloves (if using). Puree until smooth.
- Sear the beef. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add chunks of meat in a single layer and sear on both sides, until it’s nicely browned.
- Cook low and slow in the oven. Pour the blended sauce over the seared beef, add the bay leaves, and tuck them into the liquid. Cover the pot and bake until the meat is super tender and easy to shred, flipping halfway through. When the barbacoa beef is fall-apart tender, shred it with two forks.
- Prepare your toppings. Meanwhile, make my fresh salsa recipe here. (I cut the recipe in half, but you can make the whole thing if you want extra.) Towards the end of the oven time, chop any other fresh toppings — I added red onions, fresh cilantro, Cotija, and avocado slices.
- Assemble the barbacoa tacos. Load up your tortillas with the meat and all your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
My Recipe Tips
- Sear the beef in a single layer. If it doesn’t fit, sear in batches, then place them all in the pot afterward.
- Check on your barbacoa halfway through to confirm that the liquid didn’t evaporate. It will vary depending on the size of the pot you use. (I used this one in white.) Ideally you want to start with the liquid about halfway up the meat, so you can adjust the amount of broth if needed for that. If the pan is nearly dry halfway through, add more broth. This will prevent your meat from drying out.
- Don’t forget to flip to avoid dry spots. The pieces above the broth get more dry than the pieces in the liquid, but I find they all get fall-apart tender if I flip them. I wasn’t a fan of just submerging in liquid because it turned out like a soup.
- Prefer to use your slow cooker? This recipe is actually based on my Crock Pot barbacoa recipe, so you can definitely cook the barbacoa taco meat in that! It’s actually my preferred method, but I opted for the oven here just to give you another option.
- How this oven barbacoa compares to my slow cooker one: The oven version comes out more crispy, but not quite as moist as slow cooked. And it’s convenient when I don’t have all day to wait for it, since it’s faster!
- Warm your tortillas, and consider double layering them. This shredded beef is very moist, so it can soak through and cause your barbacoa tacos to break. Warming the tortillas makes them more flexible (read: less prone to breaking). An extra tortilla layer is also safer for breakage, but I don’t usually do this because I don’t want that much starch.
- Want chicken instead of beef? See my shredded chicken tacos for a similar vibe using chicken.
Serving Ideas
Most of the time, I serve these beef barbacoa tacos all by themselves, because they definitely have all the components of a full meal! But if you want something extra for an even better Mexican night, try these add-ons:
- Chips & Dip – If you made extra salsa, serve it with my baked tortilla chips! Sometimes I throw together a quick guacamole or warm queso dip to go with them.
- Mexican Sides – If you want a side dish, try my cilantro lime cauliflower rice, black bean soup, or even elote for the ultimate Mexican night.
Barbacoa Tacos
These barbacoa tacos are loaded with flavorful, fall-apart tender beef and fresh toppings! They're so easy to make using just your oven.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Barbacoa Beef:
Tacos:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C).
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In a blender, combine the broth, chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, dried oregano, cumin, sea salt, black pepper, and ground cloves (if using). Puree until smooth.
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Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and sear for 2-4 minutes per side, until browned.
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Pour the mixture from the blender over the beef. Add the bay leaves and push them into the liquid.
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Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for about 4 hours, flipping the meat over halfway through, until it’s fall apart tender when shredded with 2 forks.
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Meanwhile, make my fresh salsa recipe here. (Cut the recipe in half, or you can make the whole thing if you want extra.)
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When the beef is done, shred it with two forks.
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Assemble each taco in a corn tortilla with ~2 ounces of barbacoa beef, and ~2 tablespoons each of fresh salsa, red onions, fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese, and a couple avocado slices.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 barbacoa tacos
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get flavorful, fall-apart tender beef without dry spots, my alternate cooking method, and my best tips to prevent your barbacoa tacos from falling apart.
- Storage and meal prep: Keep leftovers in an airtight container (separate from the toppings) in the fridge for up to 4 days. I also often do this for meal prep, as it stores quite well.
- Reheat: I usually just microwave the meat, as it doesn’t dry out as long as I include some of the (solidified) liquid, but a skillet works, too. Add a splash of broth if it looks dry.
- Freeze: Let it cool, then freeze in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight if you can before reheating.
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Barbacoa Tacos
10 Comments
Marianne Polansky
0This is an absolutely delicious dinner. I only use one chipotle chili and only a teaspoon of adobo sauce as I didn’t like too spicy. Thank you for your wonderful recipes.
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Marianne! Great call adjusting the spice to your taste. Thank you for the kind words!
Marjorie Heard
0Hi Maya, we are not keen on smoked stuff. Would you it be OK to put red jalapeños in Adobo sauce instead, thank you, Marj
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Marj, I haven’t done this but I’m sure you can! Please let me know how the tacos turn out with those.
TV
0Is it ok that the broth is thin? Compared to the slow cooker version, the broth for that recipe is thicker in consistency. Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I assume you mean the blended mixture combined with extra broth — yes, that’s totally fine. In the oven version, the heat makes some of the liquid evaporate (even covered) and this doesn’t really happen in the slow cooker, so you need to start with a lot more liquid in the oven version.
Skar
0I made this barbacoa meat and we loved it. So great for meals all week in different variations.
We like this meat in a taco shell or over rice with lots of fresh vegetables
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you loved it, Skar! Those serving options both sound great.
Eddie
0I have this recipe twice already and the it is the best ever
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so glad you liked it so much to make it twice, Eddie! Thank you.