What is Barbacoa? Steps on How to Make the Best barbacoa!

This delicious meat is wonderfully flavored and cooked slowly until perfectly tender. Put it in tortillas with your favorite toppings for an irresistible snack and dinner. Read on to find out its origins and how to make it! 

What is Barbacoa?

Barbacoa is an authentic Mexican dish typically made with beef, goat, or lamb and is traditionally made by simmering meat for hours until it becomes tender and seasoned with chilies. It’s then used as a tasty filling for tacos, burritos, etc.

How to make Barbacoa Beef

It's really simple to make. You start by marinating the beef overnight in a mixture of lemon juice, garlic, salt, and black peppercorn. After that, you cook it slowly over a wood stove for about 10 hours and serve shredded beef on top of warm tortillas with all your favorite toppings.

Ingredients for Barbacoa Beef

• Chuck roast: This kind of roast is best when paired with its fatty meat. It makes for super tender meat.
• Vegetable oil
• Beef broth: You can substitute chicken broth for water in this recipe.
• Chipotle chilis: These add delicious spiciness. Freeze any leftover sauce from the jar for later use.
• Garlic: Fresh is recommended
• Cumin, cloves (or cinnamon), oregano, and/or bay leaves: To give dishes an extra kick of flavor.
• Salt and pepper: Season with an equal balance of salt and pepper so it won't taste bland.
• Fresh lime juice: Some barbacoa recipes call for vinegar but they taste best when made with fresh limes.

Related Article: 

The Ultimate Guide to Steak Doneness

Steps on How to Make the Best Barbacoa

Step 1: Portion beef and brown them

• Remove any large chunks of fat from the meat before cutting it up.
• Brown the meat in a skillet, then add seasoning. Sear the meat for a few minutes per side.

Step 2: Make chili paste and barbacoa sauce:

• To make the chili paste, pulse together chipotle peppers, garlic, and 1/4 cup until well blended.
• To make the barbacoa sauce, mix together the remaining beef broth, chipotle mixture, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and cloves.
• Add meat and mixtu­res to slow cooker:
• Put the mixture into the slow cooker or stock pot, adding bay leaves.

Step 3: Slow Cook in the Crockpot

Cook on low heat for eight to nine (8–9) hours.

Step 4: Shred beef

• Put the shredded meat back out of the slow cooker
• Add some fresh herbs to the mix for added flavor:
• Add lime juice to the stockpot and stir until combined. Return the meat to the pot and let simmer for another 20–30 minutes.

Step 5: Customize to your liking!

Customize it! For example, if you don't want the kick from the chipotle pepper, just use four teaspoons of chili powder instead. If you don't want to use a food processor, simply mince the garlic by hand.

High Heat in the Slow Cooker?

Low and slow cooking is best for tenderizing meat. High-temperature slow cooking isn't recommended because the meat won't be as tender.

Ways to Serve Barbacoa Beef:

Versatile beef recipes to try with it

• Nachos
• Quesadillas
• Enchiladas
• Tacos
• Burritos (wraps or bowls)
• Salads

Recommended Toppings

• Radishes
• Onion
• Guacamole
• Salsa
• Lettuce (iceberg, romaine)
• Kale
• Cheese (monterey jack, cotija, queso fresco)
• Tomatoes
• Cilantro

Recommended Sides to Serve with

• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Refried Beans
• Mexican Rice

Meat of Barbacoa

What is Barbacoa made out of?

Its meat is usually cooked using tough pieces of meat that need long, slow cooking times for tenderness. Traditionally, barbacoa is made from large cuts of meat or entire cattle. Barbacoas are usually associated with beef in the United States. However, in Mexico barbacoa meat is usually prepared using beef, goat, lamb, or mutton. Cochinita Pibil is a type of barbecued meat dish found in Mexico. It is usually prepared using pork.

People usually make barbacoa with chuck roasts, briskets, and beef cheeks. Any cut of beef that contains lots of connective tissue and requires a long cooking time before becoming tender works well. Remember that there needs to be enough fat distributed throughout the muscles so they don't become too dry when cooked. Leaner cuts of meat will dry out and get stringy after a long period of time of being cooked, even if you're trapping heat inside the pot.

You can use different types of cuts to add flavor and texture to your barbacoa. You don't need to be super traditional when making it. You can even add some short ribs and oxtails to the pot. Those cuts will help give the meat its juiciness by adding bone and cartilage to the meat juices. Consuming barbacoa is enjoyable because part of the pleasure is drinking its consommé, which is a clear soup made from the drippings. The richer and tastier the stock, the better the consommé.

You can also use gamey meat like lamb, goat, or mutton. Mature sheep (mutton) may be hard to find in the U.S., especially in urban areas. Remember that what South Asians call "mutton" is usually mature goat meat. Goats or kids are good choices, too. However, if you can find a local butchery that sells it in larger chunks, go for it! Goat meat often comes sliced into small pieces, and these pieces may contain a large number of tiny bones, which can be a danger for children.

Barbacoa vs. Birria: The Difference

Birria and barbacoa can sometimes be confused, particularly among those who aren't familiar with Mexican cuisine. Barbacoa and birria look similar and are both cooked in very similar methods, but they differ in their ingredients and preparation techniques. First, barbacoa is eaten almost everywhere in Mexico, but each region has its unique style. Birria, on one hand, originates from the state of Jalisco where it is considered the national dish. However, birria has also gained popularity outside of Mexico where they prepare the dish differently.

Barbacoa starts with the same cooking method as birria: a hole in the ground where hot coal or wood is put. The pit is covered with agave leaves to prepare barbacoa and then the meat is placed inside. Birria is made by placing the beef in a spicy sauce pot, sealing it with tortillas, and then lowering it into an underground oven. Once the barbacoa has been prepared, there's no need to keep cooking it. It’s ready. Birria is made by mixing ground beef with a mixture of spices and cooking them together until they're tender. Then, a roasted tomato purée is added and the dish is simmered again.

Usually, barbacoa arrives at the table juicy but not covered in soup or gravy. Instead, the juices are added to the soup you enjoy on the sides but Birria, on the other hand, is a soupier dish almost always served in a bowl. Both birria and barbacoa can be prepared using similar cuts of beef, but goat meat tends to be used more often in Birria's native state of Jalisco.