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Tacos de Barbacoa

Mexican tacos de barbacoa include slow-cooked meat placed on tortillas topped with raw onion and fresh cilantro.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
5 hrs 45 mins
Resting Time
6 hrs
Total Time
5 hrs 55 mins
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 79 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For the beef marinade
  • 2 lb beef cheek , chuck, or beef brisket, cut into large chunks
  • 3 oranges , squeezed
  • 2 limes , squeezed
  • ½ onion , chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic , pressed
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • ⅓ cup white vinegar
For cooking the beef
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic , pressed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 10 guajillo peppers
  • 2 avocado leaves , optional
  • ½ onion
  • 2 medium tomatoes , peeled, seeded and diced
  • 1 orange , squeezed
  • 1 lime , squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 cup water
  • salt
  • pepper
To serve the tacos
  • corn tortillas
  • lime
  • White onions , chopped or sliced
  • cilantro , chopped
  • salsa verde
  • avocado slices
Equipment
  • Slow cooker (or cast iron Dutch oven)
  • Potato masher
  • Fine mesh strainer

Instructions

Marinade
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients needed for the marinade and add the beef.
  2. Mix perfectly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
Cooking of the beef
  1. At the end of these 6 hours, transfer the meat to a slow cooker or a cast iron Dutch oven and add all the marinade.
  2. Add the orange juice, the lime juice and the 2 tablespoons of white vinegar.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Add the cumin and oregano, and finally the bay leaves, thyme and avocado leaves.
  5. Pour over the beef broth and mix well.
  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 20 minutes. Lower heat and cook over medium heat for 3 hours or until beef is fork tender.
  7. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and shred it using two forks. Then put it back in the slow cooker over low heat.
  8. In a small saucepan, add the cup (240 ml) of water. Add the peppers, tomatoes, garlic and onion. Mix and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
  9. Pour the cooking liquid directly over the pulled beef through a fine-mesh strainer.
  10. Use a potato masher to press down on the mixture so that as much liquid as possible comes out of the strainer. Also, pour in a little extra hot water if the mixture is too thick to strain.
  11. Cover the slow cooker and cook again on very low heat for another 2 hours.
  12. Serve the tacos with all the accompanying ingredients.