Tiana Walters Sink your teeth into these Barbacoa Tacos! Beef Brisket is cooked in a soul-warming sauce that makes you feel like your taste buds are dancing around a volcano. The fork-tender beef is nestled between a warm and pliable tortilla covered with bright and crunchy toppings, then slathered with your favorite salsa and a fresh squeeze of lime.
These are street style Barbacoa Tacos and truly authentic! Serve with my Vegan Cashew Queso and Siete chips for a meal that’s plant-based, allergy-friendly, and completely Whole 30!
How to Cook the Best Tacos of your life?
Oh man, I remember the first time I had barbacoa as my eyes rolled back into my head while I experienced what I think of as Mexican BBQ. Traditionally, barbacoa is cooked UNDERGROUND, which is so cool. I’d prefer not to dig a hole in the yard whenever I crave these so instead, we could imitate this cooking method with our ovens using a Dutch oven. Or, being that the year is 2020, and we can also totally cheat and throw it in the Instant Pot for a quickish weeknight meal. Fortunately, there is no marinading required because if you’re like me, you probably forget to marinate the meat the night before.
I have two methods of madness. Either in the Instant Pot or using a Dutch Oven. Both have turned out amazingly. It just depends on how much time you have. The Instant Pot version takes about 1 1/2 hours, whereas the oven method takes around 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 hrs.
Best thing about these tacos?
Once you have the meat cooking, its hands-off from there. This will give you time to mix up some frozen margaritas or prep other beautiful ingredients like…
Barbacoa Toppings:
-Cilantro
-Onions
-Radishes
-Lime
-Salsa
-Pickled Red Onions
-Sauteed onions and peppers
-Avocado slices or guacamole
-Queso Fresco or Cotija
-Sour Cream
-Pico de Gallo
-Charred Sweet Yellow Corn
-Jalapeno
-Spicy Black Beans
-Cilantro and Lime Rice
Leftover Barbacoa Recipes
The second best thing about this recipe: it freezes wonderfully!! Just let it come to room temp and store in an airtight container for months. You can pull it out and reheat it in minutes for a quick protein.
And last but not least, the absolute best part about these Barbacoa Tacos…if you aren’t cooking for a crowd you will have leftovers. Think of the frittatas, casseroles, nachos, soup, salads, enchiladas, burrito bowls, heck even a Mexican BBQ sandwich!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to tag me on IG @love.your.taste.buds and please rate or comment on the recipe below. Your support helps my food get into other people’s hands. Thank you, and enjoy!
Barbocao Tacos
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker or a Dutch Oven
- Blender
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef brisket (can sub boneless chuck roast, or boneless beef short rib) fat trimmed and cut into 3 inch pieces
- 6 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chipotle chiles stemmed and seeded
- 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 12 oz beef broth or a dark Mexican beer (if using oven method) *see note
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 1/2 tbsp Mexican oregano
- 1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
For Serving
- corn tortillas warmed
- chopped onion & cilantro
- sliced radishes
- lime wedges
- your favorite salsa
Instructions
- After beef is cut and trimmed season with salt and let come to room temperature before cooking, about 20 minutes.
- On medium heat, lightly toast all of the stemmed and seeded chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds on each side, till fragrant and not blackened. Set them aside on a plate.
Instant Pot
- Set IP to SAUTE. Pat beef dry with a paper towel. Once hot add 2 tbsp avocado oil. Working in batches sear all sides of the meat cooking about 2 minutes each side. Set browned beef aside on a plate and cook another batch, add more oil (as needed) to the pan to prevent scorching.
- Add onions, stirring occasionally, cooking for 5 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth and toasted chiles. Using a wooden spoon scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Once chiles have soften remove from heat and let cool. Hit CANCEL
- Pour contents of IP into a blender, add the rest of the ingredients. Blend on high till mixture is smooth and creamy, adding more water to thin the mixture.
- Return sauce from blender to IP and using tongs to add meat and coat in the sauce.
- Lock the lid on and make sure pressure valve is set to seal. Set to cook on HIGH pressure or ‘beef/stew’ for 60 minutes.
- When the cook time is up, let Natural Release or carefully vent (if your impatient like me). Using tongs or two forks shred the meat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.
- Serve with warm tortillas, onions, radishes, cilantro, your favorite salsa, and lime.
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Follow the directions for IP, but you will use a Dutch Oven or another oven safe, heavy pot with a lid.(Instead of hitting buttons and what not, you will simply sear the meat, cook peppers in broth or beer, blend the sauce, then return meat and sauce to the pot.)
- Once meat is returned to the pot and coated in sauce, cover and transfer to the oven. Stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is fork tender.
- Using tongs or two forks shred the meat. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.
- Serve with warm tortillas, onions, radishes, cilantro, your favorite salsa, and lime.
