Beef Barbacoa Tacos—From Pits and Hot Stones to Slow Cookers

More and more, we are finding both beef barbacoa and birria on the menu at Mexican restaurants. What is the difference?

Birria is a dish that originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco. It is traditionally made with rib meat from either cows or goats and is usually served as a stew. Mexican restaurants serve it with ramen noodles and call it Birria Ramen.

Barbacoa originated in the Caribbean and immigrated to the Mexican state of Michoacán. It is made with either beef, pork, lamb, or goat. While barbacoa can be served as a stew, it is more often served as tacos. It is also delicious in burritos, taquitos, fajitas, or as a topping for nachos. Like birria, recipes for barbacoa include chili peppers, cumin, and oregano, but, unlike birria, recipes for barbacoa include vinegar.

The main difference between birria and barbacoa is the cooking method. Barbacoa was originally cooked in a hole in the ground that was lined with hot stones and covered with leaves. The meat was sometimes wrapped in banana leaves before placing it in the pit, where it cooked slowly over hot stones for hours, yielding tender, juicy, flavorful meat.

These days our HOAs probably won’t take kindly to pits in the backyard, so luckily we have slow cookers that give us tender, juicy, flavorful results. This recipe is a piece of cake. Just put the ingredients in the cooker and wait, while tantalizing odors fill the kitchen. No shovel needed.

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

Makes 5 Servings or 10 Tacos

2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast

Salt to taste

Large grind black pepper to taste

3 chipotles chiles in adobo sauce, diced

3 tablespoons adobo sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup dark ale beer

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

3 teaspoons minced garlic

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Using a sharp knife, cut beef chuck roast into 3-inch chunks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place beef chunks, chipotles chiles, adobo sauce, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, dark ale beer, cumin, oregano, garlic, and ground cloves in a slow cooker.

Using tongs, toss gently to combine. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

During the cooking process, occasionally stir ingredients so they are well combined.

Remove the beef to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred beef. Beef should be tender and fall apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir to combine with juices. Leave in the slow cooker until shredded beef is warmed through.

For the tortillas:

Taco-size flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees F. Wrap 3 tortillas per serving in aluminum foil and place in the oven to warm.

Serve with your favorite garnishes:

Chopped white onion

Crumbled cotija cheese

Sliced radishes

Chopped Cilantro leaves

Guacamole

Your favorite salsa

What type of beef should I buy? Use beef chuck roast for barbacoa. Depending upon where you live, a beef chuck roast may have several names: chuck, also called chuck eye, blade, pot, or chuck roll.

Tips on selecting beef: Shop with your eyes. Look for bright cherry red meat that does not have brownish blotches. While some butchers may tell you spots don’t affect the beef, spotting indicates the meat has started to spoil. If your market normally has several packages of spotted beef, it’s an indication that meat is not selling quickly enough to ensure freshness. Be wary of these markets. Packages of spotted meat will often be on sale and marked “Manager’s Special.” Don’t buy them.

When selecting beef, look for packages that are cold to the touch and tightly wrapped with no tears or punctures. Occasionally packages of meat may have a red liquid. This is not blood. Beef is about three fourths water. This liquid is natural moisture from the beef. Check the dates on packages. Many stores mark packages with a “Sell-By” date. This is the date your supermarket must remove the beef from the meat cooler. It will be safe to consume past this date. If beef is slimy, sticky or smells bad, it is not safe to consume. To save money on your food dollars, never buy product that has expired. Frozen beef is safe to use if it has passed its “Sell-By” date provided it was frozen prior to that date. “Use-By” dates mean this is the last day beef will be at its peak quality. It may be safe to use past this date. If you are using beef past its “Sell-By” date, it is important to make sure it is safe to consume. Beef that is spoiled will look gray, green, or brown. It will smell like ammonia or sulfur and feel tacky to the touch.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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