Have you been on the hunt for the best barbacoa street taco recipe? I got you, girl! This simple slow-cooked barbacoa is sure to be your family’s new favorite.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.
Let’s be honest, taco night isn’t strictly reserved for Tuesdays. Since you are reading this post, I can assume you are just like me in the fact that you could eat tacos at any point in the day, any day of the week.
In this post, you will get access to the best barbacoa street taco recipe that you can cook over and over again. You will learn all about what barbacoa is, where it came from, the best meat to use, how to store & reheat it, and how to re-purpose the meat to create new dishes from the same recipe.
In this recipe, I use my salt-free Mexican spice blend from my spice company – The Spice Girl Kitchen. I’m completely biased because it is, after all, my spice recipe and the best salt-free Mexican seasoning on the market. But feel free to use whatever taco seasoning you have on hand.
This post is all about the best barbacoa street taco recipe.
All About Barbacoa
I am on a mission to teach people more about their food. Not just from a nutrition perspective, but also from a cultural and historical perspective. Understanding where cultural dishes originated and why certain cooking methods were used can be extremely interesting. I hope that this information expands your appreciation of food & culture and deepens your understanding of cooking methods.
Barbacoa is a form of cooking meat that originated in the Caribbean with the Taino people. However, the Mexican culture has perfected this method over nearly 500 years, which is why it is considered today more of a Mexican dish than a Caribbean dish. “Barbacoa” is the Spanish word for “barbeque”, which is why you may hear it referred to as “Mexican barbeque”.
Originally, it was slow-cooked over an open fire or in a hole covered by agave leaves. The traditional slow-cooking method resulted in maximum moisture retention and smokey flavor. Today, we probably won’t dig holes in the ground, but a simple slow cooker paired with a specific sauce can help us achieve this tender, juicy, and flavorful dish.
What Meat Do I Use?
Barbacoa was traditionally made with beef, sheep, mutton, or goat. In the US, using larger, tougher cuts of beef such as chuck roast or brisket is most common. These beef cuts have enough connective tissue so that it requires longer cooking times, but just enough fat to keep them tender and juicy.
Let’s Talk Sauce!
The sauce in barbacoa is what distinguishes it from other slow-cooked Mexican dishes. The sauce acts like a marinade, infusing its flavor into the meat as it cooks. We want our sauce to be flavor-packed & bold. The ingredients can vary tremendously from recipe to recipe, but typically it involves some onion, garlic, chilis, lime juice & spices.
What Makes A Street Taco?
It’s a simple formula, really!
A street taco = corn tortillas + meat of choice + cilantro + onion.
That’s it! A street taco follows this formula strictly, while a regular taco can have a multitude of different toppings such as guacamole, sour cream, fajita veggies, beans, corn, and cheese.
How to Make Barbacoa:
Slow cooking is super easy and only requires a little bit of planning ahead. One of the easiest ways to ensure dinner is taken care of is by putting it on first thing in the morning. After your coffee and while the kitchen is still a bit of a mess from the breakfast rush, spend 15 minutes throwing this recipe in the crockpot on low. That way you can go to work or go about your day knowing dinner is taken care of.
For this recipe, you only need to do 2 things:
- cut up the chuck roast
- blend the sauce
The slow cooker takes it from there! Also, because the sauce is blended, the knife skills here are minimal. A rough chop or quarter is all you need to easily blend the sauce. I mean how much easier can it get?!
I remember when first I met my husband, I told him that I was a “good but lazy cook”. He was confused about how a good cook could be lazy. This recipe is proof of that! It’s so simple and requires minimal effort, but the end product is a very impressive meal!
What To Serve with Barbacoa Street Tacos:
When I put my dietitian cap on, these barbacoa street tacos already contain a starchy carb (corn tortillas), protein & fat (chuck roast), and minimal veggie (cilantro, onion, and some produce in the sauce).
If you are looking to up the nutritional value & fiber content, I would suggest serving it with the following sides:
- a simple starter salad
- black beans
- pinto beans
- sauteed bell peppers & onions
- guacamole (& chips of course)
- extra lime wedges (for a bit of added vitamin C)
- charred tomato, serrano, poblano, or jalapeno
What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
- A slow cooker – this isn’t the one I have, but I like the fact that it auto-switches to “warm” once the time is up!
- A blender or food processor – to blend the sauce!
- This taco holder – not a requirement, but highly recommended!
- This crock pot liner for easy clean up – not a requirement, but highly recommended!
- This chopper for perfect small dice onion – not a requirement, but highly recommended!
- A craving for the best barbacoa – but I know you already have that!
Re-purpose, Store, & Reheat
Re-purpose
In this particular post, we are focused on street tacos. However, this recipe is fantastic for meal prep because it can be tossed into a multitude of dishes throughout the week! After your street taco night, you can throw the barbacoa on top of nachos, in a burrito bowl, on taco salads, burritos, or quesadillas. I’m the queen of mixing it up with minimal effort, and this recipe is one of my secret weapons.
Store
Fridge: Transfer meat to a large glass storage container with an airtight lid. Allow it to cool to room temperature before securing the lid (about 30-45 minutes; the exact time depends on the amount of meat). Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze the barbacoa for up to 3 months. Place the barbacoa in the fridge to thaw overnight for best results.
Reheat
Microwave: Place meat in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave on high for 1-3 minutes or until heated through. If reheating larger amounts, stir the barbacoa halfway through to warm it evenly.*
Stovetop: Place barbacoa in a skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of water (this helps keep it from drying out). Once the water is simmering, reduce to medium-low and cover for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Stir occasionally.*
Oven: Preheat oven to 350 °F. Place meat in an oven-safe dish with a splash of water (this helps keep it from drying out), cover it with foil, and cook for 10-15 minutes.*
* Total time depends on the amount you are reheating.
The Best Barbacoa Street Tacos
Ingredients
For The Barbacoa
- 3 lbs chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 4-oz can diced green chilis
- 1 onion, quartered
- 3 limes, juiced
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp The Spice Girl Kitchen Mexican Seasoning
- The Spice Girl Kitchen Tri-Salt Blend & pepper, to taste
For The Street Tacos
- 16 corn tortillas
- 1/2 onion, small diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Place cubed chuck roast in slow cooker. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, blend the remaining ingredients listed under "For The Barbacoa" until smooth. Pour sauce over the meat, toss to combine, cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours or until the beef falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.
- Set the slow cooker to the "warm" setting. Using 2 forks, shred the meat inside of the crockpot. Toss. Allow the newly shredded beef to sit with the juices for an additional 10 minutes while you prep the fixings.
- Optional: Spray a skillet with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cook corn tortillas 1-2 minutes per side to char. This also helps the tortillas to remain intact. You could also double-up the corn tortillas to prevent tearing.
- Using tongs, serve the meat on corn tortillas and top with cilantro & onion. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Re-purpose, Store, & Reheat
Re-purpose
In this particular post, we are focused on street tacos. However, this recipe is fantastic for meal prep because it can be tossed into a multitude of dishes throughout the week! After your street taco night, you can throw the barbacoa on top of nachos, in a burrito bowl, on taco salads, burritos, or quesadillas. I'm the queen of mixing it up with minimal effort, and this recipe is one of my secret weapons.Store
Fridge: Transfer meat to a large glass storage container with an airtight lid. Allow it to cool to room temperature before securing the lid (about 30-45 minutes; the exact time depends on the amount of meat). Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freezer: You can also freeze the barbacoa for up to 3 months. Place the barbacoa in the fridge to thaw overnight for best results.Reheat
Microwave: Place meat in a microwave-safe dish, cover, and microwave on high for 1-3 minutes or until heated through. If reheating larger amounts, stir the barbacoa halfway through to warm it evenly.* Stovetop: Place barbacoa in a skillet over medium-high heat with a splash of water (this helps keep it from drying out). Once the water is simmering, reduce to medium-low and cover for 5-7 minutes or until heated through. Stir occasionally.* Oven: Preheat oven to 350 °F. Place meat in an oven-safe dish with a splash of water (this helps keep it from drying out), cover it with foil, and cook for 10-15 minutes.* * Total time depends on the amount you are reheating.This post was all about the best barbacoa street taco recipe.
Did you make this recipe? Make sure to tag me @thespicegirlkitchen_ on Instagram or @thespicegirlkitchen on TikTok! I love seeing your recreations! I will be your ultimate hype woman!
