Pulled Beef Barbacoa is an incredibly delicious and comforting recipe that you’ll come back to time and time again. It’s spicy and savory and the long braise gives it depth of flavor.
Serve with warm corn tortillas, Mexican pickled onions, creamy chipotle sauce, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime. Many more serving ideas are below!
What is Barbacoa?
Barbacoa is much more than just a type of protein offered at your local Chipotle restaurant. It is a traditional method of cooking seasoned meat (lamb or goat) wrapped in banana leaves underground.
This cooking method developed in the Caribbean and then spread to Mexico. This cooking style is also regarded as a precursor to modern-day barbecue.
The long and slow cooking process breaks down the connective tissue and makes the meat tender and delicious.
I don’t expect you to dig a hole in your backyard to make this recipe. Modern barbacoa recipes have been adapted for modern ways of cooking like braising, which you will find in several of my recipes like braised short ribs and pulled lamb.
Ingredients
This is a pretty straightforward recipe that uses simple ingredients, most of which you already have in your pantry.
- Beef: I recommend using a tough cut of beef with good marbling. A beef chuck roast works really well here as it will have enough fat in it to keep the dish juicy. In my opinion, it is the best cut of beef for this recipe. It's also what I use in my braised chuck roast recipe. You can also use lean cubed stewing beef, but the finished pulled beef won’t be as juicy.
- Ground Spices: This recipe uses several common spices like ground cumin, ground coriander, oregano, and cloves. Be careful with the clove! You only need a tiny bit of it.
- Whole Spice: I like adding a couple of bay leaves to all my braises.
- Dry Chiles: I am using a combination of Guajillo chiles, chile de arbol and Pasilla Chile. The combination you use is up to you, but the goal here is to incorporate some dry Mexican chiles in the cooking liquid. Dry Mexican chiles are sold in bags at all Latin markets. You will also find them at many if not most grocery stores in the international aisle.
- Chipotles: For a smoky and spicy kick, I am also using chipotles in adobo. These chipotles are sold in small cans, also at your local Latin market or well-stocked grocer. They are delicious. They are a must in this recipe. And you can use leftovers to make my creamy chipotle sauce and chipotle hot sauce recipes.
- Vinegar: A little apple cider vinegar helps round out the flavor profile of the braising liquid. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use red wine vinegar or even distilled white vinegar.
Refer to the recipe card below for the full recipe with quantities and instructions.
How to Make this Pulled Beef Recipe
Step 1. Toast the chiles and aromatics. Place a cast iron pan or comal on medium heat. Toast the garlic (with peel on) and onion halves. They will take longer than the chiles. Toast the chiles on the hot pan. Be careful, they will burn quickly.
Step 2. Prep cooking liquid. To a blender, add the charred onion, peeled garlic and chile peppers. Add the chipotles in adobo, cumin, coriander, oregano, and clove. Add the beef broth and apple cider vinegar.
Step 3. Blend on high. Blend until you have a very smooth liquid.
Step 4. Season the beef. Season the beef cubes on all sides generously with salt and pepper.
Step 5. Sear. Place a braising pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, sear the cubed beef on all sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Avoid crowding the pan. You may need to do this in batches.
Step 6. Add the liquid. Pour the cooking liquid from the blender over the seared beef in the braising pot or Dutch oven. Add the bay leaves.
Step 7. Braise. Preheat your oven to 325F/160C. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven to slow cook for up to 3 hours. Check on the pot after 1 hour. If you find that the liquid is getting too thick or that the pot is scorching, add another cup of beef stock or water. The beef will be ready when it is tender and falls apart easily.
Step 8. Shred. Let the beef rest for a few minutes before shredding it with two forks or with tongs. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serving Suggestions
There are several ways you can enjoy this versatile recipe. The first is to make pulled beef tacos. Warm some corn tortillas and layer in the pulled beef with some Mexican pickled onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
When it comes to salsa, try my salsa macha, salsa de aguacate, salsa roja or salsa verde.
Serve some pickled Escabeche (Mexican pickled vegetables) or pickled serrano slices on the side too.
The barbacoa can also be served in burrito bowls with rice, beans and other toppings. You can also layer on some fresh cherry tomato salsa (pico de gallo) and creamy chipotle sauce.
You can also use leftover meat to make a pulled beef sandwich (on hamburger buns, hoagie rolls, or thick-cut toast), layered with coleslaw or other toppings like pickled jalapenos.
Expert Tips
- Learn about dry chiles. It can be quite confusing when you are standing in front of the dry chile section at the Latin market. Some will be spicier than others. Learn about which ones are more suitable for you. Cascabel, New Mexico and Ancho tend to be milder than Chile de Arbol or Guajillo. You can decide what works for you. Experiment a little! And check out some other recipes that feature dried chiles like my Harissa recipe.
- Don’t skip the searing. Searing the beef may seem pointless since the plan is to braise it in liquid. But trust me, searing the meat gives the finished dish more flavor. Think of it like layering flavors on top of each other. This is the same technique used in some of my other recipes like pulled lamb, beer-braised short ribs, and short rib ragu.
- Different pots, different results. I recommend using a Dutch oven with a lid when making this recipe. Even with this, there may be too much evaporation and the sauce might get too thick. So keep an eye on things and add more liquid if needed. You can also use a disposable foil pan but make sure you cover it tightly with more foil.
- Use an Instant Pot. If you’re short on time, you can use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Just make sure to follow all the steps and sear the beef. Then cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Let the pot release naturally and then shred the beef.
- Serve the beef whole. You don’t need to shred the beef! You can serve the cubes whole with the sauce. Let your guests or family shred or cut into it as they like.
Troubleshooting Tips
Every oven is different, and every pot is different. You will have to rely on your gut a little here and make adjustments to the cooking temperature and time. Here are some guidelines:
- The cooking liquid is reducing too quickly! Solution: add more liquid (beef stock or water). Keep an eye on the braise throughout the cooking process. Consider reducing the temp down to 300F/150C.
- The meat is still not tender after 3 hours. Solution: This can be because your meat was cut too big or maybe the oven was not warm enough. Add a little more stock to the pot, cover, and braise for another hour.
- The pan is scorching! Solution: This could mean that your oven runs hotter than you thought. Reduce the heat to 300F/150C and add more stock to the pot. This is why it’s important to check on the pot halfway through the cook.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. This is a great make-ahead recipe. Cook and cool, then shred and store in a glass airtight container in the fridge with the cooking liquid. Glass container is key! If you use plastic, it will most definitely get stained. You can make this recipe 2 days in advance and reheat it when you need it.
In a glass airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, though I recommend enjoying leftovers within 2 days for the best flavor. You can also freeze leftovers in freezer bags or deli containers for up to 6 months.
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Recipe Card
Pulled Beef (Barbacoa Style for Tacos and Bowls)
Equipment
- Dutch oven or braising pan
Ingredients
Braising Liquid
- 1 Yellow onion - Peeled and cut in half
- 6-8 Garlic cloves - Skin on
- ½ cup Dried chiles - - Use a combination of dried Mexican chiles like guagillo, pasilla, de arbol and cascabel – see note
- ¼ cup Chipotle peppers in adobo - ¼- ½ of a can – see note
- 1 tablespoon Dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon Ground coriander
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground clove
- 2 cups Beef stock - More may be needed during the braise
- 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
Rest of the Ingredients
- 3 lbs Chuck roast - Cut into large 2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 3 Bay leaves
Garnish
- Lime wedges and fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Toast the chiles and aromatics. Place a cast iron pan or comal on medium heat. Toast the onion halves and garlic cloves (with peel on). They will take longer than the chiles. Using scissors, remove and discard the chile stems and seeds. Toast the chiles on the hot pan. Be careful, they will burn quickly. The chiles only need a minute or less.
- Prep braising liquid. To a blender, add the charred onion, peeled charred garlic and chile peppers. Add the chipotles in adobo, oregano, cumin, coriander, and clove. Add the beef stock and apple cider vinegar.
- Blend on high. Blend until you have a very smooth liquid.
- Season the beef. Season the beef cubes on all sides generously with salt and pepper. Tip: For this amount of beef, I would start with 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. You can always add more salt later.
- Sear. Place a braising pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, sear the cubed beef on all sides until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Avoid crowding the pan. You may need to do this in batches.
- Add the liquid. Pour the cooking liquid from the blender over the seared beef in the braising pot or Dutch oven. Add the bay leaves.
- Braise. Preheat your oven to 325F/160C. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven to slow cook for up to 3 hours. Check on the pot after 1-2 hours. If you find that the liquid is getting too thick or that the pot is scorching, add another cup of beef stock or water. The beef will be ready when it is tender and falls apart easily.
- Shred. Let the beef rest for a few minutes before shredding it with two forks or with tongs. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- Beef: I recommend using a tough cut of beef with good marbling. A beef chuck roast works really well here as it will have enough fat in it to keep the dish juicy.
- Ground Spices: This recipe uses several common spices like ground cumin, ground coriander, oregano, and cloves. Be careful with the clove! You only need a tiny bit of it.
- Whole Spice: I like adding a couple of bay leaves to all my braises.
- Dry Chiles: I am using a combination of Guajillo chiles, chile de arbol, and Pasilla Chile. The combination you use is up to you, but the goal here is to incorporate some dry Mexican chiles in the cooking liquid. Dry Mexican chiles are sold in bags at all Latin markets. You will also find them at many if not most grocery stores in the international aisle.
- Chipotles: For a smoky and spicy kick, I am also using chipotles in adobo. These chipotles are sold in small cans, also at your local Latin market or well-stocked grocer. They are delicious. They are a must in this recipe.
- Vinegar: A little apple cider vinegar helps round out the flavor profile of the braising liquid. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can use red wine vinegar or even distilled white vinegar.
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