Juicy, Low-And-Slow Barbacoa Tacos Recipe

There are many types of taco nights out there, and not all of them are created equal. While there are few tacos that truly disappoint — Taco Tuesday is rarely anything but wonderful — every once in a while you meet a taco that truly takes your breath away. This slow-cooked barbacoa taco recipe is one of them.

Chuck roast, cooked low and slow with onion, garlic, chipotles in adobo, and plenty of spices, dissolves into tender, shredded beef awash in a rich, unctuous sauce. Piled high on a warm corn tortilla and complemented with onion and cilantro, a touch of your favorite hot sauce, and a sprinkle of salty cotija cheese, these tacos might forever alter your views of what taco night can be. Once you've tasted this sumptuous barbacoa, it may be a struggle to go back to ground beef and cheddar cheese.

While these barbacoa tacos do take a few hours to cook, the best things in life rarely come quickly, and these tacos are worth every minute. Just make sure you have some chips and salsa on hand because as the house fills with the smell of spices and stewing beef, you're going to need something to calm your rumbling stomach.

For this recipe, you will need chuck roast, vegetable oil, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, chipotles in adobo, bay leaves, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. You may also want onion, cilantro, corn tortillas, and hot sauce, for serving. Once you have brought all of these ingredients together, you are ready to start cooking.

Bring a large pot to high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

Add the chuck roast and sear for 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the beef from the pot, and add the remaining vegetable oil followed by the onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and chile powder. Cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the chipotles, broth, and bay leaves, and return the beef to the pot.

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.

After the beef has simmered for 2 hours, remove the lid, pluck out the beef, and shred it using two forks. Leave the pot simmering while you do this to allow the liquid to reduce.

Stir the salt, sugar, and vinegar into the pot and then return the shredded beef. Simmer for up to 5 minutes more, to further reduce the liquid in the pot. Remove from heat.

Serve hot, with warm corn tortillas, chopped onion and cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, and hot sauce, if desired.

When it comes to stewed beef, chuck roast, as we used in this recipe, is one of the best cuts. The chuck roast comes from the shoulder of the cow and is typically nicely marbled, though it also contains a large amount of connective tissue. While cuts of meat-heavy in connective tissue are not ideal for quick cooking, they are perfect for slow cooking. When cooked at low temperatures over an extended period, the connective tissue breaks down and creates tender, unctuous meat, perfect for filling a taco. But chuck roast is not the only cut of beef that will make a stunning barbacoa.

Oxtail is a similar cut, with plenty of fat and connective tissue, which will also produce a rich and unctuous final product. Oxtail may be harder to find, not being a steadfast option at the grocery store, but the bone at the center adds another layer of flavor to your finished barbacoa.

Brisket, too, will make an excellent barbacoa, though it tends to be leaner and pricier due to its popularity in barbecue. The muscle fibers in brisket are long, so it is important to cut against the grain to ensure maximum tenderness. Or, if you want to really mix things up, lamb shoulder would also make a great substitute. The finished product will obviously taste different with lamb, but it is a traditional meat for barbacoa, so it certainly won't let you down.

A well-made taco doesn't need a lot of toppings to round it out to perfection. All you need is a little bit of onion and cilantro, a splash of hot sauce, and maybe a sprinkle of cheese. And there is little arguing that cotija is one of the best cheeses for the job. Cotija is an aged Mexican cheese that crumbles easily and packs a salty bite, perfect for adding a little punch to a barbacoa taco. But don't worry, if you can't find it on the shelves at your local grocery store, there are plenty of cotija substitutes out there.

The first place to look is queso fresco. Queso fresco translates to simply "fresh cheese," and is very similar to cotija. Both cheeses are typically sold in small, white rounds and are great for crumbling, but due to its freshness, queso fresco is a bit creamier.

The next best choice is feta cheese. Though traditional feta is made with sheep's and goat's milk, rather than the cow's milk which is typical for both cotija and queso fresco, it is similar in many ways. Feta is also great for crumbling and features a salty tang and creamy texture similar to queso fresco. However you choose to embellish these barbacoa tacos, be it with cotija, queso fresco, feta, or none of the above, they are sure to delight.