Wood-Fired Barbacoa Beef Tacos with Pickled Red Onions

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-05 · Updated 2026-07-05

Tender slow-cooked barbacoa beef served in warm corn tortillas topped with tangy pickled red onions and fresh cilantro. This mexican-inspired tacos & burritos ready in about 220 minutes pairs beef chuck roast, dried guajillo chilies, dried ancho chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 3 dried guajillo chilies
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 small, thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: Soak 3 dried guajillo chilies and 2 dried ancho chilies in hot water for 20 minutes until softened, then drain and blend with 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 4 garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt until smooth.
2. Step 2: Preheat oven to 300°F. Season 2 lbs beef chuck roast with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Place in a Dutch oven and pour the chili sauce over the beef, add 1 cup beef broth and 1 medium quartered white onion.
3. Step 3: Cover and braise in oven for 3 hours until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp kosher salt in a small saucepan. Heat until sugar dissolves, then pour over 1 small thinly sliced red onion in a jar. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
5. Step 5: When beef is done, shred with two forks and mix with the braising liquid.
6. Step 6: Warm 12 small corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until pliable.
7. Step 7: Assemble tacos by filling each tortilla with 3-4 oz shredded barbacoa, topping with pickled red onions and 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.