Wood-Fired Barbacoa Tacos with Pickled Onion Slaw

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 onion slaw for a vibrant Mexican street food experience. This Mexican-inspired taco and burrito recipe, ready in about 520 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, dried guajillo chilies, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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
• 4 dried guajillo chilies
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 medium thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 4 dried guajillo chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then soak them in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes until softened. Blend soaked chilies with 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup beef broth until smooth.
2. Step 2: Cut 2 lbs beef chuck roast into large chunks and season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Place beef in a slow cooker and pour chili sauce over it. Add remaining 1/2 cup beef broth. Cook on low for 8 hours until meat is tender and shreddable.
3. Step 3: While beef cooks, combine 1 medium thinly sliced red onion with 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Let it sit for 30 minutes to create pickled onions.
4. Step 4: Mix 1 1/2 cups shredded green cabbage with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and drained pickled onions to make the slaw.
5. Step 5: Warm 12 corn tortillas on a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds each side until pliable and slightly charred.
6. Step 6: Shred the cooked barbacoa beef with forks and assemble tacos by layering beef and slaw on tortillas. Serve immediately with lime wedges.