Wood-Fired Mexican Barbacoa Tacos with Pickled Onion

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 onions and fresh cilantro for an authentic Mexican street food experience. This mexican-inspired tacos & burritos ready in about 510 minutes pairs beef chuck roast, dried guajillo chiles, dried ancho chiles for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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 pieces dried guajillo chiles
• 2 pieces dried ancho chiles
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 small, thinly sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 dried guajillo chiles and 2 dried ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then soak them in 1 1/2 cups hot beef broth for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Blend the soaked chiles with 1 medium quartered white onion, 4 whole garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper until smooth to create the marinade.
3. Step 3: Cut 2 lbs beef chuck roast into large chunks and marinate it with the chile sauce and 2 bay leaves in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours until the meat is tender and shreddable.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, make pickled onions by combining 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan; heat until sugar dissolves, then pour over 1 small thinly sliced red onion. Let sit for at least 30 minutes.
5. Step 5: Warm 12 small corn tortillas on a hot skillet for 30 seconds each side until pliable and slightly charred at edges.
6. Step 6: Shred the cooked beef and assemble tacos by layering the meat on tortillas, topping with pickled onions and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.