WILBREAD

Beef Barbacoa

Prep Time
50 min
Cooking Time
8 h
Added Time
0 min
Total Time
8 h 50 min

Beef Barbacoa


Looking for a delicious and easy-to-make recipe for beef barbacoa? Look no further than this homemade beef barbacoa recipe! With just a few simple ingredients and some basic cooking techniques, you can create a flavorful and tender beef barbacoa that is sure to impress your family and friends. Whether you are cooking for a crowd or just looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal, this beef barbacoa recipe is a must-try! So grab your ingredients and get ready to cook up a delicious and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 Beef Tongue
  • 2 kg/4.4 lb Pounds Beef Cheeks
  • 2 Banana Leaves
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 Garlic Head
  • 4 Bay Leaves
  • 10 Cloves
  • 1/2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
  • 1/2 Tbsp Cumin
  • 1 Beer
  • 2 Cups Water
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • Meat Cleaver Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Kitchen Tongs
  • Strainer

Instructions

(Show/Hide Images In The Recipe)

1. Preheat the oven to 330°F/165°C.

2. Soften the banana leaves by boiling them for 5-10 minutes or passing them over a flame until they are soft and pliable. Then, use them to cover your Dutch Oven.
I thawed my frozen banana leaves overnight in the fridge. There's no need to soften them further.

Cover your Dutch Oven with banana leaves

3. Season the meat evenly with salt and pepper, making sure to cover every nook and cranny.

Season the meat evenly with salt and pepper for barbacoa

4. After seasoning the meat, place it in the Dutch oven along with the rest of the ingredients. I chopped the onion into medium-sized pieces and halved the garlic head.

1 Small Onion
1 Garlic Head
4 Bay Leaves
10 Cloves
1/2 Tbsp Coriander Seeds
1/2 Tbsp Cumin
1 Beer
2 Cups Water

Beef barbacoa before cooking

5. Bake the meat until it is tender enough to easily fall apart, about 7-8 hours.

Beef barbacoa after cooking

6. Peel the outer layer off of the beef tongue.

Beef barbacoa after cooking - Peel the the outer layer off of the beef tongue

7. At this point, you have the option to either chop the barbacoa or shred it using two forks.

chop the barbacoa

8. Strain some of the barbacoa broth and add it back to keep it juicy.

Strain some of the barbacoa broth and add it back to keep it juicy

Enjoy!

Beef barbacoa - taco

Beef barbacoa - buns

Tips:

  • Barbacoa lasts about 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
  • If you don't have a Dutch oven, you can still make barbacoa by using a ceramic or glass dish that is oven-safe and covering it with foil.
  • Reheat the barbacoa with some of its broth in a skillet over low-medium heat or you can microwave the barbacoa for 1-2 minutes, stirring once halfway through.