Barbacoa Tacos
These barbacoa tacos feature tender beef chuck seasoned with smoky chipotle peppers, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and garlic, balanced by tomato, onion, and lime. Spoon the richly spiced beef into warm corn tortillas and finish with creamy avocado, crisp radishes, and fresh cilantro for a satisfying meal served at lunch, dinner, or a festive taco gathering.
- Prep45 mins
- Cook2 hrs
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Barbacoa Tacos, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 61 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 14 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 91 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 47
- Heart Health
- 75
- Metabolic
- 53
- Digestive
- 32
- Inflammatory
- 63
- Performance
- 58
- General Wellness
- 1
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange whole tomatoes, onions (cut-side down), and garlic in a single layer in the dry skillet, working in batches if needed. Cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 6 minutes for the garlic and about 12 minutes for the onions and tomatoes.
- 2
Transfer the charred vegetables to a blender and add the chipotle peppers. Process until smooth, about 1 minute.
- 3
Stir salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper together in a small bowl; season the beef evenly with the salt mixture.
- 4
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in batches and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the browned beef to a large plate.
- 5
Pour water into the Dutch oven and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the onion-tomato mixture, brown sugar, oregano, and bay leaves. Reduce the heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer.
- 6
Nestle the beef back into the pot and cover. Cook, stirring and re-nestling the beef occasionally (about every 20 to 30 minutes), until the beef is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork, 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- 7
Transfer the beef to a cutting board and shred it using 2 forks.
- 8
Return the beef to the Dutch oven, add lime juice, and stir to combine.
- 9
Serve in corn tortillas with avocado, radishes, and cilantro.
- Calories 503.59 kcal High 25%
- Protein 51.1 g Good Source 102%
- Carbohydrate 17.76 g 6%
- Total Fat 26.79 g High 34%
- Saturated Fat 5.09 g High 25%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 149.68 mg High 50%
- Sodium 300.06 mg Moderate 13%
- Dietary Fiber 7.31 g Good Source 26%
- Total Sugars 6.24 g --
- Added Sugars 1.64 g Low Source 3%
- Calcium 89.01 mg Low Source 7%
- Iron 6.91 mg Good Source 38%
- Potassium 408.07 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin A 25.06 mcg Low Source 3%
- Vitamin C 17.0 mg Moderate 19%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Barbacoa Tacos is made with 20 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 2 hrs 45 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Avocado, Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, and Chili Powder. Each serving provides about 503.59 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Barbacoa Tacos made of?
- The main ingredients are Avocado, Black Pepper, Brown Sugar, Chili Powder, Chipotle Peppers in Adobo. The full list of 20 is above.
- How long does it take to make Barbacoa Tacos?
- About 2 hrs 45 mins in total: 45 mins to prepare and 2 hrs to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 503.59 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Barbacoa Tacos easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 20 ingredients and 9 steps.
- Is Barbacoa Tacos healthy?
- Barbacoa Tacos has an easyChef Pro health score of 55/100. Per serving, it provides 503.59 calories and 51.1 g of protein, or 102% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 300.06 mg (13% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 5.09 g (25% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Corn, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
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