Barbacoa Tacos with Salsa Verde

I have two confessions to make. I love barbacoa. I can’t speak Spanish. The first is easy. What’s not to love about barbacoa? It’s highly seasoned tender meat and makes for incredible tacos, or at my house, in scrambled eggs. You can certainly find barbacoa at a restaurant, but nothing compares when you grill it at home.

Now as for Spanish, I have a hard enough time with English, so I’m super grateful for my friends at Weber Mexico when they translate my work here, for Weber fans there.

Fortunately, the translation works both ways, as their social media team sent me this awesome recipe for barbacoa by Chef Alfredo Villanueva. Served with fresh salsa verde, this is the kind of meal that is great the day it is grilled and even better the day after.

Barbacoa Tacos with Salsa Verde
by Chef Alfredo Villanueva

Ingredients:
1 decent piece of chuck roast / 2 inches thick about 2 ½ pounds
1 Tablespoon salt
3 dried guajillo peppers or ancho peppers.
1 teaspoon cumin, to taste
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1 Tablespoon oregano, to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 bottle of dark beer
1 bunch of cilantro
1 purple onion
salsa
1 lime
1 avocado, diced
quality corn tortillas
banana leaves (if you can find them; if not, they are not absolutely necessary)

Salsa verde
2 serrano peppers (or 3 if you want more spice!)
one garlic clove
bunch of cilantro
1 avocado
10 tomatillos
1 lime
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
salt to taste

Instructions:


Oil the meat and cover generously with salt. Sear the meat over direct high heat, approximately 3 minutes per side.

Char the guajillo peppers until dark, approximately 2 minutes.

In a blender or food processor make a paste with the guajillo, cumin, olive oil, garlic and oregano to taste.

Lightly toast the banana leaves (they are huge; bundle them up and toast them for a bit of flavor and better wrapping texture)

Take the guajillo paste and cover the piece of chuck with it.

There are two options here:

Take a Weber aluminum pan. Place banana leaves on bottom, then the chuck, then pour a beer on top. Cover with more banana leaves, then cover in foil, as tight as possible, so that nothing escapes.

or

Place the chuck in a dutch oven, pour in a beer, and cover.

Grill over indirect low heat (250-300 F) for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef can be easily shred.

Make tacos, top with diced cilantro, onion, avocado and a dash of lime. Add some thick crumbs of salt if you want for flavor and texture. Add salsa.

Salsa:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor. If it gets stuck, add a bit of water, or cucumber. If you have a molcajete (mortar & pestle), it’s even better.

Notes:
Banana leaves are not necessary, but give a nice taste.
Beer is essential; if it dries up, just add more!

Recipe only:
Barbacoa Tacos with Salsa Verde
by Chef Alfredo Villanueva

Ingredients:
1 decent piece of chuck roast / 2 inches thick about 2 ½ pounds
1 Tablespoon Salt
3 dried guajillo peppers or ancho peppers.
1 teaspoon cumin, to taste
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1 Tablespoon oregano, to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 bottle of dark beer
1 bunch of cilantro
1 purple onion
salsa
1 lime
1 avocado, diced
quality corn tortillas
banana leaves (if you can find them; if not, they are not absolutely necessary)

Salsa verde:
2 serrano peppers (or 3 if you want more spice!)
one garlic clove
bunch of cilantro
1 avocado
10 tomatillos
1 lime
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Oil the meat and cover generously with salt. Sear the meat over direct high heat, approximately 3 minutes per side.
2. Char the guajillo peppers until dark, approximately 2 minutes.
3. In a blender or food processor make a paste with the guajillo, cumin, olive oil, garlic and oregano to taste.
4. Lightly toast the banana leaves (they are huge; bundle them up and toast them for a bit of flavor and better wrapping texture)
5. Take the guajillo paste and cover the piece of chuck with it.

There are two options here:

1. Take a Weber aluminum pan. Place banana leaves on bottom, then the chuck, then pour a beer on top. Cover with more banana leaves, then cover in foil, as tight as possible, so that nothing escapes.

or

2. Place the chuck in a dutch oven, pour in a beer, and cover.

Grill over indirect low heat (250-300 F) for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef can be easily shred.

Make tacos, top with diced cilantro, onion, avocado and a dash of lime. Add some thick crumbs of salt if you want for flavor and texture. Add salsa.

Salsa:

1. Blend all ingredients in a food processor.
2. If it gets stuck, add a bit of water, or cucumber. If you have a molcajete (mortar & pestle), it’s even better.

Notes:
Banana leaves are not necessary, but give a nice taste.
Beer is essential; if it dries up, just add more!