What Are Barbacoa Tacos?
Barbacoa is meat, traditionally whole sheep, goat or a cow's head, wrapped in agave leaves and steamed in a covered pit until it shreds, then piled onto corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and salsa. Many US kitchens reproduce it by steaming or braising beef cheek or chuck
It is moist, gently seasoned and not spicy, with the heat left to the salsa. Below: what cut barbacoa uses, how it differs from birria and carnitas, and where to eat it.
Barbacoa (Tacos de Barbacoa) are Hidalgo / Texcoco tacos made with whole animal or shoulder; beef cheek in the US, pit-cooked wrapped in maguey/agave leaves, served on corn tortillas.
A weekend-morning food in Mexico. In Texas usually beef cheek (cabeza), pit or steamed
Where US venues name it
Counted from venue names in our directory, so it undercounts places that serve it without saying so.
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Where to eat barbacoa in the US
Austin, TX
- Barbacoa Santa RosaHours not recordedDirections
San Antonio, TX
- Felipes Tacos, Barbacoa & TamalesHours not recordedDirections
Barbacoa: your questions
What is a barbacoa taco?
Meat (traditionally whole sheep, goat, or a cow's head) wrapped in maguey (agave) leaves and cooked slowly in a covered earth pit until it falls apart, then shredded onto corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and salsa. Many US kitchens reproduce it by steaming or braising beef cheek or chuck.
What is the difference between barbacoa and carnitas?
Barbacoa is steamed or pit-cooked, moist, and seasoned simply. Carnitas is simmered in fat and then crisped. Barbacoa is beef, lamb or goat; carnitas is pork. Barbacoa is tender and savoury; carnitas has crisp edges and tastes of pork fat.
What is the difference between birria and barbacoa?
Birria is stewed in a chile-and-spice liquid and served with consommé; it is saucy. Barbacoa is steamed or pit-cooked with little or no chile sauce; it is not. If there is a red broth for dipping, it is birria.
What kind of meat is barbacoa?
Traditionally lamb, goat, or beef head (cabeza). Most US restaurants use beef cheek or beef chuck, steamed until it shreds.
Is barbacoa spicy?
Not usually. It is seasoned simply (salt, sometimes bay, garlic, cumin) and cooked low and slow. The heat comes from the salsa served with it.
Last updated August 31, 2026. Venue details refresh with each data import.