Barbacoa

Tender slow-cooked beef barbacoa made with beef cheeks and tongue, shredded and ready for tacos.

How I perfected this barbacoa;

Honestly, this one didn’t take me years like my pot roast! It only took a couple of tries. I was scrolling TikTok and Googling recipes, but most either didn’t use enough seasonings or they looked too dry. I was also confused about what kind of meat to use. After some research, I decided to mix beef cheeks and tongue. Everything I read said it was the perfect combo for tender, flavorful barbacoa!

Finding beef tongue was a challenge at first, I’d never seen it at the grocery store! I finally tracked one down at a local farmers market, and then, just a week later, I was at HEB and discovered that both cheeks and tongue had actually been there all along. I just never looked closely! I also experimented with the seasonings, tweaking what to add and what to leave out until it was just right. The results? Barbacoa that’s tender, juicy, and full of flavor! Just how I like it.

Cost Breakdown:

These prices reflect what I paid for the full ingredients at the store. While the recipe may only use part of some items, the cost reflects buying the full ingredients since you can not realistically purchase just a portion at the store.

• Beef Tongue- $25

• Beef Cheek- $15

• Onion- $1

• Garlic bulb- $1

• Allspice- $2.98

• Peppercorn- $2.38

• Oregano- $1.75

• Bay Leaves- $2

• Cumin- $1.25

  Total: $52.36

* Price if based off Central Texas area - March 2026.

Ingredients:

• 1 Beef Tongue

• 3 lbs Beef Cheek

• 1 ½ cups Water

• ½ Onion, chopped

• 6 Garlic Cloves

• ½ tsp Allspice

• ½ tsp Peppercorn

• ½ tsp Mexican Oregano

• 2 Bay Leaves

• ½ tsp Cumin

• 1 tsp Salt

Steps:

• Place the beef tongue, beef cheek, garlic cloves, and bay leaves into your slow cooker.

• In a separate bowl, combine the water, allspice, peppercorn, Mexican oregano, bay leaves, cumin, and salt. Stir to mix well then pour in slow cooker over the meat.

• Cover and set your slow cooker to low and let cook for 10-12 hours until meat is soft or fork tender. (Tip: I like to start before I go to bed so it is ready by breakfast)

• Remove the beef tongue from the slow cooker and let it cool slightly on the cutting board. Peel off the thick skin, which will come off easily, and roughly chop the meat. Place the meat in a bowl.

• Remove the beef cheeks and place on a cutting board. These are so tender you can shred them with your hands. No knife needed!

• Mix the tongue and cheeks together in one bowl. Your barbacoa is ready to serve!

Recipe Summary:

Prep Time: 3 mins

Cook Time: 10-12 hours

Servings: 8 people

This meal comes out to about $6.54 per serving based on Central Texas grocery prices in March 2026. Price will differ depending on what ingredients you have on hand.