Name: Wagyu barbacoa tacos with guajillo sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 300 min
Total time: 330 min
Yield: 8 to 10, about 20 small tacos
Ingredients: 5 pounds Boneless Wagyu inside round, cut into 3-inch chunks; beef chuck roast is a practical alternative; 8 grams (about 3 teaspoons Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste Kosher salt; start here because prepared chile paste contains salt; 2 tablespoons Beef tallow or lard; 300 grams (about 2 medium) Onions, finely chopped; 3 whole Dried bay leaves, to remove after cooking; 2 cups, plus more as needed Low-sodium chicken bone broth or beef broth, divided; 1 pouch (7 ounces / about 200 grams) Guajillo paste, such as Tres Cocinas; see dried-chile option below; 8 cloves Garlic, peeled; 2 tablespoons, plus more to finish Apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons Dried Mexican oregano; 1 teaspoon Ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves; 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper; About 20 Small corn tortillas, warmed; As desired Pickled red onions, pickled jalapeños, chopped cilantro or green onion; Optional Lime wedges and crumbled or shredded cheese

Wagyu barbacoa tacos with guajillo sauce

Slow-braised beef in a rich guajillo sauce, with stovetop and Dutch oven methods. Save the braising juices for juicy tacos, rice bowls or crisp tacos with broth for dipping.

Published Sep 30, 2026

Servings

8 to 10, about 20 small tacos

Total time

About 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours with prepared paste

Alejandra's barbacoa

The guajillo sauce is what makes these tacos. Alejandra is from Michoacán, Mexico, and she shared a phenomenal barbacoa recipe with us. We made it with Wagyu beef, softened the onions in the pot and let everything cook slowly on the stovetop.

Guajillo gives the beef a rich chile flavor without making heat the whole story. That's a nice place to start when you're cooking for kids. Chiles and prepared pastes can vary, though, so taste your sauce.

I've used Tres Cocinas guajillo paste, which I've bought on Amazon. Dried guajillos work too. Soak them until they're soft, then blend them into the sauce. The onions stay in the pot. Everything else comes together in the blender, with a little chicken bone broth to get it moving.

That broth is gold

Do not throw away the juices. Shred the beef right back into them. Then taste it. A little salt and a small splash of apple cider vinegar can be the difference between good and exactly where you want it.

Tacos are just the beginning. Put this in enchiladas, pile it on nachos or build a rice-and-bean bowl. Don't forget the pickled red onions and jalapeños.

And if you want to have some fun, use the rich broth for crisp, birria-style tacos. A quick dip for the tortilla, beef inside, then into the skillet. Save a little hot broth for dunking. It's so good.

Instructions

Build the sauce and pot

If using dried chiles, start with the option in the notes below. Otherwise, use the prepared paste directly.
Blend the guajillo paste, garlic, 2 tablespoons vinegar, oregano, cumin, thyme, cloves and pepper with 1/2 cup of the measured broth until very smooth. Add another splash of the measured broth only if needed to keep the blender moving. Keep the onions and whole bay leaves out of the blender.
Melt the tallow in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring, until softened. Do not rush them.
Season the beef with the measured salt. Add it to the pot with the sauce, bay leaves and remaining broth. Turn the chunks to coat. The liquid should come roughly halfway up the beef in a snug pot. Add a little more broth if needed. This version does not require searing the beef.
Bring to a gentle simmer, then choose one cooking method below.

Stovetop method

Cover tightly and reduce the heat to maintain a very gentle simmer, with only an occasional bubble. Avoid a hard boil.
Cook for about 4 to 5 hours. Turn the beef and gently scrape the bottom after about 2 hours, then check periodically. Add a splash of hot broth or water if the sauce is getting too thick or catching.
Begin testing a large piece after about 3 1/2 hours. A fork should twist easily and separate the fibers. If it resists, cover and keep cooking, checking every 30 minutes. The cut and chunk size matter more than the clock.
Continue with the finishing steps below.

Dutch oven method

Heat the oven to 300°F. Once the assembled pot reaches a gentle simmer on the stove, cover tightly and transfer it to the oven.
Cook for about 4 to 5 hours, turning the beef and checking the liquid after about 2 hours. Add a splash of hot broth or water if needed to keep the sauce from drying out.
Begin checking a large piece after about 3 1/2 hours. It is ready when a fork twists easily and the meat pulls apart. Keep cooking in 30-minute increments if it still resists.
Continue with the finishing steps below.

Shred and taste to finish

Lift the tender beef into a bowl. Remove and discard all the bay leaves. Keep the liquid in the pot.
If the broth tastes watery, simmer it uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes to concentrate it. Stop while it is still loose enough for dipping, not a thick glaze. If already rich and well seasoned, skip the reduction.
Taste the broth. Add salt in small pinches, then apple cider vinegar a teaspoon at a time if it needs brightness. Prepared pastes vary in salt, so taste before adding more.
Reserve some broth if making dipping tacos. Shred the beef with two forks and return it to the remaining juices. Let it gently warm together for about 10 minutes. Taste the meat with its sauce and adjust salt or vinegar once more.
Serve in warm tortillas with pickled onions, jalapeños and herbs. Keep the beef juicy as you serve it.

Wagyu barbacoa tacos with guajillo sauce

Alejandra's barbacoa

That broth is gold