barbacoa

noun

bar·​ba·​coa ˌbär-bə-ˈkō-ə 

plural barbacoas

: a flavorful Mexican dish of shredded meat (such as beef, lamb, or goat) made by slow-cooking the meat in a marinade

Barbacoa as we know it today evolved in Mexico, where the most classic barbacoa is made in a natural oven dug into the ground, lined with heated rocks that cook meat enclosed in agave leaves, which keep the meat moist as it cooks.

—Andee Gosnell

… lunch on … barbacoa tacos of unctuous shredded beef packed into soft corn tortillas.

—Jane and Michael Stern

also : a food item made with barbacoa

For a greasier fix, try the barbacoas: beef tacos in a fried shell.

—Erika Stark

Examples of barbacoa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The tacos brim over at this longstanding Harlem spot, a treasury of meats, among them cecina, suadero, barbacoa with caramelly edges, and the zenith, al pastor, flame-red pork shorn off the spit, with a slab of pineapple tucked in. —Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026

Sit down for barbacoa tacos at Gish Bac, run by barbacoa queen Maria Ramos; bite into crispy fish and shrimp tacos from Tacos Baja's four outposts; or pull up a red plastic stool at El Ruso, known for its carne asada. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 1 May 2026

Kristen Wile of Unpretentious Palate kindly offered me a bite of her toothsome barbacoa entree, wrapped in a collard leaf and served with mayocoba (a creamy, yellow-green canary bean) and a red and green salsa duo. —Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026

The restaurant voluntarily discarded the barbacoa. —Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado april 24, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026

Or the lamb barbacoa with a biryani tamal, kachumbari and achaar grapes. —Food Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026

Weaver let Sunday barbacoa and tortillas be his spiritual guide. —Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Feb. 2026

From barbacoa, carne asada, lengua and al pastor tacos, to gorditas filled with picadillo and carne deshebrada, plus vegetarian options, Tacos Chiwas offers an incredible array of options and flavors, served with their very own Chihuahuan twist. —Eddie Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 18 Feb. 2026

Basic meat options like fajita, chicken and pastor are priced lower, while tripe, barbacoa, tongue and chicharrón cost more. —Jhair Romero, Houston Chronicle, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Mexican Spanish, "barbecued meat, meat roasted in an earthen oven" — more at barbecue entry 2

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for barbacoa

• quinoa
• boa
• noa
• noah
• shoah
• toa
• bryozoa
• metazoa
• polyzoa
• protozoa
• spermatozoa