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
Andee Gosnell… lunch on … barbacoa tacos of unctuous shredded beef packed into soft corn tortillas.—Jane and Michael Stern
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
Erika Stark Examples of barbacoa in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The annual Barbacoa & Big Red Festival happens on the former Freeman Coliseum grounds every autumn, and this event gives local chefs the chance to show off their barbacoa-making skills (with plenty of Big Red on-hand to wash it down, of course).
—Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
And at El Borrego Negro, Avila’s adjacent Mexican barbacoa concept and puleque bar, customers can order the huitlacoche quesadillas for only $13.
—Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Favorites include flautas with chipotle sauce, barbacoa tacos and huevos rancheros.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Sep. 2025
The menu includes tacos, tortas, carnitas, barbacoa, chicharrón, quesadillas, burritos, tamales, pupusas, menudo and guiso del dia, or stew of the day — all made with fresh ingredients and meats.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
People heaped their plates with barbacoa, Mexican rice, refried beans, and flour tortillas.
—Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Pudgy, tender sopes are piled with mounds of lamb barbacoa.
—Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
In Mexico, barbacoa is traditionally prepared in an underground fire pit and seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, cloves, salt, pepper and various Mexican chilies such as guajillo and ancho.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
On weekends, the restaurant offered roast lamb barbacoa by the pound.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 2 Aug. 2025
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Taylor Tobin, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
And at El Borrego Negro, Avila’s adjacent Mexican barbacoa concept and puleque bar, customers can order the huitlacoche quesadillas for only $13.
—Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2025
Favorites include flautas with chipotle sauce, barbacoa tacos and huevos rancheros.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Sep. 2025
The menu includes tacos, tortas, carnitas, barbacoa, chicharrón, quesadillas, burritos, tamales, pupusas, menudo and guiso del dia, or stew of the day — all made with fresh ingredients and meats.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
People heaped their plates with barbacoa, Mexican rice, refried beans, and flour tortillas.
—Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Pudgy, tender sopes are piled with mounds of lamb barbacoa.
—Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors, Bon Appetit Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
In Mexico, barbacoa is traditionally prepared in an underground fire pit and seasoned with cumin, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, cloves, salt, pepper and various Mexican chilies such as guajillo and ancho.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
On weekends, the restaurant offered roast lamb barbacoa by the pound.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Barbacoa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbacoa. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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