This simple and delicious Barbacoa Venison is a great way to turn those tougher cuts of meat into juicy, flavorful tacos.
What is Barbacoa Venison?
Barbacoa is a Mexican dish typically reserved for tougher cuts of meat that require slow cooking. Traditionally this recipe uses beef, but it also works great with venison roasts. Although it is technically time-consuming, it is very simple to prepare. Barbacoa is also great option for large gatherings and is often a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients for Barbacoa Venison Taco
- venison roast
- chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Mexene chili powder
- beef broth
- minced garlic
- butter
- Avocado or olive oil
- onion
- cilantro
- Fresh limes
- Corn tortillas
How to make Barbacoa Venison
Cut the roast into chunks. Cut your roast into roughly 3-4 inch cubes.
Season the Roast. Rub the venison roast chunks with a liberal amount of Mexene Chili Powder.
Brown the Roast. Coat a cast iron skillet with oil and sear all sides of the roast chunks.
Add Ingredients to Crock Pot. Add the browned roast chunks, sliced onion, minced garlic, and peppers to crock pot.
Cook Low and Slow. Place the crock pot on low and allow to cook for 8-9 hours.
Shred, Dice, and Serve. Shred the meat, dice all ingredients, and serve on warm tortilla shells. Top with fresh lime juice, chopped onions and cilantro, and cheese.
Tips for the Best Barbacoa Venison Tacos
Sear the venison roast. Searing the roast before adding it to the crock pot is a critical step for both flavor and texture. Don’t skip this.
Dice the shredded venison. The next critical step is at the end of the process. A lot of recipes just recommend shredding the meat and that does work. However, I find that this makes for a sloppier eating experience. Remove the venison from the pot and place on a cutting board. Shred the roast and then dice the meat in a cross-cut method (right to left, then bottom to top). This allows you to take clean bites without pulling meat and toppings out of the taco and creating such a mess.
Top with fresh ingredients. I like to use shredded cheese, fresh chopped onions and cilantro, and a squeeze of lime on these tacos. The meat has plenty of flavor so I don’t find the need for any sauces.
Barbacoa Venison Tacos
Ingredients
- 2lb venison roast
- 1, 7 oz can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- Mexene chili powder
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ½ stick of butter
- 2 tbsp Avocado or olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 sprig cilantro
- Corn tortillas
- Fresh limes
- Shredded Mexican-Style cheese
Instructions
- Cut your roast into roughly 3-4 inch cubes and rub
the chunks with a liberal amount of Mexene Chili Powder. - Add approximately 2 tbsp of avocado oil (or olive oil) to a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear rubbed roast cubes on each side.
- Add the roast, 1/2 sliced onion, 1 tsp of minced garlic, and the can of chipotle peppers to the crock pot. Place the crock pot on low and allow to cook for 8-9 hours.
- Once the meat is done cooking, remove the roast, peppers, and onions (leaving any juices) to a cutting board. Shred and dice the meat along with the onions and peppers before adding back to the pot.
- Heat your tortillas in a cast iron skillet for roughly 20-30 seconds on each side.
- Dice the remaining half onion with cilantro. Cut a lime into wedges.
- Add the barbacoa to the warm tortillas. Top with diced onions and cilantro, shredded cheese, and fresh squeezed lime juice. Enjoy!
