These easy barbacoa beef steak tacos are a great bbq dish! Healthy as well as full of flavour, it's a recipe that's perfect for the bbq this summer. But they can also be cooked inside at any time of year.
When the weather is hot like it is right now, the only foods I really want to eat are salads and barbecue dishes. These barbacoa beef steak tacos are a great combination of the two as well as being an easy summer recipe. You can cook the beef on the bbq and then serve it with loads of salad for a healthy delicious meal.
I have to admit that I cooked these inside when we couldn't have a bbq and the beef is so tasty even when cooked in a frying pan. I just know it would be a great recipe to remake when it is bbq weather.
What is barbacoa?
Barbacoa is a Mexican term used to describe meat that is cooked outside. It can be on a barbecue but more traditionally it would be steamed in a fire pit. It is usually a large piece of meat which is then shredded.
The beef in these beef tacos is not cooked traditionally but it is seasoned with barbacoa spices.
What spices are in barbacoa?
Barbacoa seasoning can vary but usually contains cumin, coriander, chilli, cloves and oregano.
For this recipe I used the Santa Maria Argeninian Barbacoa Beef Steak rub from their Latin American Kitchen range. The rub contains a mixture of seasonings including chilli pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano and ginger. It gives the meat a lovely smoky flavour even if it isn't cooked on the bbq!
What ingredients do you need for barbacoa beef steak tacos?
To make these tacos you'll need:
- Steak - I used sirloin steak but you can use any cut you prefer.
- Santa Maria Argentinian Barbacoa Beef Steak Rub - Feel free to use an alternative barbacoa seasoning mix if you can't find this one.
- Flour tortillas - I used a pack of Santa Maria Mini Coconut & Black Pepper Soft Tortillas. However, any tortillas or tacos will be fine.
- Salad vegetables - You don't have to use exactly the same as I have but we love to use green salad leaves, tomatoes, red onions and radishes. Avocado, sweet corn and spring onions are great too. Why not make this pico de gallo as well?
- Chilli peppers - A few extra chillies or pickled jalapenos are great to serve with the tacos.
- Fresh coriander (cilantro) - If you love fresh herbs then you'll definitely need a bit of coriander.
- Sour cream - This is also completely optional but great for serving with the tacos. You can replace it with mayonnaise.
- Limes - These are optional but a bit of lime juice sqeezed over the top really makes these tacos come alive
How to prepare the barbacoa beef steak tacos
Prepare any toppings for the tacos first as the beef cooks very quickly.
The beef is then so simple to cook. Just rub the seasoning in well and cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Or a little longer for a well done steak.
You can cook the beef outside on a bbq or inside in a frying pan or griddle pan.
What toppings can you use for these tacos
I've mentioned a few toppings already but you can definitely tweak the toppings to suit your tastes. If you have slightly picky children like I do then having a wide range of toppings to choose from helps to keep everyone happy. Here are a few ideas:
- Salad leaves and salad vegetables - tomatoes, cucumber, onion
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Chilli peppers, pickled chillies such as jalapenos
- Crumbled cheese such as feta or Mexican cotija cheese if you can get hold of it.
- Chilli sauces, tomato salsa or pico de gallo
- Sour cream or mayonnaise
- Fresh herbs, especially coriander (cilantro)
- Limes wedges
What can you do with the leftovers?
Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to three days. You can then put the beef in a taco, a sandwich or a wrap.
The leftover barbacoa beef is also great just in a salad.
The Santa Maria Latin American Kitchen Range
The Santa Maria Latin American Kitchen range includes seasoning mixes, sauces, rice, tortillas, toppings and sides. It's a "Mix and Match" range with everything designed to work together and above all, keep everyone in the family happy!
I'd definitely recommend the Barbacoa Beef Steak Rub along with the other products in the range. Sometimes life is busy and even if you want to cook from scratch, using a sauce or seasoning mix just gives you a little extra time on days when there are so many other things to do.
We all enjoyed the coconut taste of the Mini Coconut and Black Pepper Tortillas. Also, after really enjoying the Santa Maria Cuban Chilli Sofrito sauce I'm now looking forward to trying the Caribbean Pineapple and Chilli Sticky Sauce as well as the Peruvian Garlic and Tomato Sauce. They'll be perfect for busy weeknights.
More Taco Recipes
Why not try one of these taco recipes next time you fancy a taco night?
Recipe
Barbacoa Beef Steak Tacos
Ingredients
- 500 g sirloin steak
- 28 g Sachet of Santa Maria Argentinian Barbacoa Beef Steak Rub
- 8 flour tortillas I used a pack of Santa Maria Mini Coconut & Black Pepper Soft Tortillas
- 200 g Mixed green salad leaves or chopped lettuce
- 4 tomatoes sliced
- 1 red onion sliced
- 10 radishes thinly sliced
- 2 chilli peppers sliced
- 20 g coriander roughly chopped
- 50 ml Sour cream
- Limes optional to serve
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
- Rub the barbacoa beef steak rub seasoning into the steaks
- Fry the steaks on each side for about 3 minutes or 4 minutes for well done
- Let the steaks rest for five minutes before slicing them into strips
- Warm the tortillas according to the pack instructions
- Put all the toppings on the table so everyone can make their own tacos depending on how they like them.
Notes
Nutrition
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make these barbacoa beef steak tacos. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Santa Maria but all recipes and opinions are my own.
Beth
Oh, you knew my favorite food group! (Mexican!) These tacos look delicious!
Corina
Mexican food is so tasty, isn't it? I could eat these all the time at the moment!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
This barbacoa beef looks so delicious! I love tacos and barbacoa! Great recipe. Can't wait to try it!
Corina
Thanks Elaine! We really enjoyed these and I'll definitely be making them again soon.
Angela @ Allergy Free Angela
I love steak tacos and these look delicious! 🙂
Corina
Thanks Angela!
Patty @pattysaveurs.com
Looks so delicious Corina! It's 10 minutes to noon and you made me so hungry! 🙂
Corina
That's always good to hear! I also get so hungry when reading other blog posts!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
Ah yes, tacos are one of my favorite summery meals! Your steak looks perfectly cooked and succulent. Those marrow bones with sofrito sauce sound decadent and delish too!
Corina
I'm so pleased you like the tacos! I have to admit that the marrow recipe is not bone marrow, we call overgrown zucchinis 'marrows'. After a few comments I'm realising that 'marrow' must just be the word we use for them in the UK.
Charla @ That Girl Cooks Healthy
The recipe and food styling is super, wouldn't mind eating all of those tacos.
Corina
Thanks so much Charla - I'm so pleased you like it!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
I love the idea of using a spice rub to help me get dinner on the table faster. This is what I need for the busy first few weeks of school!
Corina
Yes, and for me it has been perfect in the last weeks of school! Last day for my daughter tomorrow and I am so looking forward to spending more time with her in the holidays!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
The beef barbacoa looks amazing, but I have a question about the marrow... Your marrow looks like a vegetable and you mention seeds... The only marrow I've heard of is bone marrow that you get in beef bones (literally IN beef bones) So tell me what you're talking about!
Corina
I had no idea until this post that marrows are not called marrows in the US! A marrow is a big overgrown courgette (zucchini) often about a foot long. We also call the marrow in bones 'bone marrow' but that is definitely not what I am talking about here!
Monica | Nourish & Fete
I'm with you on the benefits of grilling while it's so hot out! These look extra delicious - love all those bright colors!
Corina
Thanks Monica! I was really pleased with how the pictures turned out, although I have to say it's so much easier to get a good shot when the food is bright and colourful!
Jenn
Tacos are always a good idea.
Are you calling the eggplant "marrow"? I've never heard of that before.
Corina
Tacos are great, aren't they? We call eggplants "aubergines". Marrows are overgrown courgettes. You probably call courgettes "zucchinis" but I don't know what you call the really big ones. I'd love to know if they are zucchinis too or maybe just squash?
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
Oooh yum these sound lovely! I do love the sound of that Barbacoa Beef Steak Rub - so my kind of flavours! It looks like a great range. I keep hearing things about Latin America being the next big foodie trend!! I haven't cooked much Latin American food, but I do make a Brazilian Feijoada which is AMAZING!! Thanks for linking this up to #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x
Corina
I love Latin AMerican flavours or at least the food I've had - I need to learn more about it! They are supposed to be the next foodie trend. I tend to cook a lot of Mexican inspired meals but still don't know enough about food in the rest of Latin America. I'll have to have a look at your Brazilian Feijoada! x
Jo @ Jo's Kitchen Larder
Mmmm, both recipes look lovely but the steak tacos ... Perfection! Your photos are beautiful and steak cooked just as I like it too! These look like great products and what a variety too! x
Corina
Thanks Jo! I'm so pleased you like the photos - I've started using the camera on manual instead of auto recently and trying my best to understand the different settings. The products are great and since writing this post we've also tried the Peruvian garlic and tomato sauce and that was really tasty too! x
Mimi
Tacos NEVER fail to make my mouth water... these sounds delicious! xx
Corina
Thanks Mimi! Such an easy meal too which is always a bonus x