Elk Barbacoa Tacos

When it comes to wild game and tacos, most people think of your typical ground game meat with taco seasoning. Don’t get me wrong — I still make those tacos too — but tacos can be so much more than that. Here’s a slow-cooked elk barbacoa taco recipe that will take taco night to the next level. It highlights the rich, lean flavor of elk with the deep, smoky warmth of traditional barbacoa spices. You can use any big game animal or store-bought red meat, but my favorite for this one is elk.

low & Slow Elk Barbacoa Tacos

Ingredients

Elk & Base Ingredients

• 2–2½ lbs cubed elk meat (shoulder, round, or stew cut). Just know that this will cook down to be much less than whatever you think. I usually take one large roast or two smaller stew packages out (especially if you want leftovers… and you will)

• 2 tbsp oil or fat (for searing) I like beef tallow, but you can use anything that will let you get a good sear (olive oil, clarified butter/ghee, etc.)

• 2 bay leaves

Barbacoa Sauce Ingredients (store bought marinade)

If you don’t want to make your own sauce, there are plenty of barbacoa marinades you can buy at your local grocery stores. I like:

• “Ya Oaxaca Adobo Marinade & Cooking Sauce Barbacoa”

• “La Tortilla Factory Barbacoa Sauce Starter”

If you buy a premade sauce, you’ll still want to grab:

• 1-2 onions chopped (I go with red. I know, I know, but just trust me)

• 1 cup of beef broth (see note below on bone broth)

• Taco seasoning (to season the meat with)

If you are ready to make your own sauce, here’s what you’ll need:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced

• 1 tbsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle can)

• 1 lime, juiced

• ½ cup beef broth (or game stock). I like bone broth the best for wild game. It adds extra flavor and fat/collagen. Use more broth if you are using a crockpot or if you want it less spicy.

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 tsp ground cumin

• 1½ tsp dried oregano

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• ½ tsp ground cloves

• 1½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

For Serving:

• Corn or flour tortillas, warmed

• Fresh cilantro, chopped

• Diced onion

• Queso fresco or cotija cheese, crumbled

• Lime wedges

• Optional: sliced radish, avocado, or pickled red onions

Instructions

1. Sear the elk (optional but not optional):

   • Heat tallow or oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

   • Lightly season your elk, either with your favorite Mexican spice blend or at a bare minimum with salt and pepper.

   • Brown the cubed elk in batches until all sides have a nice crust.

   • Transfer browned meat to the slow cooker.

   • Cook your onions in the same skillet to get all that good flavor. Add to the slow cooker once the onions are translucent.

2. Make the barbacoa sauce (obviously, skip this step if you bought a premade sauce):

   • In a bowl, combine garlic, onion, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, lime juice, beef broth, vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cloves, salt, and pepper.

   • Stir until mixed. You can also run this through a blender or food processor to get a smoother sauce.

3. Slow cook:

   There are a lot of ways you can go here, depending on the time and tools you have available to you. A Dutch oven at 200-225°F in your smoker or oven is a great choice. If you are short on time, a instapot pressure cooker will work just fine too. But for the best flavor and melt-in-your-mouth tender, you want to go Dutch oven or crockpot.

   • Pour the sauce over the elk in the slow cooker. I like to make sure the sauce barely covers the meat.

   • Add bay leaves.

   • Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours or High for 3–5 hours, or until the elk is fork-tender.

4. Shred or mash the meat:

   Classic barbacoa is shredded, but I will sometimes leave it in small cubes (if I cut it small enough when prepping before browning). If you cooked it right, it will practically shred itself.

   • Remove the bay leaves.

   • Lightly shred the elk cubes with two forks — it should fall apart easily.

   • Stir the meat back into the juices to soak up the flavor.

5. Assemble the tacos:

   • Serve the elk barbacoa with warm tortillas.

   • Top with diced onions, cilantro, cheese, and a squeeze of lime.

   • Add your favorite extras like avocado or pickled onions.

Tips & Variations

• Smokier flavor: Add a splash of mezcal or smoked salt before serving. Or do it the real way and smoke it in a Dutch oven!

• Spice level: Adjust the number of chipotles for milder or hotter tacos if you are making your own sauce. If you are using store-bought sauce, use a more diluted barbacoa marinade and bone broth in the slow cook.

• Storage: Keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.