Barbacoa de Res Barbacoa is similar to Birria. Barbacoa sauce is thicker and slowly cooked while birria is boiled or steamed. And most Barbacoa is traditionally slowly braised in its own juices is made from beef like cheek or a beef cut that is high on fat. Yes, originally birria is made with goat but the beautiful law of being in your own kitchen is that you can explore be adventurous and make birria out of any piece of meat you desire. My mom makes turkey birria for Thanksgiving’s and now it’s