Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (2024)

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Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef is the most flavorful, tender and juicy barbacoa beef that you will ever have.

The process of cooking the meat in a pressure cooker allows the meat to become super tender. And the favors of the spices makes this recipe a crowd favorite!

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (1)

I am ashamed to admit that the very first time that I tried Barbacoa was in a Chipotle Restaurant.

I absolutely love Mexican food and often frequent authentic Mexican Restaurants.

However, I rarely stray away from ordering chicken or steak fajitas.

Although the menus at most Mexican restaurants are quite extensive, and I walk in determined to order something new, I always end up ordering the usual.

But when I started going to a fast food version of a Mexican Restaurant, Chipotle, I began to try various types of protein in my burrito bowls.

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (2)

Yes, chicken and steak are my go-to menu items, but I have also tried the carnitas, sofritas, and of course Barbacoa.

So then I learned to order different menu items at the authentic, sit down restaurants.

Barbacoa

Traditionally,barbacoais made from sheep, goat or beef. It is slow cooked for hours along with various seasonings until tender.

The meat is typically shredded and served as the main filling for tacos, burritos and more!

Typically, the entire process takes many hours to prepare but it is definitely well worth the effort.

The meat is super tender, flavorful and literally melts in your mouth!

However, because it takes so long for the meat to break down and cook to perfection, we rarely made it at home.

That, of course, was until we began making Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef.

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef

Now it has become one of our favorite recipes!

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (4)

It is so easy to prepare and the meat is so flavorful that we not only use it for fillings for tacos and burritos, but also to serve it in a bowl with rice or on top of our salads.

We use a standard chuck roast for this recipe. Yes, the same cut of meat that we use for our Pot Roast recipe.

This chunk of meat comes from the shoulder and is typically slow cooked until fall apart tender.

It is the perfect cut of meat for Instant Pot Barbacoa.

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However, you must trim the exterior edges of fat so that you don’t end up with chunks of fatty meat dispersed throughout the rest of the meat.

Barbacoa Marinade

But what makes this dish so flavorful is the marinade that you cook with the beef.

A combination of ingredients, spices and flavorful liquids becomes an amazing puree that truly makes this recipe magnificent!

And as always, you can adjust the taste to your liking.

We use beer instead of beef stock. Either one will provide a rich flavor to your dish.

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Therefore, if you don’t like to cook with alcohol, stick to the stock.

And as for heat level in this recipe, we like it a little on the spicier side.

So we will use hot green chiles and a few extra chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to kick it up a notch.

However, if you like your meat with a little less heat, stick to the mild green chiles and just a couple of chipotle peppers.

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The best part is that this marinade is made in minutes using a food processor or blender.

No need to dice up your ingredients into small pieces. Simply throw chunks of the ingredients in the food processor or blender and puree until smooth.

The chunks of meat gets tossed and cooked in the liquid and becomes fall apart tender.

In fact, you can shred the meat in minutes with two forks.

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Serve on tortillas, salads, or with Mexican rice for a full meal.

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Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (9)

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Yield: 8

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (10)

The most flavorful, tender, and juicy barbacoa beef made in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. Perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas and more!

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds chuck roast, fat trimmed
  • 2/3 cup beef stock or beer
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 (4-ounce can) chopped green chiles, mild or hot
  • 2-3 chipotles in adobo sauce
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 bay leaves

Instructions

  1. Cut chuck roast into 2 inch cubes, set aside.
  2. In a food processor or blender add the stock/beer, garlic, onion, green chiles, chipotles, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
  3. Press the SAUTE button. Once the display reads HOT, add the olive oil. Add the chunks of roast and sear until browned on all sides, working in batches if necessary.
  4. Press CANCEL to turn off the heat.
  5. Add the sauce and toss with the chunks of roast to coat the meat. Add the bay leaves to the pot.
  6. Lock the lid in place and set the vent to the SEALING position.
  7. Pressure Cook/Manual on HIGH pressure for 60 minutes.
  8. After the cooking time expires, allow for 10 minutes of Natural Pressure Release. Then carefully quick release any remaining pressure by turning the valve to the VENTING position.
  9. Remove the lid and by using two forks, shred the beef.
  10. Remove the bay leaves and stir the shredded beef into the remaining liquid.
  11. Serve immediately.

Notes

Refrigerate any remaining portions or freeze for up to 6 months.
Recipe provided by Make Your Meals

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cut of beef is used for barbacoa? ›

In the US, people typically make barbacoa with chuck roast, brisket and beef cheeks. However, any cut of beef that has a lot of connective tissue and takes a long time to cook until tender works well.

Is barbacoa the same as shredded beef? ›

The word "barbacoa" refers to both the preparation of the meat and the meat itself. Barbacoa is usually cooked in a flavorful marinade and, when the meat is very tender, it is shredded before it's served.

What's the difference between beef barbacoa and beef birria? ›

In short, birria is a type of barbacoa, but barbacoa is not birria. Barbacoa is more closely related to barbecue, while birria is braised or steamed. Barbacoa is traditionally slowly steamed in its own juices with a marinade, and most barbacoa is made from beef (although lamb or mutton are also common).

What is barbacoa seasoning made of? ›

Ingredients
  • 4 dried guajillo chilies.
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds.
  • ⅛ whole cloves.
  • 1 cup boiling water.
  • ½ teaspoon ground ancho chile powder.
  • 1 large onion, quartered.
  • 6 cloves garlic.
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano.

What's the difference between barbacoa and carnitas? ›

Carnitas is a traditional Mexican dish made with pork.

This is in contrast to barbacoa, which is made with beef. Carnitas means "little meats" in Spanish. It's a slow-cooked pork dish that is simmered until it becomes tender and juicy. It's kind of like a Mexican version of pulled pork.

What cut of beef is Chipotle barbacoa? ›

Round and round we go When it comes to beef, it's not just the quality that matters - it's the cut, too. Our Barbacoa mainly comes from the shoulder, because those cuts have enough fat to keep the meat moist during our long braising method, making the end result seriously juicy and tender.

What is better barbacoa or birria? ›

The difference in the two dishes comes down to the meat. Birria is made with beef or goat meat, while barbacoa is made with beef, pork, lamb or goat. Both dishes are delicious, and you can't go wrong with either one. So, if you're looking for a tasty Mexican dish, be sure to try barbacoa at Hacienda Colorado.

Do Mexicans eat barbacoa? ›

Two main things. Barbacoa is not spicy, it's just steamed and slow cooked, sometimes in a hole, with banana leaves. It is actually not exclusively Mexican, it originated in Puerto Rico even though it's associated with Mexico today because we do make it and eat it often (Mexico is a very big country).

What meat is similar to barbacoa? ›

It is made with pork and cooked in various ways. The word “carnitas” means “l*ttle meats” in Spanish. These three dishes are very similar, but have some differences. Barbacoa can be either shredded or chopped, birria is usually shredded and served with a sauce or broth, and carnitas is usually chopped.

What type of beef is best for Mexican tacos? ›

Use flank steak. It is a lean cut of beef and is best when cooked to medium rare and thinly sliced, making it perfect for tacos. Only marinate the steak in lime juice for 30 minutes or the steak will get mushy. This is a quick and easy recipe, you don't have to marinate the steak for hours.

How is authentic barbacoa made? ›

Traditionally, barbacoa is a preparation of meat (usually sheep, goat, or beef) that is steam cooked in an underground oven until very tender and succulent. Today the term is also sometimes used for a similar preparation made on a stovetop or in a slow cooker.

Why do you cook barbacoa in the ground? ›

According to the book Pre-Hispanic Mexican Cuisine: The Food of the Ancient Mexicans, which Barbacoa Renatos has used as a source, the Mayans came up with the technique of steam-cooking meat in underground ovens, which keeps both the juices from the animal and the smoke and heat from escaping and forces them back into ...

What do you eat with barbacoa? ›

Serve barbacoa beef with salad and your choice of side (yellow rice, tortillas, black beans, Mexican street corn, etc). Enjoy! If meal prepping, divide beef and rice evenly between six meal prep containers.

What cut of beef is chipotle barbacoa? ›

Round and round we go When it comes to beef, it's not just the quality that matters - it's the cut, too. Our Barbacoa mainly comes from the shoulder, because those cuts have enough fat to keep the meat moist during our long braising method, making the end result seriously juicy and tender.

Where is barbacoa cut from? ›

In the U.S., barbacoa is often prepared with parts from the heads of cattle, such as the cheeks. In northern Mexico, it is also sometimes made from beef head, but more often it is prepared from goat meat (cabrito).

What cut of beef is used at Chipotle? ›

Steak: According to Chipotle's customer service, the “beef” in their steak could be any number of cuts including part of the loin, ball tip, round steak, flat iron steak, top butt, clod, or knuckle.

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