This Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef recipe is an ideal weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing option for Taco Tuesday. It requires about 15 minutes of prep, then the pressure cooker does the rest—dinner is ready in just over an hour.
If you enjoy Instant Pot recipes, try the Instant Pot Pork Carnitas or Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken for more easy meals.
What Is Barbacoa, Exactly?
Barbacoa is a traditional Mexican approach to cooking meats like beef, lamb, or goat until they are tender and flavorful. While historically the meat was steam-cooked underground, today barbacoa is commonly made over an open fire, on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in a pressure cooker. The meat is cooked in a seasoned liquid that becomes a savory broth; the cooked meat is shredded and served in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or simply over rice.
What’s the Difference Between Barbacoa and Carnitas?
Carnitas are traditionally made from pork that is braised and then finished at high heat to develop crisp, caramelized edges while staying juicy inside. Barbacoa differs primarily in the proteins used and the cooking style: barbacoa can be made with beef, lamb, goat, or pork and focuses on slow, moist cooking to yield shreddable, saucy meat.
Ingredients
- Chuck roast – 2 pounds, fat trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
- Beef broth – 3/4 cup (low-sodium recommended)
- Chipotles in adobo – 3–4 peppers, use the peppers only for heat and smoky flavor
- Diced green chilies – 4-ounce can
- Fresh lime juice – 1/4 cup
- Apple cider vinegar – 3 tablespoons
- Spices – 3 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, plus salt and fresh-cracked black pepper to taste
How To Make Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef
- Sear the beef: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and heat a little oil. Add the chuck roast cubes and brown for 2–3 minutes per side until golden. Turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Pour in the beef broth, chipotles in adobo (peppers only), diced green chilies, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and all the dry seasonings. Stir to combine.
- Pressure cook: Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on HIGH for 60 minutes.
- Shred the beef: Allow the pressure to naturally release. Carefully remove the lid and shred the meat—shredding in the pot keeps things simple and captures the juices.
- Serve: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shredded beef to warm tortillas, into burritos, over rice, or in enchiladas. Reserve the cooking broth to drizzle over the meat or save for another use.
Tips for making Instant Pot barbacoa beef
- Turn up the heat: Add cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, or diced jalapeños if you prefer more spice.
- Tomato option: For a tomato-forward flavor, stir in fire-roasted canned tomatoes with their juice.
- Reduce the broth: After removing the meat, use the SAUTE function to reduce the cooking liquid in the Instant Pot or simmer in a skillet until thickened. Spoon over the shredded beef or rice for extra richness.
Taco Topping Suggestions
- Chipotle corn salsa
- Homemade guacamole
- Pico de gallo
- Quick pickled red onions
- Black bean and corn salsa
- Salsa verde
Side Dishes To Serve With Barbacoa Tacos
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Spanish Rice -
Mexican Cauliflower Rice
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Refried Black Beans
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Confetti Creamed Corn
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Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
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Instant Pot Spanish Rice
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store leftover barbacoa in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm frozen or chilled barbacoa in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of reserved broth or water to keep it moist.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes To Try
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Instant Pot Butter Chicken
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Instant Pot Beefaroni
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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
-
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
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Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck roast, fat trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup beef broth
- 3-4 chipotles in adobo, peppers only
- 4 ounce can diced green chilies
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
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Sear beef: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, heat oil, and brown the chuck roast cubes for 2–3 minutes per side. Turn the Instant Pot off.
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Add ingredients and combine: Pour in beef broth, chipotles, green chilies, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, and the dry seasonings. Stir to combine. Cover and pressure cook on HIGH for 60 minutes.
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Shred beef: Allow pressure to naturally release, remove the lid, and shred the meat in the pot.
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Serve: Use a slotted spoon to transfer shredded beef to tortillas, burritos, or rice. Spoon reserved broth over the meat if desired.
Nutrition Information
Carbohydrates: 7 g
Protein: 30 g
Fat: 18 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Sodium: 396 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Did You Make This?
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