Spice up dinner in a fraction of the time with this Beef Barbacoa in the Instant Pot! Chipotle and cumin make this perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas and more!
I can never say no to a good taco, especially when this Beef Barbacoa is involved! Some other great taco fillings are this Pork Carnitas or this Chipotle Shredded Beef.
I could eat Mexican food 3 nights a week and not get sick of it. I really do think that tacos are my love language.
So give me a tender, spice-filled beef that is easy enough to make on a weeknight, and I’m sold!
This does take longer than 30 minutes, but by using the Instant Pot, you get a tender meat in 2 hours instead of 10. And most of that time is totally hands off.
I also love that it really can be used for so many different things. Although I’ll almost always choose tacos!
What is Beef Barbacoa?
Typically, barbacoa is beef that has been slow cooked with chipotle in adobo and other spices. While the beef is usually slow cooked until it is super tender, in this version, we cut out some of that time and effort by using the Instant Pot. That way you get long cooked results in only a portion of the time!
The ingredients will vary region to region. This instant pot beef barbacoa may not be authentic barbacoa, but it is an easy way for the home cook to make it for dinner!
Ingredients
Here is what I put in my version!
Chuck Roast: Chuck roast is my favorite to use for this recipe. It has a good amount of marbling, which gives you tender beef once it is finished cooking. You could also use beef spare ribs, but I always go for the chuck roast.
Oil: You’ll use this to brown your beef. I use vegetable, but olive oil or another oil of your choice should work.
Onion & Garlic: These are for flavor – don’t skip them!
Cumin & Oregano: There aren’t a lot of seasonings in this recipe, but these both give the meat good flavor.
Broth: I use beef broth. You could also use stock, but I don’t think that’s necessary for this recipe. You don’t want to skip this, though, because the Instant Pot needs the liquid to be able to come to pressure correctly.
Chipotle Chiles: You can buy Chipotle Peppers in Adobo at most grocery stores these days. They come in a small tin. They are smoked jalapeno peppers covered in a rich adobo sauce. I like to remove the seeds because it can get too hot for my kids, but if you like the heat, you can keep the seeds in. You can add more chiles for more heat, as well.
Lime Juice: This is to brighten everything up!
Apple Cider Vinegar: This is to bring a little bit of acidity into the meat. It only takes a little bit – if you don’t like the vinegar, you could totally leave this out, as well.
Salt & Pepper: You always want to make sure it is seasoned well.
Cloves & Bay Leaves: These are for even more flavor! You only need a tiny amount of cloves to make an impact.
How to Make Beef Barbacoa
This barbacoa recipe is super simple!
- Start by browning the beef in chunks. This will give the final dish more flavor and texture.
- Cook the onion and garlic until they are soft, then add in the rest of your ingredients. Add the beef back into the Instant Pot.
- Lock the lid, then cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. Allow the pot to naturally release.
- Once cooked, remove the beef from the Instant Pot with tongs, then shred the meat with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the Instant Pot to allow it to soak up some of that liquid in the pot.
Now it’s ready to be served! Here are some ways I like to use it:
- In tacos with some red onion, cilantro and lime juice.
- Use it in burritos.
- It makes a great filling for enchiladas.
- Make a burrito bowl with the beef, rice, cheese, and veggies.
More Mexican Inspired Recipes
Chicken Chimichanga Recipe
Beef Enchilada Casserole
White Chicken Enchiladas
Smothered Chicken Burritos
Tres Leches Cake
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Barbacoa Beef – Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 pound chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 cup beef broth
- 2-4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce minced (remove seeds for less heat)
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Cut the roast into 4-6 large chunks, removing any large pieces of fat.
- Press saute on the Instant Pot and add the vegetable oil. Once it is hot, add half of the roast chunks. Brown completely on each side. Remove to a plate and brown the second half of the meat. Remove from the Instant Pot.
- With the Instant Pot still on saute, add the onion and cook until it starts to become translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and oregano and cook an additional minute. Pour in the broth, chipotle chiles, lime juice, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, cloves and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then add the roast back into the Instant Pot.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and lock. Select high pressure and 60 minutes.
- When the pot beeps, allow the pressure to manually release. Once the pin has dropped, remove the lid and, using a set of tongs, remove the meat from the instant pot to a cutting board. Use 2 forks to shred the beef. Once shredded, return to the Instant Pot and stir to coat the meat in the leftover juices.
- Serve in tacos, burritos, bowls, or whatever your heart desires!
Nina Davis says
Dear Deborah, I followed your instructions exactly as the recipe said and I cooked it for exactly 65 minutes in the Instant Pot. Perfection! Mouth watering barbacoa and it was so easy to make! Thank you so much for this great recipe!
Deborah says
Thanks, Nina – I’m so glad it was a hit!
Sasha Jamison says
This was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly and made no changes. Another one of your recipes has pleased my family. Thank you for sharing!
Lana says
Can this recipe be made in a crockpot or Dutch oven. I’m trying to avoid getting another appliance in my kitchen. I know everyone raves about the instant pot but would like to see if there’s another option.
Deborah says
I’m sure it could be! I haven’t tried it myself so I couldn’t say times, but it should translate to the Dutch oven or crockpot fairly well.
Lapu says
I cant tell what to do with the apple cider vinegar
Deborah says
You add it in in the same step where you add the broth.
kiran says
i made this recipe yesterday and it was so good.i definitely recommend it. This looks absolutely fabulous, and I love that it’s so easy to make!
Deborah says
I’m so glad you liked it!
coco says
I just bought my first insta pot and this was my first recipe I made. This was absolutely delicious! I used a pot roast cut of beef about 2.5 lbs for the 4 of us and had some leftover. The flavors are fabulous and the recipe is so easy to make! Thanks so much for sharing. It was a big hit!
Deborah says
I’m so glad your first Instant Pot recipe was a hit! You’ll love having it!
Lisa Hoffman says
Approximately how long does it take for the pot to naturally release?
Faye says
You say, “Allow the pressure to manually release.” I’m not sure what you mean by that. Do you mean to manually release the pressure (i.e. quick release) or to allow the pressure to release naturally?
Deborah says
I am so sorry about that – that was the worst instruction ever! I have changed it in the recipe card, but you will let the pressure naturally release. Thanks for bringing that to my attention!
Charlene Blengino says
Holy Chipotle! This was delicious! A huge hit with the hubby who said this recipe is “Money!”
Deborah says
Love it!!
Debby Hurtado says
This goes into my favorites menu ! Full of flavor…I’m still thinking about it hours later. I made it into a bowl dish with rice, red kidney beans, corn, avocado pieces and topped with cilantro and a dash of lime juice over top. It did not need salsa..
Dan says
Really great recipe! Thanks!
I’ve been cooking this in my Instant Pot (following recipe exactly…with a little more garlic and lime juice 😉 ) and it just comes out perfect every time.
I’ve made this about 6-8 times now, and I have experimented with several different cuts of meat. London Broil, Chuck Roast, & bone roast, Tri Tip, etc.
You choose which sounds best, because they were all delicious, and I couldn’t choose a favorite if I tried.
For leaner cuts, look for marbling that will render into a delicious, moist, potroast-like flavor. For fattier roasts, trim off a bit of the blubber and save a bit of time when it’s time to shred. Don’t worry, it’ll still be moist.
I like to shred the meat on in a large shallow bowl and then pour some of the cooking liquid into it.
(*tip: Use a stock/gravy separator to skim off a good bit of the fat. Then use the delicious ‘jus’ to moisten the meat. Also, save a little and use the next day when warming up leftovers!)
After that my barbacoa goes on little street taco sized flour tortillas with avo slices, cilantro, and some red onions! Oh, and I discovered that it ROCKS on toasted cibatta rolls with some cheese, too.
Simple, delicious, and really easy to make enough to graze on throughout the week (my wife LOVES this, so I have to make ~3lbs when I cook it, lol.) I really dig this recipe, and have put it into our weekly rotation.
Deborah says
I’m so glad you love it (and your wife, too!) and I love the tips you shared!
Denise Gendreau says
Looks great, id serve with rice and mild guacamole.
Bianca says
Hi, how long should I cook it if I’m doubling the recipe? Thanks!
Teresa Caldwell says
Can a bottom round roast be used in place of the chuck?
Deborah says
You could definitely sub it in, but I tried several different cuts of beef and the chuck was by far our favorite. But others will work as well!
Maria says
I just served this for a party of 35! Everyone was raving about this dish! I doubled the recipe and made it three times. Thank you!
Deborah says
Wow – I feel so honored that it was a hit! Thanks so much, Maria!
Jenny says
Very tasty, I used a 2.5 lb Chuck roast and the flavor was great without changing anything else. I used 3 Chipotle peppers with the seeds but I almost felt like 4 with the seeds would have been even better (and I don’t usually like spicy at all). Great recipe! Can’t wait to make it again when I have friends over or for a potluck ☺️
Jenny says
What will happen if I quick release instead? Will the meat not be as moist?
Anonymous says
Excellent instant pot recipe. I don’t like to stir the shredded meat back into the pot as that seems too greasy. So I did my usual adaptation: put shredded meat in broiling pan, spoon some of the sauce over it, then put it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Perfect combination of moist but not greasy. Save some of the liquid to spoon over leftover s for the next night.