This Easy Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa Recipe is hearty and rich, smoky and saucy, and all kinds of delicious!! It takes a fraction of the time to cook in the Instant Pot compared to other methods and shreds effortlessly. It’s perfect for tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, tostadas, or enjoy it straight-up with a fork!
If you're insterested in more Intant Pot Mexican food recipes try my Instant Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken, Instant Pot Pork Carnitas, and my Instant Pot Refried Beans.
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This post has been updated since its original publish date in June 2019.
Several years ago I created a Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa recipe. That was before I embraced the Instant Pot trend. It was so tender, juicy, a little spicy, and super flavorful!
The only downside to that barbacoa beef recipe was that it took several hours to slow cook in the crockpot.
But not anymore…
I give you... Easy Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa!
The meat is super tender with the most delicious smoky flavor from the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, garlic, and cumin.
And it’s pot-to-table in 2 hours. Plus, most of that time is hands-off cooking.
And this is why we lovingly refer to the Instant Pot as the “Miracle Pot” in our house!
What is Barbacoa?
“Barbacoa” is often said to be the grandfather of modern-day BBQ. It was initially made with beef tongue and beef cheek meat, or even whole sheep.
Believed to have originated in Barbados, it was a method of slow-cooking marinated hunks of meat (wrapped in fire-resistant fig branches) over an open fire or cooked in a hole dug in the ground.
But not today!
We’re all modern and fancy and using a beef roast and our Instant Pot.
What can I say? Times change – and I’m totally ok with that! (I’m sure the original beef barbacoa was delicious, but I’ll pass on the beef tongue.😛)
So you may be wondering… what cut of meat to use for this barbacoa beef recipe?
I’m so glad you asked!
What Type of Beef Do You Use in Beef Barbacoa?
Several cuts of beef would work for this Instant Pot Barbacoa... bottom round, top round, or chuck roast. I prefer the bottom or top round roast. Here’s why...
- Hearty Texture: The texture of the meat is heartier but still amazingly tender. It stays together in thick strands and doesn’t just become one big ball of shredded meat yarn.
- Saves Time: There is very little fat and connective tissue marbled throughout the meat as apose to chuck roast. Normally you would want to remove some of it. And since you don't have to it saves a reasonable amount of time when prepping the roast.
- Healthier: And, since these cuts are leaner they are healthier as well. #nailedit
FYI - When I make Beef Barbacoa in the slow cooker, my go-to cut is a chuck roast. Since it’s a more fatty cut it seems to do well with a long slow cooking time.
Ingredients Needed:
The Beef Roast:
- 3.5 pound boneless beef roast (bottom or top round is my preferred cut for this recipe but chuck roast works too.)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Barbacoa Sauce:
- 6 large cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons cumin
- 3 chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce chopped finely (5 peppers if you like it spicy.)
- 2 tablespoons Adobo Sauce
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 8 ounces beef stock
The Sauce Thickener (optional):
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons room temp water
How about we take a few minutes and talk about how to cook barbacoa beef?
How to Cook Beef Barbacoa?
First, I add all the ingredients for the sauce together and use my immersion blender to puree it until it’s smooth.
Next, I trim the visible fat off the roast and cut it into 4-inch x 4-inch pieces of meat. I season the meat with salt and pepper and drizzle on a little olive oil to coat.
Then I turn my Instant Pot to saute mode (hot) and allow it to heat up.
Add olive oil to the inner pot and start browning the meat in two batches for 1-2 minutes a side. Remove the meat and pour the sauce into the inner pot, then work the brown bits off the bottom ultimately. (This will ensure you don’t get the burn notice.)
Add the meat back in and pressure cook it on high pressure for 60 minutes. I allow it to release pressure naturally for 25 minutes. Then finish with a quick release, remove the lid, and turn the pot off.
Then finish with a quick release, remove the lid, and turn the pot off.
Now, remove the meat and shred it.
At this point, you can drizzle the sauce over your meat and toss it together.
Or, if you like a thicker sauce then turn the IP to saute mode and make a slurry of cool water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk it into the sauce and simmer until it thickens – about 3 minutes. Next, pour it over the meat and toss together.
Storing, Reheating and Freezing:
How to Store It:
Store any leftover beef barbacoa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The flavors get even better the next day!
How to Reheat It:
Reheat the instant pot barbacoa in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add a splash of the sauce or beef stock if it seems dry.
Can You Freeze It?
Absolutely! Store the barbacoa beef in an airtight container or freezer bag, and it’ll keep for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat when you’re ready to enjoy it again.
What to Serve with Barbacoa Beef:
- All the toppings: There's guacamole, avocado, pico de gallo, salsa, salsa verde, fresh or jarred Jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese and crumbled cotija cheese.
- Corn or Flour Tortillas: Soft and warm, they’re perfect for making tacos or burritos with Barbacoa.
- Mexican Rice: Mexican rice is a perfect companion to Barbacoa.
- Refried Beans: Try my Homemade Refried Beans on the stovetop or my Instant Pot Refried Bean recipe. They're creamy and rich, and a nice contrast to the zesty barbacoa.
- Black Beans: Simple yet flavorful, black beans are a staple side dish that pairs well with Barbacao Beef.
- Pickled Red Onions: (My favorite!) They add a tangy crunch that goes great with the tender zesty meat.
- Corn Salad: Corn any way you serve it pairs great with Barbacoa. Try my Jalapeño Cilantro Mexican Corn Salad or my Mexican Street Corn Salad.
- Side Salad: Easy to put together and it keeps it low-carb.
FAQ's
- Can I use frozen beef for this recipe? Yes, you can use frozen beef but only if the roast is already cut into large chunks. You'll need to cook it longer about 90 minutes on high pressure.
- How spicy is this Beef Barbacoa Recipe? The spice level is moderate, mainly from the chipotle pepper. If you prefer less heat, you can reduce the amount of chipotle or replace it with smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Can I make this recipe without an Instant Pot? Yes, you can make Beef Barbacoa in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. For a slow cooker, cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. On the stovetop, simmer the beef for 2-3 hours, or until tender.
- What can I use as a substitute for chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? If you can’t find chipotle peppers, you can use smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper. It won’t have the same flavor, but it will add a nice smoky heat.
- How do I know when the beef is done? The beef is done when it’s tender enough to easily shred with a fork. If it’s still tough, cook it for an additional 10-15 minutes under high pressure.
- Can I make this barbacoa beef recipe ahead of time? Yes! Beef Barbacoa tastes even better the second day. Make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, or freeze it.
- What’s the best way to shred the beef? The easiest way is to use two forks.
This barbacoa beef recipe is truly something special… hearty, rich, and smoky with a little kick.
This Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe is so delicious to serve as tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, tostadas… or straight up with a fork like me!
Enjoy, my friend!
More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes!
- Shredded Mexican Chicken (Instant Pot + Slow Cooker)
- Parmesan Garlic Wings in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Risotto
- Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Pork Carnitas in the Instant Pot
Easy Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa
This Easy Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa is hearty and rich, smoky and saucy, and all kinds of delicious!! It takes a fraction of the time to cook in the Instant Pot than other methods, and it shreds effortlessly.
Ingredients
For The Beef:
- 3.5 pound boneless beef roast (bottom round is my preferred cut for this recipe but other options are top round, or chuck roast trimmed of fat)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
For the Barbacoa Sauce:
- 6 large cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons cumin
- 3 chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce chopped finely (5 peppers if you like it spicy.)
- 2 tablespoons Adobo Sauce
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 8 ounces beef stock
For the Sauce Thickener (optional):
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons room temp water
Instructions
For the Barbacoa Sauce:
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in an immersion blender, blender or food processor until very smooth.
For The Beef:
- Trim and discard excess fat from the meat. This will ensure that you're not left with oily, greasy cooking liquid. Cut meat into 4x4 inch hunks.
- Coat the meat with salt, pepper and 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the saute mode. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bottom of the inner pot. Saute the meat in 2 batches (add more olive oil if needed between batches), turning and browning 1-2 minutes per side. Turn the IP off.
- Remove all the meat and add the sauce to the inner pot. Stir and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot (this will prevent the burn notice).
- Add the meat back to the IP and submerge it in the sauce. Seal the IP lid and pressure cook for 60 minutes on high. Depending on the exact size of your roast and your IP, it will take about 9-12 minutes to come to pressure.
- After the 60 minute cook period, allow the pot to naturally release for 25 minutes then do a quick release to completely depressurize. Turn the IP off and remove the lid.
- At this point, the meat should be tender and pull apart easily. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a cutting board, then pull the roast with two forks.
- Skim any fat off the cooking liquid. Then place the pulled meat in a serving dish and ladle the desired amount of sauce over it.
- Or if you prefer a thicker sauce: After you remove the meat from the Instant Pot, set the IP to saute mode. Make a slurry of water and corn starch in a small bowl, then whisk it into the sauce and cook until it the sauce has thickened – about 3 minutes.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings on corn or flour tortillas, corn tostadas, corn taco shells, or by itself with some rice and beans.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
5.5 ouncesAmount Per Serving Calories 353Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 9gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 110mgSodium 750mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 32g
Kacie
Made this in December and it was a HIT! Requested again for the group this weekend.
Question: Has anyone left it for 4-5 hours before shredding (keep warm off/pressure releasing naturally)? I will be away from the house the day of cooking and trying to decide to make the night before or if I can fix in the morning, leave and finish when I get back.
holly
Hi Kacie, I don't think leaving it in the IP for 4-5 hours would work very well. I think the texture of the meat would get strange. If it were me I would make it the day before.
Kimberly
Looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it! Does this recipe freeze well for reheating later?
Bryan
Thank you Kimberly! Yes you can portion it into the freezer bag size that works for you, and it will keep up to 8 weeks in the freezer. To thaw either put in the fridge for a day, or thaw the freezer bag in a bowl of warm water for about 20 minutes then transfer to a saute pan and slowly bring up the temperature. Enjoy! 🙂 - H&B
Stacey Foster
Yes!
holly
Thanks!
Audrey Jones
I made this for the first time last night! It was a hit in my household, so much that they asked me to make it again tonight because there was no left overs. I have to to say thank you for such a flavorful recipe. It was amazing.
Bryan
Thank you so much for taking time to share that Audrey!!! We LOVE hearing comments like this from our readers. We are so glad you liked this recipe... and yes it disappears pretty fast at our house too! Thanks again! 🙂 - H&B
Rich
Probably the best meal I have made in the Instant Pot. Super tender, so flavorful and so simple!
Bryan
Thank you Rich, what a nice comment! I agree that the IP is perfect for this... and would eat Beef Barbacoa literally daily if allowed! 🙂 Thanks for your comment... H&B
Anne Dowd
Hi! I’m trying the recipe for the first time. My only question is do I cook at high pressure or low? I am assuming high but thought I should ask in case you want to amend your recipe. Thank you!
Anne
Danny
This recipe looks delicious and has gotten great comments. I can’t wait to try! Do you think I could substitute the beef roast for a moose roast?
holly
Hey Danny, I don't cook a a lot of moose but I can't see why it wouldn't work. If you try it please come back and let all of us know how it turns out!
Senor Shawno
I would use the Moose Knuckle…can’t beat a good Moose Knuckle.
holly
Not sure what that is or how to respond.
Liz
🤣🤣🤣🤣☠️
Nick Papageorge
Wanted to leave a comment to rave about this recipe! Hands down one of my faves.
I’ve since gone back and had the barbacoa at chipotle... this is INFINITELY better. So much more flavour and texture. I bought cheap outside round roasts and let me tell you, fantastic!
Funny story, I lost the original recipe and couldn’t find my printed copy. Stumbled across what i thought was this one and made it. WHAT A MISTAKE! It was gross, I ended up having to toss the remainder because it just couldn’t stand up to this!
The only issues, that really weren’t when I just went for it, was the size of the chunks. Are you sure you cut them into 4x4? Even when I had big roasts, the ended up being 4” long, but I had to chop them into 2” wide or the chunks would have been massive in the IP.
Also, being low fodmap I used hing powder to replace the onion and garlic infused olive oil instead of cloves. I haven’t tried it with those things for obvious reasons, but you can for sure make those substations and create something delicious!
It was so much better after thickening the sauce, too! Although I do suggest using cold rather than lukewarm water for the corn starch, I’ve always gotten better results that way.
Another trick I use to keep it low carb is to heat it up and pop it on top of my salad. Doesn’t matter what kind of salad, it’s delicious right on top of lettuce. Of course I add feta and either shredded Monterey Jack or your standard bagged shredded Mexican style cheeses.
It’s barely past breakfast and I’m making myself hungry for this! So good. Thanks for the recipe!
holly
Hi Nick, Thanks so much for your kind words, encouragement and the 5 star rating!🙌 I have to agree with you - I like this recipe better than Chipotle as well!😁 My chunks were pretty big so I had to brown them in batches. If you made smaller cuts of meat you could probably reduce the cook time but honestly if it turned out amazing - why mess with a good thing. And serving it over a salad is such a great low carb option! I just ate lunch and now I'm hungry and craving this too!! Thanks again and take care!
Ceci Carrillo
I cooked this recipe. It was easy and delicious thanks
Bryan
Thanks Ceci, glad you liked it!