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Bowl of Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa.
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5 from 14 votes

Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa - Authentic Flavor Fast

Made with a perfectly spiced sauce and tender chuck roast, Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa, is a sped-up version of a classic recipe made FAST thanks to the Instant Pot.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Pressure Build-Up and Release25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 10
Calories: 276kcal
Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • ¾ cup beef broth low sodium
  • 2 chipotles in adobo sauce plus 1 tablespoon sauce
  • 4 ounces chopped green chiles
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon oregano Mexican oregano if you have it
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves

For the Dish

  • 3 pounds chuck roast
  • salt and pepper for seasoning meat
  • ½ tablespoon oil
  • ½ cup beer or additional beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lime

Instructions

  • In a blender or food processor, blend beef broth with chipotle chiles, green chiles, garlic, onion, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and cloves until well combined and the onion is broken down.
    Blender with Barbacoa Sauce.
  • Cut the beef into 3-4 inch cubes and season with salt and pepper.
  • Turn the Instant Pot saute and pour in the oil and let heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the seasoned beef and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until browned. Once the meat is browned, turn the Instant Pot OFF and remove the beef to a plate.
    Side by side photos showing progress of searing chuck in instant pot.
  • Pour in the beer, or stock, and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot. Add the meat back into the inner pot and pour the blended sauce over the meat. Add in 2 bay leaves.
    Seared meat with mexican sauce in inner pot.
  • Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed. Cook on HIGH pressure for 60 minutes. Hit Manual/Pressure Cook and use +/- buttons to adjust until it reads 60.
  • Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes.
  • Open the instant pot and remove the bay leaves. Shred the beef using 2 forks right in the inner pot, or remove and shred in a large bowl if that is easier for you. Stir the shredded meat with the cooking liquid and the juice of fresh lime.
    shredded beef in mexican sauce inside inner pot.
  • Serve as desired.

Video

Notes

Beer: Use a mild, pale lager such as Coors Light or Corona. Of course, feel free to omit the beer and replace it with additional beef stock.
Frozen Beef: If using cubed chuck roast, skip searing the beef, and cook for 90 minutes on high pressure. If using a whole chuck roast, cook for 60 minutes per pound. 
Skip Searing: If you skip searing the beef cook for 65 minutes on high pressure. 
Serving Suggestion: If using the beef as a filling for tacos, I recommend draining the shredded meat over a fine mesh strainer so that your tacos don’t get soggy. If serving over rice or in burrito bowls, use the sauce to flavor the rice.
Chipotle in Adobo Sauce: Use 2 chipotles and about 1 tablespoon of the sauce. You can freeze the remaining chipotles and sauce in the freezer to use in future recipes.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 458mg | Potassium: 514mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 4mg