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Instant Pot Barbacoa

Instant Pot Barbacoa is a huge time saver, but you don't lose any of the authentic flavor, which makes it the perfect easy weeknight meal!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword instant pot barbacoa
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
pressure release 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 362 kcal

Ingredients

For the meat:

  • 1 TBS coconut or olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3-4 lbs boneless chuck roast cut into 4 equal-ish pieces
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 TBS oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce  + 1 TBS adobo sauce from can
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • 2 cups low sodium beef or chicken broth

To serve & Garnishes:

  • 1 lime cut into wedges
  • 12 small Flour tortillas
  • 1 red onion sliced thinly
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper seeded and sliced thinly
  • 1 medium avocado peeled, pit removed, and sliced thinly

Instructions

  1. Heat instant pot using the saute function. After 2-3 minutes, add coconut/olive oil and allow to heat for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add 4 chunks of beef, cook 6-8 minutes.

  2. While cooking, make sauce: Add apple cider vinegar, oregano, black pepper, lime juice, chili peppers and adobo sauce, and broth. Blend using an immersion blender or regular blender for about 30 seconds, or until the chili peppers are incorporated. 

  3. Flip beef to opposite side - cook 5 minutes. 

  4. Pour sauce mixture over beef, then slide beef around to help deglaze (get little cooked bits off) the bottom of the pot. 

  5. Close instant pot lid. Set pressure release valve to closed. Set on manual for 50 minutes, press start*. When time is up, let the pressure release naturally (so not flip valve) for 10 minutes. Flip the switch and release the rest of the pressure after 10 minutes. Carefully open the lid away from your body.

  6. Remove the beef and shred using 2 forks. Serve how desired (see above 'How to Serve Barbacoa for ideas). You can also add the beef back to the sauce mixture in the pot if you want a saucier dish. 

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

* After you press start the pot will take about 10-15 minutes to start counting down. This means it's building pressure to start cooking. Just be patient with this time. 

*Nutritional information does not include serving suggestions or garnishes. Add appropriate nutrition calculations for whatever you add. Nutritional info is for meat only. 

*Nutritional info based off 3lbs boneless chuck roast and lower sodium chicken broth

  • 8 servings: 362 calories, 12g fat, 2g carbohydrates, 36g protein.