Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (2024)

by Melissa 15 Comments

Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe – tender fall apart beef loaded with traditional mexican spices and finished with fresh cilantro and lime juice. If you like Chipotle Barbacoa, you are going to love this recipe!

Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (1)

Instant Pot Barbacoa

This Instant Pot version of my Slow Cooker Barbacoa recipe is just as flavorful and tender as the original and is done in a fraction of the time. A good quality chuck roast, seared on both sides and seasoned with a blend of traditional mexican spices. Once the barbacoa is finished cooking, top with fresh lime juice and cilantro to enhance and brighten the flavors. The acid from the lime juice and the freshness of the cilantro cuts through the richness of the meat and is absolutely delicious together.

Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (2)

How to Make Instant Pot Barbacoa

  • Start with a good quality chuck roast. For best results, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before searing to take the chill off the beef.
  • In a 6 QT Instant Pot, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on Sauté mode. Sear chuck roast on both sides.
  • Remove seared roast and rub all over with seasoning mixture.
  • Deglaze Instant Pot with 1 cup of low-sodium beef broth.
  • Add seasoned and seared chuck roast back to Instant Pot and set to High Pressure for 1:30 hours (90 minutes on older Instant Pot models)
  • Let Instant Pot Natural Pressure Release, this will ensure that the meat is tender.
  • Use two forks to shred meat and top with fresh lime juice and freshly chopped cilantro.
Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (3)

Recipe Tips

  • I’ve noticed that my newer 6QT Instant Pot does a better job at searing than my original model from a few years ago. If you aren’t impressed with the searing on your Instant Pot, you can also sear this in a large skillet on the stove-top. Then transfer to Instant Pot.
  • The Instant Pot does a great job of tenderizing the meat, but it doesn’t melt the fat away as well as a low and slow method. If you have a roast with excess fat, try trimming some of it off before searing, or choose a chuck roast that has more even marbling of fat throughout. Alternatively, you can just remove any excess fat after cooking, but before serving.
  • Great as a main dish, on tacos, tostadas or burritos.
Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (4)

5 from 15 votes

Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (5)

Print

Instant Pot Barbacoa

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Natural Pressure Release

20 mins

Total Time

2 hrs

Tender fall apart beef loaded with traditional mexican spices and finished with fresh cilantro and lime juice.

Course:Dinner

Cuisine:Mexican

Keyword:Barbacoa, Barbacoa Recipe, Instant Pot Barbacoa

Servings: 6

Calories: 376 kcal

Author: Melissa

Ingredients

  • 1tablespoonvegetable oil
  • 2.5poundchuck roast
  • 1cupbeef brothlow sodium
  • 2teaspoonskosher salt
  • 1/2teaspoonblack pepper
  • 1tablespoonchili powder
  • 1teaspoongarlic powder
  • 1teaspoononion powder
  • 1teaspooncumin
  • 1teaspoonsmoked paprika
  • 1lime
  • cilantrochopped for garnish

Instructions

  1. For best results, let chuck roast sit a room temperature for at least 30 minutes before searing.

  2. Set Instant Pot to Sauté function and make sure you hit adjust until the more light is lit. That indicates it is heating at the highest setting. Heat vegtable oil until hot, then sear chuck roast on both sides.

  3. While chuck roast is searing, combine salt, pepper, and seasonings in a small bowl. Remove roast from Instant Pot and season chuck roast all over.

  4. Deglaze Instant Pot with beef broth, then return roast to Instant Pot and set to cook at High Pressure for 1:30 hours (display will read 90 minutes for older model Instant Pots). Once Instant Pot has finished cooking, let barbacoa Natural Pressure Release. Once the pin drops, remove lid and shred barbacoa. Squeeze juice from fresh lime over meat and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Barbacoa

Amount Per Serving

Calories 376Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 12g75%

Cholesterol 130mg43%

Sodium 1100mg48%

Potassium 706mg20%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 37g74%

Vitamin A 584IU12%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 46mg5%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

5 Easy Dinner Ideas for Busy Weeknights

Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (6)

My five FAVORITE recipes for busy families!

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  • and...most important...absolutely DELICIOUS

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (7)Anna

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (8)
    We had this for dinner today and it was a huge hit! Another Instant Pot winner dinner!

    Reply

  2. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (9)Natalie

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (10)
    Tender, juicy, & so flavorful! This is great for so many dishes!

    Reply

  3. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (11)Cyd

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (12)
    My husband and two teenage boys went crazy over this! Such an awesome way to make barbacoa in the Instant Pot.

    Reply

  4. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (13)K

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (14)
    This recipe is ahhhhmazing! Even better day 2 if it lasts that long!

    Reply

  5. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (15)Katie

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (16)
    This looks so amazing! Can’t wait to try this one.

    Reply

  6. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (17)Lily

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (18)
    This was incredible, tender and juicy, this made for the best taco night 🤤

    Reply

  7. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (19)Jennifer

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (20)
    My husband and I LOVE this recipe! So versatile and simply delicious!!

    Reply

  8. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (21)Sarah Hernandez

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (22)
    I’ve made this for my husband’s Salvadoran family and everyone loves it. My husband say it’s just like what his aunt makes and is very reminiscent for him. I’ve made it for other friends and family, and shared the recipe with others and I’ve never heard anyone say they don’t love it! I make it for you almost every month!

    Reply

  9. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (23)Lauren

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (24)
    This is one of the best instant pot recipes I have ever made. Highly recommend to any and everyone!

    Reply

  10. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (25)Betsy

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (26)
    So juicy & tender it just falls apart! Love all the flavor! This is absolutely incredible! All my tacos need to be barbacoa now! YUM!!!

    Reply

  11. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (27)Gina Ceraso

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (28)
    Wow, the texture is just perfect! My husband went crazy for this!

    Reply

  12. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (29)Erin

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (30)
    We just had this for lunch! It was so flavorful and I loved how easy it is! Will make again.

    Reply

  13. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (31)Dana

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (32)
    I will never make another taco filling! This is so tender and delicious.

    Reply

  14. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (33)Kristyn

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (34)
    We use this recipe for so many different meals! We love it for tacos or burritos & I love it in salads!! Super easy & yummy!

    Reply

  15. Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (35)jess

    Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (36)
    So amazing! I love barbacoa and wanted to know if there is a slow cooker version as well for this recipe?

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat to use for barbacoa? ›

In the US, people typically make barbacoa with chuck roast, brisket and beef cheeks. However, any cut of beef that has a lot of connective tissue and takes a long time to cook until tender works well.

Why is my roast in Instant Pot still tough? ›

Why is My Roast Tough? If your roast is tough in the Instant Pot, it likely needs to be cooked longer. Chuck roast will become more tender the longer it cooks, so extra time may be needed. However, you can overcook beef in the Instant Pot, so keep an eye on it if you add extra time.

How do restaurants cook barbacoa? ›

Traditionally, barbacoa is a preparation of meat (usually sheep, goat, or beef) that is steam cooked in an underground oven until very tender and succulent. Today the term is also sometimes used for a similar preparation made on a stovetop or in a slow cooker.

How long to cook tough meat in Instant Pot? ›

How Long Should I Cook Meat in an Instant Pot? Cooking time for meat in an Instant Pot varies by cut and thickness. For tougher cuts like chuck steak, 25 minutes on high pressure is typical, followed by a natural release of pressure.

How is traditional barbacoa made? ›

Barbacoa can be found all across Mexico. Authentic Mexican barbacoa features meat— typically lamb but sometimes beef or goat—wrapped in banana or agave leaves and slow-cooked over an open flame or in an underground oven lined with hot coals. The result is tender, shredded meat that melts in your mouth.

What is barbacoa seasoning made of? ›

Grind the toasted cumin and cloves into a powder, and place into a blender. Add the ancho chile powder, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, vinegar, and lime juice. Remove the chiles from the soaking water, and place into the blender along with 1/3 cup of the soaking liquid. Cover, and blend until a smooth paste forms.

Is it possible to overcook meat in an Instant Pot? ›

Unfortunately, once you overcook a piece of meat in the pressure cooker, there's no going back. You'll be left with a pile of dry, crunchy, tasteless fibers and no amount of additional pressure cooking is going to put that moisture back into the meat. Earlier, I explained how ingredient size affects the cooking time.

What happens if I cook a roast too long in the Instant Pot? ›

You can also undercook it, too. Overcooking the meat would result in a very dry tasting pot roast. Undercooking it would result in a tough piece of meat.

Does pressure cooking longer make meat softer? ›

Timing is especially important in pressure cooking, because it works so quickly. An extra minute or two can make the difference between a moist, tender pot roast and one that's dry and tough.

Why is Chipotle barbacoa so good? ›

The barbacoa at Chipotle is made with beef.

Barbacoa is a slow-cooked beef dish that is marinated in a blend of spices and chili peppers and braised for many hours. The end result of the long, slow cooking process is flavorful, juicy meat that is savory and spicy, with a tender texture that is easily shreddable.

Do Mexicans eat barbacoa? ›

The most common barbacoa prepared and consumed all across Mexico is barbacoa de res (beef barbacoa). In many regions, specially in southern Mexico and along the Gulf Coast, entire cow barbacoa is prepared.

How do you keep barbacoa from drying out? ›

You can also add additional liquid, such as beef broth or water, to the cooking vessel to prevent the meat from drying out.

Why is my Instant Pot beef not tender? ›

If it's still tough, you will need to cook it longer. The pressure cooking process breaks down tough meat, making it tender. Put the lid back on, seal the pressure cooker, and cook at high pressure for another 10 to 20 minutes. The provided nutrition facts are estimates.

Why is my pulled pork still tough Instant Pot? ›

An immediate release can be why your Instant Pot pulled pork is tough. It will cause the meat to seize and toughen. Avoid Using Pork Tenderloin. Don't use pork tenderloin, which is far too lean for pulled pork.

Does chicken get more tender the longer you pressure cook it? ›

This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.

Which part of the cow is barbacoa? ›

“Barbacoa, made from the meat of a cow's head, is cheap yet rich in flavor.” Customarily served at weekend breakfasts, the cheek, or cachete, is loaded with collagen, and slow-roasting enhances its savory flavor and silky texture.

Is barbacoa made from cheek meat? ›

Make the most incredible smoked beef barbacoa with beef cheeks and just three other ingredients. Traditional barbacoa is made by taking an entire cow head, wrapping it in maguey leaves, burying in the ground to cook and then picking all the meat from the skull.

Is barbacoa the same as shredded beef? ›

Barbacoa (or Mexican shredded beef) is made out of tougher cuts of meat that require long, slow cooking times with flavorful chiles and seasonings. It's usually hand shredded and used for tacos, burritos, etc.

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