Description
This Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef recipe delivers tender, flavorful beef cooked to perfection in a spicy, tangy sauce made with chipotle peppers, lime juice, and aromatic spices. Using an Instant Pot allows you to achieve rich, slow-cooked taste in a fraction of the time. Perfect for tacos, burritos, or a hearty meal, this recipe yields melt-in-your-mouth beef that’s easy to prepare and irresistible.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pound chuck roast (cut into 2″ cubes)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice (3-4 limes)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 6 ounce lager beer (1/2 bottle, or ¾ cup beef broth)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Sear the Beef: Heat olive oil in your Instant Pot using the sauté setting. Season the beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Sear the beef for 1-2 minutes on each side in batches to avoid overcrowding, until nicely browned on all sides to build maximum flavor.
- Prepare the Sauce: Combine chopped onion, garlic, chipotle peppers in adobo, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, lager beer, ground cumin, dried oregano, ground cloves, and brown sugar in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a smooth, well-blended sauce.
- Cook under Pressure: Pour the blended sauce over the seared beef in the Instant Pot. Add bay leaves, stirring gently to coat all beef pieces thoroughly. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 60 minutes. After cooking, release pressure quickly according to manufacturer instructions.
- Shred and Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Take out the cooked beef and shred it finely using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the pot, stir well, and allow it to sit for 10 minutes for flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use chuck roast as it becomes tender and juicy when cooked under pressure.
- If you prefer a milder heat, reduce the number of chipotle peppers or remove seeds before blending.
- Be sure to cut the beef into uniform 2-inch cubes to ensure even cooking.
- This barbacoa beef is excellent for tacos, burritos, nachos, or simply served over rice.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
