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Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa for Tacos

Close-up of juicy, shredded Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa piled high on a warm corn tortilla.
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Make tender, flavorful beef barbacoa quickly in your Instant Pot, perfect for easy weeknight tacos.

Ingredients

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  • 3 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, fresh
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (plus 1 tsp adobo sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Mexican preferred
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. Set the Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Add olive oil. When hot, sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
  3. Add the quartered onion and minced garlic to the pot and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Add the beef back to the pot.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, lime juice, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and cloves. Pour this mixture over the beef.
  7. Secure the lid and set the vent to sealing. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook setting on High for 60 minutes.
  8. When the cooking cycle finishes, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 15 minutes, then carefully quick release any remaining pressure.
  9. Remove the beef from the pot and place it in a large bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat completely.
  10. Skim any excess fat from the liquid remaining in the pot. Pour about 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid over the shredded beef and toss to coat, adding more liquid as needed for moisture.
  11. Serve immediately in warm tortillas.

Notes

  • For the most authentic flavor, use Mexican oregano if you can find it.
  • If you prefer a slightly smoky flavor without using liquid smoke, add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika with the other spices.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after shredding, set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Low) and let the liquid reduce for 5-10 minutes before adding it back to the meat.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://flavorzine.com/instant-pot-beef-barbacoa-for-tacos/