Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa Tacos

Hey frenns!!!  Once I went out to eat and I had barbacoa at a Mexican restaurant and I knew one day I would try it. 

And I have officially perfected it. I made this in my instant pot but you can make this in your crock pot. This is one of those “low and slow” style recipes! 

Beef Barbacoa Tacos

Print Recipe

Beef Barbacoa Tacos

Prep Time:1 hour hr

Cook Time:4 hours hrs

Equipment

• Instant Pot

Ingredients

Ingredients for beef:

• Chuck Roast (room temperature) and cut in smaller chunks
• Olive oil
• Salt/Pepper/Garlic powder to season the beef
• 4 bay leaves
• ½ white onion (in quarters)

Ingredients for sauce:

• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 3 tbsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1-2 whole cloves
• ½ cup vinegar
• 1-2 tsp lemon or lime juice 

Instructions

• Cut the chuck roast into smaller chunks
• Season with salt/pepper/ and garlic powder
• Turn instant pot on sauté function and add olive oil to coat the bottom
• Place chunks of beef one side first to brown. Then flip to brown the other side Only flipping once or twice just want all sides browned.
• Once all sides brown set instant pot aside.
• Now using a blender combine all of the ingredients except for the chicken broth. Once the other ingredients are completely combined, add chicken broth and blend again.
• Retrieve the instant pot (or crock pot with the beef) add the bay leaves, half of an onion and pour the sauce over the beef.
• Ensure that all of the pieces are covered by the sauce.
• Turn the instant pot on slow cook function for 4 hours. Or if slow cooking for 6-7 hours.
• In the instant pot, once the 4 hours are up, check the texture of the beef. If it is still tough, you can turn the instant pot on “meat/stew” function and allow to natural release. Or manual for approximately 25 min.
• You want the beef to be tender and able to be pulled apart (like strings)
• Once the roast has reached the desired texture (tender and easily torn apart) take the beef chunks out of the sauce leave the bay leaves and onions.
• Shred the beef apart with a fork and knife. (You want this beef shredded- not in small chunks)
• Enjoy as a taco, a rice bowl, or over nachos!

Video

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: crockpot, instant pot, slow cooker

Servings: 4

I enjoyed my barbacoa as a taco with cilantro lime rice, black beans, salsa and avocado.  Make sure you comment below and tell me if you enjoyed it!