Description
Tender, flavorful barbacoa beef made easily in the Instant Pot, perfect for tacos, burritos, or bowls.
Ingredients
Beef and Seasoning
- 3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup beef broth
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 2 tbsp adobo sauce
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Instructions
- Season the Beef: Generously season the beef chuck roast chunks with salt and black pepper on all sides to enhance the flavor.
- Sauté the Beef: Set your Instant Pot to the ‘Sauté’ function and heat the olive oil. Brown the beef chunks in the oil until all sides develop a deep, golden crust. This step locks in flavor.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a blender, combine the garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, chipotle peppers in adobo, adobo sauce, ground cumin, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Blend until the mixture is smooth and well incorporated.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the blended sauce over the browned beef in the Instant Pot. Add the bay leaves. Secure the lid and seal the valve.
- Pressure Cook: Set the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes to tenderize the beef thoroughly and infuse it with smoky, spicy flavors.
- Natural Pressure Release: Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 15 minutes to keep the meat juicy and tender, then carefully release any remaining pressure manually.
- Shred and Serve: Remove the bay leaves, shred the beef using two forks, and toss it with the cooking juices remaining in the pot to keep it moist and flavorful. Serve as desired.
Notes
- Adjust the number of chipotle peppers to control the heat level based on your preference.
- This barbacoa beef is excellent for meal prep and freezes well for future meals.
- Use the cooking liquid to moisten the shredded beef if reheating to maintain tenderness.
- Perfect for tacos, burritos, bowls, or alongside rice and beans.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican-Inspired
