A delicious and easy dump and start Instant Pot recipe for beef barbacoa tacos that can feed a crowd. Barbacoa beef is a perfect for taquitos, burritos, and enchiladas as well!
Dump and Start Instant Pot Meal
This is a really simple recipe to make using your Instant Pot and it is ready incredibly faster than using the slow cooker method. I saute the beef before adding everything to the pot because it gives the beef a nicer texture and added flavor.
You can just add everything into the pot if you want to, I just prefer to brown my beef first. I always blend my ingredients in my food processor when making this meal because the sauce is smooth and not chunky.
It can be made by adding diced ingredients but it will change the consistency of the finished meal.
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What's in Beef Barbacoa?
For the full list of ingredients and the ingredient amounts, check the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
- Chuck Roast or eye of round - more traditionally beef barbacoa is made with either beef cheeks or goat meat but these cuts of beef are a good substitution.
- Oil
- Garlic cloves
- Lime juice
- Cumin
- Cloves
- Chicken broth, low sodium
- Apple cider
- Onion
- Chipotles in abodo sauce
- Oregano
- Bay leaves
Toppings for barbacoa beef
- Cilantro
- Pico de gallo - freshly made or store-bought
- Freshly sliced limes
- Guacamole
How to Make Beef Barbacoa in the Instant Pot
Prepare the sauce- In a food processor, blend together the garlic, lime juice, cumin, cloves, chicken broth, apple cider, chipotles, and oregano until smooth.
Prepare the eye of round or chuck roast- Trim the fat from the beef and cut it into 6 chunks of meat.
Saute- Add oil to the Instant Pot and set it to SAUTE.
Saute all sides of the beef until browned.
Scrape the bottom of the inner liner so remove anything sticking. If anything is stuck to the bottom of the inner liner it will result in a burn notice.
Layer the ingredients- Top the beef with chopped onions.
Pour in the blended mixture and lay 3 bay leaves on top of the beef.
Pressure cook- Close the lid and set it to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 65 minutes.
Allow a Natural Release for 15 minutes.
Discard bay leaves.
Remove the pressure cooked beef from the Instant Pot and shred.
Add back into the pot, stir the beef into the juices and serve with a slotted spoon.
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Serving the Beef Barbacoa Tacos
Serving freshly made pico de gallo, guacamole, freshly sliced limes, and cilantro really completes this meal! You can also serve this meal over rice, as a beef bowl, or even use barbacoa in lettuce wraps.
This recipe makes enough for at least 8 servings so it's perfect for feeding a crowd! Setting up a bar with choices of toppings is sure to be a hit and everyone will find something they would like as a topping.
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Related: Instant Pot Sweet & Savory Pulled Pork
How to Make Barbacoa Spicy
I use about 5 tablespoon of the chipotles in abodo sauce when I make barbacoa beef. If you want it on the milder side, reduce the chipotles to 2 tablespoon instead.
If you want a lot of heat in this recipe, add more than the 5 tablespoon of chipotles that I add... it will be spicy!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa Tacos
Ingredients
- 3 lb eye of round beef - or chuck roast
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup apple cider
- 1 small onion - coarsely chopped
- 3-5 tablespoon chipotles in adobo sauce
- 3 teaspoon oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- cilantro
- pico de gallo
- freshly sliced limes
- tortilla shells
- guacamole
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend together the garlic, lime juice, cumin, cloves, chicken broth, apple cider, chipotles, and oregano until smooth.
- Trim fat from the beef and cut into 6 chunks of meat.
- Add oil to the Instant Pot and set it to SAUTE.
- Saute all sides of the beef until browned.
- Scrape bottom of the inner liner so remove anything sticking (will prevent burn notice).
- Top the beef with chopped onions.
- Pour in the blended mixture and lay 3 bay leaves on top of the beef.
- Close the lid and set to MANUAL for 65 minutes.
- Allow a Natural Release for 15 minutes.
- Discard bay leaves.
- Remove beef from the Instant Pot and shred.
- Add back into the pot, stir the beef into the juices and serve with a slotted spoon.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
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Kate says
Many thanks for sharing this taco recipe. We love tacos in our family. I am always looking for new versions to try. A must for us.