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Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa for Tacos

Close-up of crispy tacos filled with rich, shredded Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa.
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Make tender, flavorful beef barbacoa quickly in your Instant Pot, perfect for tacos, burritos, or bowls.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 medium white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (use more or less based on heat preference)
  • 2 bay leaves

Instructions

  1. Place the beef chunks into the inner pot of your Instant Pot.
  2. Add the onion, minced garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice over the beef.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and chopped chipotle peppers. Sprinkle this spice mixture evenly over the beef.
  4. Tuck the bay leaves into the liquid. Do not stir everything together yet.
  5. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to Sealing.
  6. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook setting and set the time for 60 minutes on High Pressure.
  7. Once the cooking cycle finishes, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for at least 15 minutes before carefully moving the valve to Venting to release any remaining pressure.
  8. Remove the beef chunks and place them in a large bowl. Discard the bay leaves.
  9. Use two forks to shred the beef completely.
  10. Skim any excess fat from the liquid remaining in the Instant Pot liner.
  11. Pour about 1 cup of the cooking liquid over the shredded beef. Stir well to coat the meat thoroughly with the flavorful juices.
  12. Serve immediately in warm tortillas for tacos.

Notes

  • For the best flavor penetration, you can season the beef chunks and let them marinate in the refrigerator with the spices for 2 to 4 hours before cooking.
  • If you prefer a smokier flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika to the spice blend.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after shredding, use the Sauté function on the Instant Pot to reduce the liquid for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens slightly.

Nutrition

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