Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa with Chipotle Lime Marinade

Name: Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa with Chipotle Lime Marinade
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3½ lb (1600 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of large hard fat pieces, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks; 2½ tsp (8 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal); 1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil; 4 peppers (60 g) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, whole peppers from the can; 2 tbsp (30 ml) adobo sauce from the can; ⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 3 large limes; 1 tbsp (6 g) lime zest, finely grated, from the limes above; 1 medium (200 g) white onion, peeled and quartered; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar; 1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (2 g) dried Mexican oregano; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cloves; 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium beef broth; 3 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves; 16 small (450 g) corn tortillas, warmed; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped (optional); ½ cup (80 g) white onion, finely diced (optional); 2 limes (130 g) lime wedges, cut into wedges (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chuck roast soaks in a smoky chipotle, lime, cumin, and clove marinade, then pressure cooks until fork-tender and shreds into juicy, deeply spiced barbacoa for tacos, bowls, and burritos.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 1 hr 40 min
Wait: 2 hr 15 min
Total: 4 hr 25 min
Makes: About 6 cups shredded beef (8 servings, 2 tacos each)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the beef
3½ lb (1600 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of large hard fat pieces, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks
2½ tsp (8 g) kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil
For the marinade
4 peppers (60 g) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, whole peppers from the can
2 tbsp (30 ml) adobo sauce from the can
⅓ cup (80 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 3 large limes
1 tbsp (6 g) lime zest, finely grated, from the limes above
1 medium (200 g) white onion, peeled and quartered
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp (7 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (2 g) dried Mexican oregano
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For cooking
½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium beef broth
3 leaves (1 g) dried bay leaves
For serving
16 small (450 g) corn tortillas, warmed
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
½ cup (80 g) white onion, finely diced (optional)
2 limes (130 g) lime wedges, cut into wedges (optional)

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.7 L) or 8-quart Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Blender or food processor
Large zip-top bag or non-reactive bowl (3-quart / 3 L) with cover
Chef's knife and cutting board
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Large rimmed dish or bowl for the shredded beef

Steps

Before you start

Plan on at least 2 hours of marinating (up to 24 hours in the fridge) before cooking; overnight gives the deepest flavor.
Chipotles in adobo are hot. Use 3 peppers for medium heat or 4 for properly spicy, and scrape out the seeds if you want less heat.
Salt amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher or fine salt, reduce to 2 teaspoons (12 g).
This recipe is written for a 6-quart (5.7 L) or larger Instant Pot. Do not fill past the 2/3 max line.

1
Blend the marinade
- Add the chipotles, adobo sauce, lime juice, lime zest, quartered onion, garlic, cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, ground cloves, and black pepper to a blender.
- Blend on high for 45–60 seconds, scraping down once, until completely smooth with no visible pieces of onion or pepper.
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Ready when: Marinade is a uniform, brick-red, pourable purée.
Tip: Zest the limes before juicing them; it is much harder afterward.
2
Marinate the beef
- Pat the beef chunks dry and toss with the kosher salt in a large bowl or zip-top bag.
- Pour in all of the blended marinade and turn until every piece is coated.
- Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
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Ready when: Beef is evenly coated in red marinade with no dry patches.
Tip: Don't marinate beyond 24 hours; the lime juice can make the surface mushy.
3
Sear the beef
- Lift the beef from the marinade, letting excess drip back, and set the marinade aside.
- Select Sauté on High in the Instant Pot and add the avocado oil.
- When the display reads HOT and the oil shimmers, sear the beef in 2–3 batches without crowding, about 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply browned on at least two sides.
- Move each batch to a plate.
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Ready when: Surfaces are dark brown and release easily from the pot.
Tip: Crowding steams the meat instead of browning it. If the marinade scorches, lower to Sauté Normal.
4
Deglaze and load pot
- Pour the broth into the hot pot and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to dissolve all browned bits.
- Press Cancel.
- Return the beef and any juices on the plate, then pour in the reserved marinade and tuck in the bay leaves.
- The liquid will only come partway up the beef; that is correct.
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Ready when: Nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot, preventing a Burn warning.
Tip: Scraping the bottom thoroughly is the best way to avoid the Instant Pot Burn notice.
5
Pressure cook
- Lock the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- Cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes.
- The pot takes about 15 minutes to come to pressure before the countdown begins.
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Ready when: Timer completes after 60 minutes at pressure.
Tip: For smaller 2-inch chunks, reduce to 50 minutes.
6
Natural release
- Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes without touching the valve, then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
- Open the lid away from your face.
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Ready when: Float valve drops and the lid unlocks easily.
Tip: A quick release can make the meat tight and stringy.
7
Shred the beef
- Transfer the beef to a large bowl with tongs and discard the bay leaves.
- Shred the meat with two forks into bite-size strands, removing any large pieces of fat.
- The meat should pull apart with almost no resistance.
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Ready when: Beef shreds effortlessly and reads about 200°F (93°C) inside. If it resists, cook 10 more minutes at pressure.
Tip: Skim the fat from the surface of the cooking liquid with a spoon before the next step.
8
Reduce the sauce
- Select Sauté on High and simmer the cooking liquid uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about one third and slightly thickened.
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Ready when: Sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Tip: Taste before adding more salt; reduction concentrates it.
9
Toss and serve
- Return the shredded beef to the pot and toss in the reduced sauce for 2 minutes with the Keep Warm setting on, until the meat is glossy and moist.
- Serve in warm tortillas topped with cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of lime.
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Ready when: Beef is juicy and glistening, not dry.
Tip: Warm tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side so they stay pliable.

Good to know

Tips

Searing in batches builds a deep, roasted flavor that sets restaurant-style barbacoa apart.
Use the leftover sauce to moisten the beef; it carries most of the flavor.
For crisp edges, spread shredded beef on a sheet pan and broil 3–4 minutes with a spoonful of sauce.
Use only a 1/2 cup of broth; extra liquid dilutes the marinade because the pot traps moisture.

Make ahead

"Marinate the beef up to 24 hours ahead. The fully cooked barbacoa can be made up to 3 days ahead; refrigerate in its sauce and reheat gently."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container with its sauce. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer bags with sauce. Reheat in a covered skillet over medium-low heat, or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C)."

Substitutions

boneless beef chuck roast → Beef brisket or bone-in short ribs. Brisket works at the same time; short ribs may need 5–10 minutes less and need the bones removed.
apple cider vinegar → White vinegar. Use the same amount for a slightly sharper tang.
dried Mexican oregano → Dried marjoram or regular oregano. Use the same amount; flavor will be a bit less citrusy.
ground cloves → Allspice, ground. Use ¼ teaspoon for a similar warm, sweet spice note.