Beef Barbacoa in a Pressure Cooker

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Learn how to make juicy, delicious, beef barbacoa in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot in just minutes. If you don't have either, no problem, I explain how to make it in a slow cooker, too. Be sure to check out the video!

Beef barbacoa in a pressure cooker

This yummy recipe made possible by Canadian Beef. As always my comments, opinions and love for barbacoa are my own.

If there's such a thing as Mexican soul food, for me, beef barbacoa is it. Cooking beef barbacoa in a pressure cooker is so easy, too. When I was growing up in Mexico, we often had it on weekends when all the family would get together at grandma's house.

Just thinking about it is so comforting.

I used to love the whole experience of going to the market back then with my grandma or my mom. There were so many things to see and try!

three barbacoa tacos

I loved meeting all the vendors as they would greet my family. We would chat with the lady at the fruit and vegetable stand, the man who sold the dry goods, and of course with the butcher.

RELATED POST: Angus Beef and Chorizo Parrillada

Where I live now, I don't have anything like it. So a few days ago, I happened to be passing through San Jose, California, and we stopped at a Mexican supermarket and butcher shop where I knew they offered Canada Beef.

My boys were thirsty and I needed to purchase some protein. The friendly butcher greeted me immediately and asked me what I needed. When I saw the barbacoa meat, I didn't have to think twice, I bought some right away.

RELATED POST: Angus Beef Kabobs

Beef barbacoa taco with lime

Here is my simple recipe. I cook my beef barbacoa in a pressure cooker because the whole thing takes less than an hour from prep to finish and it's always very tender and juicy.

If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook it over medium heat for 4 to 5 hours or until it is completely cooked and tender, or you can cook it in a slow-cooker for about 8 hours.

Beef Barbacoa requires just a touch of seasoning since high quality beef has plenty of its own succulent flavor.

Beef Barbacoa in an Instant Pot

If you are not familiar with the Instant Pot, it's like a new generation of pressure cooker. It's electric and has different settings like sauteing, slow cooking, low and high-pressure cooking, and more.

I love mine. I have the 8 qt Instant Pot Duo (affiliate link), which is big enough for my whole family.

If you own one, you can make this recipe in it. The ingredients are the same, for the process, check out this video:

If you make this Beef Barbacoa in a Pressure Cooker, be sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the #mamalatinatips hashtag. I’d love to see it and have a chance to share it as well.

Beef Barbacoa in a Pressure Cooker

6 servings (3 oz each)

Prep time 8 minutesFrom start to finish 55 minutes

Beef, garlic, bay leaves, pepper corns, salt and onion

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs chuck roast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups of water
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 10 peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons dry Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 white onion

Equipment

Get what you need with the help of these affiliate links:

Cut beef chuck roast into medium pieces, add salt on both sides. Set apart.

Raw beef in pieces

Pour water into the pressure cooker. Add garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns and Mexican oregano. Insert the pressure cooker rack.

Put beef and onion on a rack. Close cover securely. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe and cook at high heat until the regulator starts rocking fast, lower the temperature to medium or until regulator rocks gently.

Cook according to your pressure cooker instructions. In mine, it was 23 minutes.

Turn the stove off and let cooker sit letting the pressure drop completely of its own accord.

Barbacoa meat before and after

After and according to your pressure cooker's instructions, carefully open the pressure cooker, take the meat out (reserve a little bit of the broth in case you need to reheat the meat later, this will keep it moist and yummy) and shred beef with two forks.

Serve in tacos with lime juice, cilantro, and onion and with your favorite salsa like red salsa, green salsa, pico de gallo, or avocado salsa

Buen Provecho!

Beef Barbacoa in a Mexican bowl, with cilantro y salsa

For more recipes and information I invite you to follow the hashtag #loveCDNbeef and the twitter handles @DCNBeefrecipes and @LoveCDNbeef.

Enjoy!

Print the recipe:

Beef Barbacoa in Pressure Cooker
4.79 from 37 votes

Beef Barbacoa in a Pressure Cooker

Here is my simple recipe. I cook my beef barbacoa in a pressure cooker because the whole thing takes less than an hour from prep to finish and it’s always very tender and juicy. Serve in tacos with your favorite salsa and lime juice. 
Prep Time8 minutes
Cook Time27 minutes
Pressure Cooker cooling down20 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 213kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups water
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 10 peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons dry Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 white onion

Utensilios

Instructions

  • Cut beef chuck roast into medium pieces, add salt on both sides. Set apart.
  • Pour water into the pressure cooker. Add garlic cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns and Mexican oregano. Insert the pressure cooker rack.
  • Put beef and onion on a rack. Close cover securely. Place pressure regulator on vent pipe and cook at high heat until regulator starts rocking fast, lower the temperature to medium or until regulator rocks gently. Cook according to your pressure cooker instructions. In mine, it was 23 minutes.
  • Turn the stove off and let cooker sit letting the pressure drop completely of its own accord.
  • After and according to your pressure cooker’s instructions, carefully open the pressure cooker, take meat out (reserve a little bit of the broth in case you need to reheat the meat later, this will keep it moist and yummy) and shred beef with two forks.
  • Serve in tacos with lime juice, cilantro, and onion and with your favorite salsa like red salsa, green salsa, pico de gallo, or avocado salsa

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Beef Barbacoa in a Pressure Cooker
Amount per Serving
Calories
213
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
 
6
g
38
%
Cholesterol
 
78
mg
26
%
Sodium
 
872
mg
38
%
Potassium
 
400
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
 
2
g
1
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
1
g
1
%
Protein
 
22
g
44
%
Vitamin A
 
15
IU
0
%
Vitamin C
 
1
mg
1
%
Calcium
 
28
mg
3
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Main Dishes, Mexican Classics, Tacos
Cuisine: Mexicana
Keyword: Beef barbacoa in a pressure cooker, beef barbacoa in an Instant Pot, How to make beef barbacoa

Notes

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can cook it over medium heat for 4 to 5 hours or until it is completely cooked, or you can cook it in a slow-cooker for about 8 hours.
© Mama Latina Tips Media
www.mamalatinatips.com
Silvia Martinez
Latest posts by Silvia Martinez (see all)

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