Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef is one of my favorite dishes for nights when I want to spend limited time in the kitchen, but still reap the benefits of a hearty and healthy, gourmet meal.
This Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef may disappear before it reaches your table
The aromatic mix of chipotles peppers, garlic, oregano, cloves, cumin, and lime really make this dish sing for me. Its one of those dishes that will have you anxiously awaiting the moment you can rip the lid off your pressure cooker and dig in because it smells so good. It’s safe to say a few bites always disappear straight from the pressure cooker pot before it ever makes its way out to our plates – for quality control purposes, of course.
Ideas for serving
One of my favorite ways to serve Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef is in bowl form, with a base of Spicy Cabbage Slaw. It’s also fantastic on top of salad greens or cauliflower rice, loaded into a taco, or used as a swap for the chicken in these Grain-Free Chicken Quesadillas with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce. If you’d like to translate this dinner dish into weekend brunch, it’s a fantastic addition to this Kitchen Sink Frittata in place of the sausage; Add a little salsa and sour cream on top and you’re in business. It’s safe to say it’s a flexible option for many dishes!
A note for special diets
This Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef recipe is grain-free, gluten-free, and low-carb. It’s easily Keto friendly, but more difficult to fit into a Paleo diet because most canned chipotle peppers in adobo contain additives like cornstarch or soybean oil.
The cleanest option for chipotles peppers in adobo I have found is the Frontera Chipotle Pepper Adobo which doesn’t contain any grain but does have a negligible amount of evaporated cane sugar – there is 0g of sugar actually listed on the nutrition facts meaning there is less than 1 gram per serving. The ingredient list on my jar shows that they contain: chipotle pepper, filtered water, roasted tomato, onion, garlic, organic distilled vinegar, evaporated cane sugar, tomato paste, salt, and oregano.
I was able to find these peppers at Whole Foods, but Frontera is a regular brand at many other grocery stores. If you are not strict Paleo, you can easily find cans of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce in most grocery stores down the international aisle. I find that these are often a bit spicier than the Frontera, so 3-4 peppers is usually plenty for a nice kick.
Pressure Cooker Barbacoa Beef
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 lb barbacoa beef 1x
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Caribbean / Mexican
Ingredients
- 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, portioned into chunks ~ 4″ each
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (refer to the recommended minimum liquid for your machine)
- 1 (8 oz) jar Frontera Chipotle Pepper Adobo
- 1 large lime, both zest and juice
- 3 tbsp garlic oil (may sub 3–4 cloves minced garlic)
- 2 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 3/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to your electric pressure-cooker. Seal and cook for 65 minutes on high.
- I prefer to quick release (because it always smells too good for me to wait any longer) but you can easily allow this to naturally release without over-cooking it. The meat should be nice and fall-apart tender either way.
- Discard bay leaves.
- Shred meat with two forks and serve warm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 lb of meat
- Calories: 402
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 584 mg
- Fat: 29 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 34 g
- Cholesterol: 114 mg
Wow that looks so tender as I imagine its is falling apart. I just love a tender beef and this looks delicious!
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Wow this looks insanely good! So yummy! I like this! Thank you for a great recipe!
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I could just kick myself from here to Sunday for giving away my pressure cooker. Oh, it wasn’t as fancy as what they have now but it would have done the job. There are so many delicious recipes, like this one, on the internet I could make. The beef looks delicious and I know our family would devour the beef in no time.
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I have never made barbacoa beef myself. This looks so simple and easy and I love that you made it in a pressure cooker. Saving this for later.
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I love using an electric pressure cooker, I use one at least 4-5 times per week. They are so versatile and can cook so many things in a variety of ways with little effort.
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This looks so tender and juicy and perfect for stuffing into tacos or making burrito bowls with! I love my pressure cooker… How did we ever live without them?!
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Woah! This sounds awesome. And I love how you break it down for different diets. I’m the last to jump on the pressure cooker bandwagon, but I know it’s going to happen this fall. Saving this to try for when I finally jump in!
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Barbacoa is one of my favorites but i never make it because of how long it can take. Now i’ll have to try the pressure cooker version 😀
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I LOVE the sound of this! I don’t often eat Caribbean style foods but this looks great!! I love how tender the meat looks!
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Strange, I just saw an ad for the Frontera brand at our local grocery store! Guess it’s a sign! LOL! This looks delicious! I’d love it in taco bowl form…yum! 🙂
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Wow! Love all the flavours in here! This is my idea of a perfect dinner!
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I wish I could have this tonight for dinner! It looks like it has just the right amount of spiciness and it looks like it’s going to melt in your mouth. Can’t wait to try this asap!
My husband and I love delicious barbacoa! It’s a hearty, savory meal that’s perfect any time of year.
Such an easy way to feed a crowd! And so many different ways this can be served. The combinations of adobo and spices sounds absolutely delicious!
How perfect for a comforting dish that doesn’t take all day in the kitchen! Thank you for the recipe!
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This beef just gave me serious hunger. I’m drooling! It looks so flavorful and PERFECT for family dinner. I love the addition of garlic oil – I have to look that up where to buy.
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I usually buy my garlic oil from Trader Joes, but have also found it at Whole Foods and New Seasons markets if you have any of those three stores in your area.
Wow, that beef looks so tender. Great flavours in this too, I’m gonna pass this on to my meat eating friends, I think they’ll love this x
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Haha, 10 am and I am DROOLING! The seasoning for the beef sounds right down my alley and I would die for a taco filled with some barbacoa right now! In a couple of months, we’ll be back in Mexico and I can’t wait to fire up the grill! This recipe is bookmarked for the first tacos party!
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I have a new pressure cooker, and I think I will be making this real soon! So much better than waiting hours for your dinner to cook!
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I finally got a pressure cooker but haven’t tried anything in it yet. My best friend is eagerly waiting for me to pass her along tried and true recipes and this one would be amazing on corn tortillas!
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Whenever I go to Chipotle I always get my burrito with barbacoa beef…and now I’m embarrassed to say I thought it was a specific type of meat, not just the seasonings LOL! I’m so glad to find this recipe, so I can make it at home
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I love Barbacoa. I can’t wait to make this in my Instant Pot. You make it look so easy.
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Barbacoa beef is definitely one of my favorites!! Pinning and making ASAP. I’m always looking for new recipes to make in my instant pot. Yum!
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I hadn’t heard of barbacoa beef before but all the flavours sound absolutely wonderful, so I’m sure I’d be a fan.
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I think you’re right, this could EASILY disappear before it ever got to the table! Looks incredible – it never ceases to amaze me what pressure cookers can do
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I always seem to sneak a few bites of this one before it reaches the table. The best dishes demand QC checks.
I love barbacoa beef for nachos or tacos! I also love my pressure cooker, and can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
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Same! It’s such a flexible main dish recipe.
I’m a huge fan of barbacoa beef! Your pressure cooker recipe is amazing! I’d love to warm some corn tortillas, make some pico de gallo and enjoy street tacos with this delicious beef.
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Sounds like dinner is planned!