Authentic Beef Barbacoa: The Instant Pot Way

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Authentic Beef Barbacoa is a simple, no fuss shredded beef taco recipe made in the Instant Pot.  A blend of spices gets rubbed into a beef chuck roast, and then pressure cooked for a tender, fall apart meat that can be served in flour or corn tortillas, over rice or in taco salads.

Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef Recipe

This beef barbacoa taco recipe is truly authentic. It belonged to the mother of a Spanish friend, and he kindly shared it with me (and all of you).  When I made it, he asked where his portion was to taste test, and I had to tell him that it went over so well, my family ate all of it.

The truth is that my kids are not so great at eating beef roasts. They much prefer to eat anything with ground beef. So it’s always a gamble when I try a new beef roast recipe.

In this case, it was a huge win. My kids made me promise to never make any other beef roast recipe other than this authentic barbacoa recipe. And I obliged because it is so easy!

What is beef barbacoa?

It’s a traditional Spanish meal where beef (or goat) is slow cooked in a mixture of spices until perfectly fork tender.  Once cooked, the shredded beef can be used for tacos, served over rice or layered over a salad.

The barbacoa seasoning that my friend’s mom used is made from cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, sea salt and oregano. What I loved most about this easy instant pot shredded beef taco recipe is that I already had all the seasonings in my cabinet.

This instant pot beef barbacoa recipe is super simple to make. To break it down, first you mix the spices, then you add just enough water to make a paste. Next, massage the paste onto chunks of beef roast.  Add the beef to the instant pot insert, pour 1 cup water over top. Seal, and cook on high pressure for 75 to 90 minutes. (75 minutes minimum, but 90 if you’ve got the time.)

Ingredient List

• Ground Cumin
• Smoked Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Chili Powder
• Dried Oregano
• Water
• Beef Roast

How to Make Instant Pot Shredded Beef Tacos

Step by Step Instructions

1. Blend spices together in a small bowl; add enough water to make a thick paste.
2. Cut beef into 3 inch cubes; spread spice paste over all sides of beef, rubbing it in as you go.
3. Add beef to instant pot; add water.
4. Put on the lid, locking in place.
5. Pressure cook on high pressure for 75-90 minutes.
6. When finished cooking, use the quick pressure release method.
7. Shred and serve on tortillas. If desired, garnish with sliced avocados, fresh cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, lettuce, black beans, etc.

For the full instructions for Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

• I prefer to use a beef chuck roast due to the nice amount of fat. This makes for a tender beef barbacoa taco.
• Cut the beef roast into large 3-inch cubes.
• A simple blend of spices are used for the barbacoa seasoning including ground cumin, chili powder, paprika. garlic powder, sea salt and dried oregano.
•  Cook on high pressure for 75 to 90 minutes, according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your pressure cooker.  75 minutes is the minimum, but cook it for 90 minutes if you’ve got the time.
• Don’t forget to factor in about 20 minutes for the pressure cooker to come up to pressure. This is in addition to the cooking time.
• Use the quick pressure release method.
• I used an Instant Pot.

What to Serve with Beef Barbacoa

Authentic Spanish Rice

 Jalapeno Pineapple Limeade

Texas Caviar

Favorite Crock Pot & Instant Pot Beef Recipes

• Crock Pot Beef Brisket
• Mom’s Crock Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Beef Taco Meat
• Crock Pot Minestrone with Cubed Beef

Linking up to Weekend Potluck.