Whole30 Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef

Move over Chipotle! This Whole30 Instant Pot barbacoa beef is deliciously tender and loaded with flavor. This Instant pot barbacoa is perfect for tacos, nachos and burrito bowls!

How do I turn a bottom roast into delicious beef barbacoa?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? I certainly did when I got a few large bottom roasts in my Butcher Box order. At first, I wasn’t sure the best way to cook them until Amy suggested Instant Pot barbacoa.

I took my large cut of beef and made this healthy and delicious Whole30 Instant pot recipe. This Whole30 Instant Pot barbacoa beef rivals the flavor of Chipotle barbacoa, but with healthy, Whole30 approved ingredients.

Why should I make this beef barbacoa recipe in the Instant Pot?

Large cuts of beef like a shoulder or bottom round can be very tough. To tenderize this beef you would need to cook it for a very long time.

When you cook the beef in an Instant Pot under pressure the meat tenderizes much faster than other methods.

Can I use a slow cooker to make Chipotle barbacoa?

Yes! You can make this beef barbacoa recipe in a slow cooker.

Sear your beef on the stove top. Then, place in the slow cooker with the chipotle sauce.

Cook on low until the meat is tender and is super easy to shred. This can take up to 5 or 6 hours.

How to serve Instant Pot Barbacoa

This beef barbacoa is a pretty good copycat recipe for the Chipotle barbacoa. Therefore, I usually serve it on a homemade burrito bowl with rice, veggies, lettuce and salsa.

For the super bowl I made potato nachos and put this shredded barbacoa on top. Then I topped the barbacoa nachos with guacamole, salsa, and dollops of cashew sour cream.

They were fully Whole30 nachos, but you would have never known the difference.

What ingredients do you need to make this healthy barbacoa beef?

• Bottom roast, shoulder roast or chuck roast
• Oil
• Garlic cloves
• Apple cider vinegar
• Dried chipotle peppers – You can use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce too
• Beef broth or beef bone broth
• Dates
• Cumin
• Oregano
• Salt

How to make Instant Pot Barbacoa

Step 1: Prep and sear the beef

To begin, trim excess fat from the roast and cut into 3 even pieces. Season the beef liberally with salt on all sides.

Then, heat oil in an Instant Pot on saute. When the oil is hot add the beef to the pot and sear on all sides.

Step 2: make the sauce

While you sear your beef, prepare the sauce. Add garlic, dates, chipotle chilis, apple cider vinegar, beef broth, and spices to a blender.

Then, blend on high until a smooth sauce remains.

Step 3: Cook beef barbacoa in Instant Pot

Turn the Instant Pot off saute, but leave the beef in the pot. Pour in the sauce and stir the beef gently.

Next, close the Instant Pot and set the vent to sealing.

Set the Instant Pot on manual for 40 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure and then cook for 40 minutes.

When the Instant Pot beeps, immediately quick release the pressure and remove the lid.

Step 4: shred barbacoa and enjoy

Finally, remove the beef from the Instant Pot and shred with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot to mix back in with the sauce.

Now you are ready to enjoy your barbacoa beef on tacos, nachos and burrito bowls!

Storage and reheating

Allow the beef barbacoa to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat the shredded beef in the microwave or on the stove top. Be sure to add extra juice to the plate when reheating.

Check out these other healthy Instant Pot recipes!

• Easy Instant Pot Meatballs
• Instant Pot Salmon and Rice
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Keep reading to find the full recipe! If you make this Whole30 Instant Pot barbacoa beef, please let me know in the comments or on Instagram!!

Recipe

Whole30 Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Make beef barbacoa like Chipotle at home with this Instant Pot barbacoa recipe

Recipe By: Madeline

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 55 minutesTotal: 1 hour 10 minutes

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Servings: 6 servings 1x

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb bottom roast or shoulder roast
• Salt for seasoning
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 dried chipotle peppers
• 2/3 cup beef broth or beef bone broth
• 2 pitted dates
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Trim excess fat from the roast and cut into 4 even peices and salt liberally on all sides
2. Blend garlic, dried chipotle peppers, pitted dates, apple cider vinegar, beef broth, cumin, oregano, and salt in a high speed blender and set to the side
3. Heat avocado oil in the Instant Pot on saute
4. Add the beef to the Instant Pot and brown on all sides
5. Turn the Instant Pot off saute
6. Pour the liquid in the Instant Pot on the browned beef
7. Close the Instant Pot, set to sealing, and set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes
8. The Instant Pot will come to pressure, cook for 45 minutes and then beep
9. After the beep, manually release the IP pressure
10. Remove the beef from the Instant Pot and shred with two forks
11. Pour the juice from the Instant Pot over the shredded beef and enjoy!

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.