Instant Pot Barbacoa (Chipotle Copycat) | Valerie's Kitchen (2025)

With the help of your pressure cooker, you can quickly and easily create this tender and intensely flavored Instant Pot Barbacoa. This versatile beef was inspired by the Barbacoa from Chipotle.

When a recipe is fast, flavorful, and versatile, I know I’ve got a winner on my hands. This Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa is all that and more. Like my Mexican Shredded Beef, it can be used to make a wide variety of tasty Mexican favorites. But, this recipe cooks up so quickly that you can make it any night of the week.

Chipotle publishes their ingredient lists and nutritional information for each of their menu items on their website (thank you, Chipotle!). I used the list for their Barbacoa as a guide for this recipe and it was a no brainer to go with the Instant Pot method. There is no better way to quickly cook meat to tender perfection than in a pressure cooker. And, since I had 8 pounds of frozen beef stew meat in my freezer (you heard me right!) I decided to use some for this recipe. I was SO pleased with the result!

Ingredient Notes

For the Barbacoa Sauce

• Canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – These flavor packed peppers add that smoky heat that is a necessary component to Barbacoa. The nice thing about making it at home is you get to control the spice level. Add two peppers for a mild result or more for a spicy Barbacoa.
• Beef broth – I use Better than Bouillon Reduced Sodium Beef Broth so I can mix up exactly how much broth I need for each recipe. Whatever brand you choose, go with a low sodium broth.
• Garlic – Fresh or jarred minced garlic.
• Dried ground cumin – Warm and wonderful in Mexican-inspired recipes.
• Dried oregano – Dried oregano adds a woody, herby flavor.
• Kosher salt/Freshly ground black pepper – Used in the sauce and when searing the beef.
• Onion powder – This is the only ingredient that is not included on Chipotle’s ingredient list. It blends perfectly with the other spices to make this flavorful beef.
• Ground cloves – Dried ground cloves are a pungent, warm spice. A very small amount does something special to the flavor of this dish.

For the Rest

• Canola or vegetable oil – Both are neutral oils with high smoke points and the best choice for high heat cooking.
• Beef – Cubed beef that is labelled “beef for stew” or “beef stew meat” is boneless chuck roast that has been trimmed of fat and cut down into cubes by the butcher. It is a great way to save a ton of time in the kitchen with both prep and cooking time. Cubed beef cooks far faster in your Instant Pot than a whole roast. It will also be more flavorful because more surface area is coated in the Barbacoa sauce as it cooks.
• Bay leaves – You can use either dried or fresh bay leaves. Fresh are more expensive than dried and will not last as long. A container of dried bay leaves will last for a couple of years in a dry, cool pantry.
• Tortillas and toppings – Don’t forget to add tortillas and your favorite toppings to your shopping list. You can go street taco style with just cilantro, diced onion, and crumbled cotija cheese or load them up with avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes and more!

What is Barbacoa?

Traditional Mexican Barbacoa can be made from a variety of different meats but it is the method of preparation that makes it unique. It is cooked in a little liquid with a mixture of chiles and spices in a brick-lined oven that is dug into the ground. It cooks, covered, for a very long time until it is super moist and tender. Not an easy method to recreate in our kitchens! The Instant Pot makes it possible to replicate this process and make delicious beef Barbacoa at home.

How to Make Instant Pot Barbacoa

• Add all the ingredients for the Barbacoa Sauce to a food processor, pulse until smooth and set aside.
• Pat the cubes of beef with paper towels to dry.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in your Instant Pot on the Sauté setting and brown half of the beef, seasoning with a little salt and pepper. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a dish repeat with the remaining beef, adding additional oil if needed.
• Return all the beef and their juices to the pot.

• Pour the Barbacoa Sauce over the beef and stir to coat it well. Add the bay leaves.
• Close and lock the lid. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. It will take approximately 5 to 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and begin counting down the 30 minutes.
• After the cooking time is complete, release the steam completely and open the pot.
• Set the Instant Pot on the Sauté setting and use two forks to break the beef into smaller pieces. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, to reduce the sauce a bit. You can break the beef down into chunky pieces or just keep shredding as much as desired. Power down the Instant Pot and you are ready to serve!

FAQ and Valerie’s Tips

Serving Suggestions

• Tacos: Add this beef Barbacoa to toasted tortillas with your toppings of choice for delicious tacos or burritos. See my recipe for Shredded Beef Tacos for more ideas.
• Burrito Bowls: Create copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowls with my Cilantro Lime Rice and any other toppings you love.
• Enchiladas: Use to make Shredded Beef Enchiladas with homemade Red Enchilada Sauce.
• More!: Make delicious nachos or quesadillas.

Storage

Refrigerator: Transfer the cooled Barbacoa to an airtight container and promptly refrigerate. Use leftovers within 3 to 4 days for the best quality. For longer storage, see freezer instructions below.

Freezer: Transfer the cooled Barbacoa to freezer safe plastic storage bags or other airtight containers. Label with the date and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months. Defrost safely in the refrigerator overnight before gently reheating in a pot on the stove or in the microwave, adding additional broth, if needed.

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