Low Carb Beef Barbacoa (Instant Pot)

This low carb beef barbacoa is easy, delicious, and FAST thanks to the Instant Pot!  With a smoky, tangy Chipotle Adobo Sauce this paleo, keto-friendly, gluten-free recipe is perfect for meal prep.

We always love Instant Pot recipes that take the greatest advantage of rapid pressure cooking without sacrificing the quality of the end result.  So this IP Beef Barbacoa is a definite winner!  We do enjoy a slow-cooker beef barbacoa, but sometimes you just need it done in a hurry. 

Here are some of our most common reader questions about beef barbacoa…

What is barbacoa?

Barbacoa was originally a method of slow-cooking marinated hunks of meat (wrapped in fire-resistant fig branches) over an open fire, or cooked in a hole dug in the ground.   Most people agree that barbacoa originated in Barbados… and it’s often thought to be the great-grandfather of modern-day BBQ.

What is barbacoa made of?

The purists will tell you that “real” barbacoa is made from beef tongue and beef cheek meat, or the occasional whole sheep or goat.  Really.  Don’t worry though, we’re going to take a liberal interpretation and stick with a more common meat choice.

What kind of meat is barbacoa?

Again, setting aside the traditions of sheep or goat, we’re going to stick with beef.  There are actually a few cuts of beef that work for this recipe. 

For this Instant Pot barbacoa version, we like a bottom round roast or top round roast.  There is less fat marbled throughout the meat, and the fat that is on the outside edge is easier to trim.   Also, we really like the texture of the round roast after it’s shredded. 

You could also make this recipe with a chuck roast (that’s a fattier cut so prepare to spend more time trimming it before cooking).  We’ve never used brisket for beef barbacoa, but many people like that cut as well.

How to make barbacoa beef…

• First you’ll use a blender or immersion blender to combine garlic, cilantro, cider vinegar, cumin, chipotles in adobo sauce, tomato paste, onion powder and beef stock… blending until verrrry smooth.
• Then trim and discard excess fat from the meat, and coat the meat with salt, pepper and olive oil.
• Use saute mode on the Instant Pot to sear the meat in olive oil, working in batches.  Be sure to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pot to prevent the Instant Pot burn notice.
• Add the meat back to the IP and cover it with the sauce.  Seal the IP lid and pressure cook for 60 minutes on high pressure.
• After the 60 minute cook period, allow the pot to naturally release for 25 minutes then do a manual release to finish depressurizing.
• The meat should be tender and pull apart easily. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a cutting board, then pull the roast with two forks.
• Skim any fat off the cooking liquid. Then place the pulled meat on a serving dish and ladle the desired amount of sauce over it.

How to serve Beef Barbacoa

The options are really endless.  We love eating it on lettuce wraps or low-carb tortillas, or even serving it over cauliflower rice.   Of course you can’t go wrong making barbacoa tacos (aka “tacos de barbacoa”). 

How to freeze Beef Barbacoa

You can portion it into freezer bags, and it will keep up to 8 weeks in the freezer. To thaw either put in the fridge for a day, or thaw the freezer bag in a bowl of warm water for about 20 minutes then transfer to a saute pan, and slowly bring up the temperature.

More low carb Mexican recipes…

• Low Carb Instant Pot Mexican Chicken
• Low Carb Pork Carnitas (Instant Pot)
• Low Carb Chicken Fajitas (Slow Cooker)
• Low Carb Beef Barbacoa (Instant Pot)

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