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Barbacoa Beef (Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot)

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If you like cumin and spicy food, then you’ll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef is braised in chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic, and oregano.

If you like cumin and spicy food, then you'll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef braised in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano.

Barbacoa Beef

Years ago, readers requested that I create a barbacoa beef recipe inspired by Chipotle’s, which I originally made in my conventional pressure cooker but eventually rewrote for the Instant Pot. In my opinion, mine is even better than Chipotle’s! I serve this burrito-bowl-style over cilantro lime rice and top it with corn salsa – a must! If beef is not your thing, check out this Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork, Instant Pot Pork Carnitas, or my other Instant Pot recipes.

If you like cumin and spicy food, then you'll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef braised in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano.

What is beef barbacoa?

Authentic beef barbacoa is made from beef, goat, or lamb, braised slowly until tender with chipotles and spices, and shredded for tacos, burritos, and more. You can really use any large, tough cut of meat for barbacoa. I recommend a beef eye of round or bottom round roast, which I cook much faster in the Instant Pot.

What is beef barbacoa made of?

  • Garlic and Onion: You’ll need five cloves of garlic and half an onion for the sauce.
  • Lime: Juice one lime.
  • Chipotles in Adobo Sauce: Two tablespoons of chipotle peppers will be mild, and four tablespoons will be very spicy. Use your judgment depending on how hot you like your food.
  • Spices: Ground cumin, oregano, and cloves and bay leaves
  • Water: Blend one cup of water with the other ingredients to make the sauce.
  • Beef: Trim the fat off three pounds of beef eye of round or bottom round roast.
  • Seasoning: Salt and Pepper

How To Make Barbacoa Beef

  • Sauce: Blend the garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chipotles, cloves, and water until smooth.
  • Meat Prep: Trim the fat off the beef, cut it into three-inch pieces, and season with two teaspoons of salt and black pepper.
  • Brown the meat on all sides in the Instant Pot using the Sauté button.
  • Pressure Cook the Beef: Add the sauce and bay leaves to the pot and cover the Instant Pot. Cook it on high pressure for about one hour (I cooked mine for 65 minutes) and do a natural release. The meat should be tender and easy to shred.
  • Serve: Transfer the meat to a dish and shred it with two forks. Discard the bay leaves, and pour the liquid into another container. Return the shredded beef to the pot, and add a half teaspoon of salt and cumin and one and a half cups of the reserved liquid.
  • Stove: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can cook the barbacoa on the stove. Simmer it on low for at least four hours, adding more water as needed to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
  • Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa: To make this barbacoa recipe in the crockpot, follow all the directions above, except you will brown the beef in a skillet on the stove. Next, put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for eight hours. Then shred the meat and add the remaining seasoning.

What to Serve with Barbacoa

Here are some ideas for serving barbacoa:

How to Freeze

Barbacoa freezes well. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days or freezer for up to three months. Thaw the meat overnight and reheat it in the microwave.

Variations and Tips

  • Liquid: Swap water for beef broth.
  • Beef: You can also use a chuck roast.
  • Pork: Substitute beef for boneless pork shoulder blade roast or pork loin roast.
  • Hot Peppers: If you don’t have chipotles in adobo, sub them with jalapeñ Keep the seeds and ribs in if you want a spicy dish.
  • Serving a crowd? Double all the ingredients and cook it for the same amount of time.
  • Instant Pot Tip: To avoid getting a burn alert, deglaze the pan with one or two tablespoons of water after browning the meat. Also, after browning, turn off the sauté function while adding the other ingredients to prevent the pot from getting too hot.
  • If you like cumin and spicy food, then you'll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef braised in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano. If you like cumin and spicy food, then you'll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef braised in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano. If you like cumin and spicy food, then you'll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef braised in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano.

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Barbacoa Beef (Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot)

4.85 from 120 votes
4
Cals:153
Protein:24
Carbs:2
Fat:4.5
If you like cumin and spicy food, then you'll love Barbacoa Beef. Spicy shredded beef braised in a blend of chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano.
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Barbacoa Beef with corn salsa on a plate.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 9 Servings
Serving Size: 4 oz

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 medium onion
  • 1 lime, juice
  • 2-4 tablespoons canned chipotle in adobo sauce, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 pounds beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 bay leaves

Instructions

  • Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chipotles, cloves and water in a blender and puree until smooth.
  • Trim all the fat off meat, cut into 3-inch pieces. Season with 2 teaspoons salt and black pepper. Heat the pressure cooker on high (use saute button for Instant Pot), when hot add the oil and brown the meat, in batches on all side, about 5 minutes. Add the sauce from the blender and bay leaves, cover and cook on high pressure until the meat is tender and easily shreds with 2 forks, about 1 hour. (in my Instant Pot I cooked it 65 minutes). (If you're making this on the stove, simmer it on low at least 4 hours, adding more water as needed to make sure it doesn't dry out.) Natural release.
  • Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred with two forks, and reserve the liquid for later (discard the bay leaf). Return the shredded meat to the pot, add 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste, 1/2 tsp cumin and 1 1/2 cups of the reserved liquid.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 4 oz, Calories: 153 kcal, Carbohydrates: 2 g, Protein: 24 g, Fat: 4.5 g, Cholesterol: 44 mg, Sodium: 334.5 mg

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615 comments on “Barbacoa Beef (Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot)”

  1. I made this with eye of round and cooked it for 65 minutes and then did a NPR. It was still tough. I cooked it again for another 20 minutes. It was shreddable, but still not fall apart tender. Do you think if (now that it’s shredded), I bring it up to pressure with all the juice it will tenderize it some more?

  2. I love this recipe,it is one of my top favorites. I make the corn salsa and cilantro rice with it.

  3. I followed the recipe and this is really really delicious. I served it one night with your Quick Coleslaw in a tortilla with avocado and grated cheese. I served it a few nights later over brown rice with your Corn Salsa and that was even more delicious.

  4. Came out excellent. I did it with super lean venison sirloin tip because that’s what I had. I’m serving it with rice that I made in my rice cooker that I put in one tablespoon of taco seasoning, some chicken broth made from better than bouillon, some lime juice, fresh corn kernels from my farm and pink beans. I used to make Emeril’s barbacoa recipe. This one came out amazing and I like that everything’s blended. Thank you ST!

  5. This is in regular rotation in my VERY PICKY house! The flavors are so delicious and it’s a great lower fat beef meal that fits our macros and high-protein diet.

  6. Made this in crock pot to have on tacos. Meat was tender and delicious. Also made your corn salsa as a topping.
    This will definitely be on repeat!

  7. Best, best, best. I omitted the clove and added a touch of cinnamon instead. One star anise and bay leaf to the oil while searing.

  8. So good! This rivals our favorite Mexican spot!
    I used the slow cooker and seared the meat the night before.

  9. This is an excellent recipe. The flavor is perfect. The meat came out very tender. Definitely bookmarking this one!

  10. Outstanding! Everyone loved it (except the eight-year-old, who thinks everything is spicy). I used it in enchiladas and served to guests and they all loved it.

    1. Avatar photo
      Melanie Everett

      So delicious and flavorful but I’m confused by the nutritional info. MFP gives me 620 cals per serving!! That’sa big difference and all the ingredients are the same. Anyone else?

      1. I had to go in and manually update some of the ingredients. For example, it had there was 1 POUND of black pepper haha! Also a pound of limes. Once I modified, I got it down to 265 calories per serving. Still higher than what she calculated but much better than the 400 it started with for me.

  11. This has been on our rotation as a favorite and we make it often. I have taken lazy steps like not blending the sauce, or not browning the meat, and it still comes out perfect every time. My favorite Skinnytaste recipe! Better, cheaper and faster than Chipotle.

  12. So flavorful! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect! Served it over rice on day 1. Day 2, we had it with corn tortillas and avocado slices. YUM! Next, I’m going to try this same recipe, but try out a pork butt just for the fun of it. Thank you!

  13. I made this and it was super easy..and tasted AMAZING! I made the cilantro lime rice and corn salsa as well and made bowls about of it! I’m curious how it would taste on a keto friendly chipotle Tortilla that the grocery stores in Texas carry. Once again Gina your recipe knocked it out of the park!♥️

    1. I would replace the Chipotles with the same amount of Jalapeños, seeds removed if you don’t like it too hot!

    2. For slow cooking, after browning, put in the crockpot with the liquid on low for 8-hours. I don’t use water, I use beef stock.

  14. I made this before and it told me how to make the corn and tomato topping.. I can’t seem to find that part of the recipe… 

  15. Flavors were great but I wasn’t keen on the cut if beef. Next time I will try it with short ribs. I felt it needed more fat.

    1. Avatar photo
      Jeniece Brown

      Just try it with regular Chuck roast with a fair amount of fat/marble and Marinade in sauce for 2-4 hours (;

  16. This was really good and easy! Was able to throw it together after work and enjoy a delicious dinner. 

  17. Hi! I want to try this recipe for visitors, using a crock pot. Any suggestions re let get of time and preferred meat,? ( Will it be fall apart tender like a pork shoulder that has cooked 8 or 9 hours?)… thank you!

    1. I made this last weekend in the crock pot using bottom round and cooked for about 4 hours on high and then 4 hours on low the following day, just due to timing. It shredded up great! I didn’t bother searing the meat first.

    2. I used a pork shoulder butt roast, didn’t sear it and placed it in the crock pot on low for about 9 hours and it was AMAZING! I have used this recipe with several different beef and pork Roasts on low in the crock pot all day while working and they always fell apart. I have it memorized now. We just add a little more Chipotle since we love the kick it gives.

  18. I’ve never tasted Chipotle’s, but this is our favorite Barbacoa. So far I’ve made it twice. Definitely make the Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn Salsa – they add extra dimensions and flavors that take this dish off the charts!

    I’m so grateful for the deliciousness of these dishes (-35 lbs and counting)! Healthy AND low fat, calorie and WW points. Thanks again, Gina!

    1. Oh, I forgot to add that I actually used eye of round steaks, which were about an inch and a half thick. The bonus was that they were already completely trimmed so I just cut them in half and knocked the cooking time down to 50 minutes.

      1. I used steaks, too! Mine were thinner than yours, so I knocked it down even more to 40 minutes. Worked great!

  19. Delicious!  This turned out better than I expected.  My picky son loved it, and everyone agreed it WAS better than Chipotle’s!  I only used 1/2 tbsp. chipotle, and chuck roast; otherwise followed exactly as written.  Heads up…takes quite a while, natural release took over 1/2 hr, but well worth the wait.  Super tender and flavorful.

  20. Delicious! I used 5 lbs of beef (that’s the standard size our Costco sells for this cut) and 60 minutes on the instant pot with a long natural pressure release was just right.

  21. First time making this. The meat came out super flavorful and tender. Paired with light sour cream, avocado, and Skinnytaste corn salsa on a corn tortilla – a perfect, easy dinner bursting with flavor. 

  22. While we love new recipes, please, with this one, use only a half tablespoons of the chipotle /adobe.  If this recipe is used again, rather than chipotle/adobe, i will try salsa of my choosing.  
    On the photo is  corn on the dish. It’s never mentioned in the recipe. I found a Can of salsa with the main ingredient of corn in the local grocery store. This was spooned on the final dish. It did help make the dish look better. . 

  23. I’m mad I waited so long to make this, it’s AMAZING! Never need to go to Chipotle again, this is so much better! Thank you! 

  24. Tried it and love it! I love the barbacoa at Chipotle and this nailed it. I added 1/2 tsp chili powder just because I like things spicy.

  25. We made the Beef Barbacoa tonight for dinner! Its a staple in our house with the lime cilantro rice and all the fixin’s. I made the black beans for the first time and it was a hit! Thanks for all the amazing recipes! 

  26. Wow! Incredible Flavor!!! I used electric pressure cooker, 65 mins, and it was perfect! Served over WW Yellow Lentil Rice for an extra treat in the points dept! Thanks for another keeper Gina!!

  27. Made this and it was 100/10. SO GOOD!!! I made tacos and topped with onion, cilantro, sour cream & pico. I was wondering if I could use chicken instead now tonight to use up leftover ingredients?! 

  28. I used to make this recipe in my crockpot but that recipe has disappeard. Will this recipe work in a crockpot?

  29. Avatar photo
    Chris Memering

    This recipe is awesome. And we always have leftovers. we were thinking about taking the meat and using the yogurt dough recipe to make baked empanadas. Thoughts?  Cooking time thoughts would be much appreciated. 

    1. I think it would work! Check out both of these recipes– https://www.skinnytaste.com/taco-empanadas/ and https://www.skinnytaste.com/air-fryer-beef-empanadas/. Let me know how they come out!

    1. Kat, the recipe says to use high pressure for about an hour– so that would be the manual pressure button on high.

  30. Prepared this today, but in my Ninja Foodi pressure cooker…

    Also only used 1 chipotle in sauce….have to watch our sodium level….husband is allowed only 1500 mg daily…so also no added salt

    From the bite we both sampled…delicious

    Thanks…

  31. Good, but I expected more flavor than we got. We were hit with lime and cumin…not a bad combo, just lots of it. I’m going to play with a little more chipotle pepper next time, as I held off on going full strength until I could see how hot it was going to be. You MUST make the corn salsa to go with this!

  32. Absolutely delicious and with the rice and salsa it tasted so much like Chipotle. However, by the time I was done, I wished I had just gone to chipotle. The kitchen was a mess and it was a lot to prepare and probably wasn’t much cheaper at all. While we all agreed it was great, even the little ones, I think next time we’ll just splurge on the real deal.

  33. If I want to cut this recipe to 1/3, do I cut all the ingredients? In a 6qt instant pot is it okay to only use 1/3 cup water for this recipe? How much liquid will 1lb of beef naturally give off? I’m new to instant pot cooking!  Thanks!

  34. This will sound like a weird question. My husband does not like the texture of shredded meat. Would lean ground beef work with this recipe?

  35. So delicious! I made this last night and will definitely make it again. Using the Instant Pot, the meat was incredibly tender. My only changes to the recipe were that I used 3 cloves of garlic instead of 5 and 3 tbsp of chiptoles in adobo sauce. Next time I will add just a tad bit more salt. Also, I kept all of the cooking liquid, not just the suggested amount. Regardless, it was a delicious dinner.

    Looking forward to trying more Skinny Taste recipes!

  36. Avatar photo
    Cynthia Pastula

    This Barbacoa Beef was delicious! It was such an easy recipe and the addition of the corn salsa made it a perfect Sunday football dinner in a bowl and over brown rice. Thanks Gina.

  37. The sauce was great but the meat was tough (cooked for 65 min in IP natural release). It kind of fell apart but wasn’t “pulled”. Wondering if there are other cuts of meat I should try vs. what the recipe calls for?

  38. Avatar photo
    Melissa Smith

    This was delicious! We used more than 1.5 cups of the sauce. The corn salsa really made it. 

  39. Avatar photo
    Cinzia Figueroa

    Ohhh mannn! This was a good one. My husband loved it and cannot wait to eat leftovers taco style. I think the best part was the corn salsa to go with it. Will be making it again and putting on rotation! Yum-o! 

  40. I made this today. I wasn’t sure about the cloves and thought it smelled overpowering, at first. It mellowed out after adding liquid. I had 4 cups of liquid when meat was done. I reduced that to 2 cups rather than tossing the amount beyond 1 1/2 cups. It made a slightly thicker “au jus”. I’m going to use leftovers to make enchiladas with Gina’s homemade enchilada sauce. I like heat, used 3 chipotle chiles and sauce…it was the perfect amount of heat imho. Another keeper. Thanks Gina.

  41. This was fantastic!  Made this in the instapot and came out so tender and flavorful!! I actually forgot to salt the meat but then added salt (less) at the end and came out perfectly.  We had it on the cilantro lime rice With corn salsa and will definitely be making it again! 

  42. Oh. Em. Gee!!! This is by far the best barbacoa I’ve ever made!!! I 100% agree that it’s better than chipotle! Thanks for such a foolproof recipe! 

  43. I made this in a slow cooker and it was delicious! The woman who complained about the recipe using lean meat should have known by the title of this website, that this site is devoted to lowering grease in one’s diet.

    1. Hello, I was wondering for how long you cooked the meat in the slow cooker? I don’t have an instant pot. Thank you! 

  44. This was FANTASTIC. Thank you so much! Absolutely delicious. I have never had a bad recipe from you, and your fast and slow cookbook is heavily used at our house. My kids love to choose recipes for the weekly meal plan. I’m a good cook, but you always make me look even better! 😉 Thank you!!!

  45. Oh geez! You did it again Gina! Thank you for an easy meal that can feed the hungriest. I used only 1 chipotle in a 1.75 pound bottom round roast. It has just enough kick to it. I put it in the crock pot and cooked on high for 6 hours. Perfect! I served it over rice. Amazing!

    1. Hi, do you still cut the roast until cubes before putting it in the crock pot, or put it in whole?
      Thank you

  46. Amazing!  I made it with the cilantro lime rice and the corn salsa. It was soooo good!!  My husband said it tasted way better than Chipotle. Thank you!

  47. Avatar photo
    Cheryl Shewmaker

    This is a delicious recipe! The barbacoa is spicy – I went heavy on the Chili’s. Made it with Bottom Round. The corn relish is an excellent compliment to the spicy beef. I have made this several times and it is one of my favorites.

  48. Avatar photo
    Terri Whitaker

    All of your recipes are winners! My family loved this. Made it with a chuck roast and the corn salsa and cilantro rice. My husband said Chipotle wishes their food tasted this good!

  49. This recipe is fantastic! The Barbacoa is so delicious and is tasty served over the Cilantro-Lime Rice and with the Fresh Corn Salsa. I always serve it with some homemade Guacamole and my family and guests rave about it! 

  50. Avatar photo
    Karina Ulloa

    It was delicious. I made it for my kiddos and they loved it. I did adjust for 1 lb beef for the cooking time and some of the seasonings. 

    1. Could you use a trimmed brisket cut into pieces in this recipe? Do you know how that would change the cookjng time? Thank you!

      Joe

  51. I just got a NInja Foodi recently and this was one of the first recipes that I tried. I think my husband and I have a new favorite! The beef was so tender and flavorful and the corn salsa was the prefect compliment.

  52. Hi! I really want to make this and went to our beef freezer only to find NO rounds or roasts. Tons of chipped/minute steaks though. How to adjust cooking? I will be using my Ninja Foodi. Thank you in advance!

  53. What would you suggest to use as a substitution for the chiptoles in adobo sauce? Trying to use what’s in my pantry and avoid going shopping. Thanks! 

  54. How would I make this in the crock pot?

    I absolutely love all your recipes and I’ve done this in the instant pot, but since I’m working from home right now, I thought I would try it in the crock pot! I bet it will smell delicious 🙂

    1. I just made a similar barbacoa beef recipe in the crockpot. I browned the meat and then put it in the crockpot for 8 hours on low. 

  55. I have been wanting to try this recipe for a long time and finally did! It was excellent. The beef had an excellent flavor. The corn salsa was a very nice addition. We are using leftovers for tacos tomorrow.

  56. This was delish! And YES- I cooked in instapot for 65 minutes, which freaked me out since I’ve done meats for 15-18 tops. I doubled the recipe and cut the beef into 6-7 large pieces and shredded it. Amazing flavor and super tender. Will make again. 

  57. I don’t have a kitchen scale.  Approximately how much is 4 oz in a measurement ?   1/8 cup or more?   Thank you 

  58. How does eye round come out for this? Wondering if it comes out tough or does it cool down as well as chuck?

    1. We made it last night – it was so tender and so delicious! We made it just as pictured with the rice and corn salsa. It was amazing!

  59. I’m so disappointed!! EVERYTHING Skinnytaste I’ve ever made has come out amazing! 
    My beef had NO flavor 😕. Did I do something wrong?

    1. I have done this in the crockpot. Cook on low 8-9 hours. Shred the beef and add the final seasonings for the last half hour.

  60. What all did you put on top of the beef in the picture? It looks delicious and I want to try to replicate the look!

  61. Has anyone tried this with stew meat? I have some I need to use up but I’m not sure how long to cook it for. Anyone know? 

    1. We put it on a salad, or eat it by itself! We don’t add the liquid back in so ours has a drier texture. My husband has also crisped some up and had it eggs for breakfast!

  62. Cooked this overnight (10 hrs) on low and it turned out perfectly.  We chopped up some cabbage and served the Barbacoa on top of it.  So, so good!

  63. I made this night for a group of neighbors.  They all loved it and said is this from your skinny cookbook.  Great recipe and awesome as a leftover too.

  64. I made this recipe tonight along with the accompanying corn salsa recipe and the cilantro lime rice (just substituted brown rice) and it was so extremely good! The beef turned out perfect and exactly as pictured. Also I’ve never been a huge fan of corn salsa but it was perfect with the beef. It made the whole dish better. This will definitely be made again in my house. 

  65. It doesn’t say whether to allow a natural release of the pressure in the Instant Pot or to release it manually ar some point. That should be in the recipe.

  66. Can this barbacoa need be made in a crock pot? If so, cooking directions, please.

    Thanks,
    Karen j

  67. Avatar photo
    Willow Woodall

    This is delicious! I’ve never cut up a roast prior to cooking, but in this case I think it really helps the flavor get to all of the meat! Will definitely make again nnn

  68. We LOVED this barbacoa beef! It did take a little longer than I wished for a “weeknight,” but worth the wait. We enjoyed it all weekend long. The cloves add that nice smoky flavor and should not be skipped! Just a little bit does wonders. I am guilty of using chuck beef because it is so affordable, but as expected we did get a bit of fat, even after trimming. I’ll have to try the eye of round next time.

  69. I made this last night and it was DELICIOUS! My friend and I could not believe how simple, clean, and tasty it was. I didn’t follow exact measurements for the garlic or cumin.

  70. I cannot serve this to my Hispanic husband and call it “barbacoa”.  He would have a fit.  Firstly, the barbacoa he is accustomed to is made using the meat from a cows head.  He refuses to eat “barbacoa” burritos at a local restaurant because the owner removes the fat because the American customers complained about the grease.  It looks like a great recipe but I’ll have to call it something else.

    1. This is a poor review Amy. Nobody cares about your husbands obsession with fat and cows heads. This is a delicious recipe! That’s what the review is supposed to be about. I hope your family does enjoy this great meal. I’ll pray for your husband. 

      1. Avatar photo
        Colonel Bat Guano (Ret.)

        Butt out Mckinzie.  Amy has a right to state her own facts, and please don’t pray for me.  Pray for our nation and our next president.  She will have to remake the presidency from scratch.  

      2. She is just saying that is the authentic way of preparing it and the term barbacoa has been changed by Americans. I am sure if we moved to another country it would annoy us if all our favorite recipes actually contained totally different ingredients. And stop using prayers as a way to shame people. sheesh.

    2. Avatar photo
      Colonel Bat Guano (Ret.)

      Pray for yourself and this country, Mckinzie.  Amy has every right to tell you about her husband’s hispanic heritage and what it means to his food preferences.  I found it enlightening.  Your comment is very poor.  People like you ought to burn in hell.

    3. Avatar photo
      Lily Oftenberg

      Oh, dear.  I must agree with the Colonel.  Mckinzie’s comments were rude and hurtful.  Why she reminds me of someone… She must be a Trumper.  No prayers for her.

      1. Sorry, McKensie’s comment is spot on and deliciously scathing! And I am the furthest thing from a trump supporter you could find. The barbacoa was excellent. 🙂

  71. This is a favorite at home I have shared this with just about anyone I know. Thank you for putting together a recipe that we can make at home without known allergens.

    1. I definitely can’t wait to make it! Do you cook it in the Instant Pot on high for 65 minutes, as directed? That just seems a bit long for that type of cooking, I’m afraid of ruining 3 pounds of perfectly good beef.

  72. Avatar photo
    Christy Mangio

    I love this recipe!
    I don’t have an Instant Pot so I used my Crock Pot and cooked it on low for 6-8 hours.

    It is super easy to make and the only thing I would add to the list of ingredients is the Corn, Tomatoes, Cilantro, and Onion for the toppings – I forgot to get the first time I made this.

    To keep it at 3 WW points I got cauliflower rice and added lime juice and cilantro to give it more flavor. I also bought the plain no seasoning cauliflower rice in the quick microwave bags from the freezer section to save time and it kept good for leftovers.

    1. Avatar photo
      Melinda Morvari

      Did you Brown the meat before adding to crockpot? Any tips? I’m about to make this in my crock pot, tomorrow. Going to prep the sauce tonight. 

    1. Rather than following the fix I count macros to lose or maintain (in my case lose 5-7 lbs)..  I like the fix for people who are new to accountability, tracking and portion size.  However- I found it way too restrictive (which leads me to binge when I hit my goal.  .  Too many foods not allowed.  I can’t live like that so I switched over to a more flexible lifestyle.  I use myfitnesspal.. I was able to import this recipe (or any) into the MFP site (edit ingredients if needed) and I know exactly what Im eating in terms of macros.  There are too many great recipes on skinny taste and all over the internet to limit yourself to “fix friendly” recipes– Thats just my 2 cents.  

  73. If I wanted to half the meat, would I just half all of the ingredients? Also would it be the same cool time too?

    1. This question has been asked several times…and I’m adding to the list! IP pressure cook on high or low and less, normal or more? Maybe this is only relevant for the newer models, but it does make a difference. Thanks!

  74. I made this and I’m so excited to try it! However I am confused how this is 3 WW points for 4oz. Nowhere in WW can I find trimmed bottom round or rump roast for less than 4 points for 4 oz. What am I doing wrong ?

      1. I never get the burn message when I test a recipe, so trust me I am as frustrated as you are. After doing some research, this is what I found- The newer IP models have a hair trigger burn sensor that can’t tell the difference between a slight caramelized residue, which is good, and totally burnt. To avoid this, when using the saute button always deglaze the pot after sauteeing with a tablespoon or two of water or broth before adding your other ingredients. Also, be sure to press cancel so it doesn’t get too hot before adding the other ingredients.

  75. What setting did you use on instant pot to cook for an hour? You started on saute, but what did you use to cook?

  76. Wow! This recipe smelled so yummy my whole family couldn’t wait to eat it. However it is too spicy! And we like heat but I must have added too much chipotle peppers in adobo sauce because this is a five alarm fire in your mouth. We served it over cauliflower rice and added sour cream and avocado to try to tame the heat to no avail. 
    Be warned and be careful with the peppers. 
    I would make this again but with much less peppers and perhaps add more water to the sauce. I used my slow cooker since I don’t yet have an IP. 

  77. Hello! Thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂 I made it once and it turned out great !

    I’m making this recipe again for our small group tonight. It’s only noon and I’ve made the barbacoa but haven’t shredded the meat. Should I let the chunks of meat sit in the instant pot as it cools and prior to serving, reheat the liquid, shred the meat and season it ? or shred now and cover it with the liquid to keep it moist ( after step 3in your recipe), then reheat tonight?

    Any suggestion is greatly appreciated !

  78. I have been trying to figure out WW points for this. I got bottom round instead of eye of round. It seems as though they are completely different cuts of meats and the bottom round is twice as many points. Am I looking this up correctly?

    1. Please note: The newer IP models have a hair trigger burn sensor that can’t tell the difference between a slight caramelized residue, which is good, and totally burnt. To avoid this, when using the saute button always deglaze the pot after sauteeing with a tablespoon or two of water or broth before adding your other ingredients.

  79. I am so excited to try this tonight! Making Chipotle style bowls and my kids are pumped. I just started WW and plugged the recipe in and it is saying 8 freesyle points – wonder where I’m going wrong

    1. Hi Leslie! Are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.

      The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.

    2. I used the recipe builder and mine came out the same! 3lbs of beef round bottom trimmed raw came to 68 points!!

  80. Avatar photo
    Leslie Gailis

    Made hand pies using leftover beef barbacoa. 2 ingredient dough for crust, 2 ounces of beef, 1 tablespoon of corn salsa for filling. Rolled dough into 4 rounds, topped with filling, folded and sealed. Baked 350 for 35 minutes. Delicious! Thanks Gina for such a versatile recipe.

  81. I’m about to use my instant pot for the first time. I want to half the recipe. What would the cooking time be? Thank you!

    1. Step 2 states natural release.  Always natural for meats so the release doesn’t cause the meat to seize and toughen the meat. 

  82. I only have tenderloin chunks (bite-sized) Would anyone know the altered time for the smaller chunks of meat?

  83. I have several boxes of steaks – strip steaks, filet mignon and similar cuts that my husband u fortunately bought from a door to door person and the meat is not good quality.  I’m trying to find a use for it and wondered whether I could make this recipe with it.  I wouldn’t normally use these cuts for anything other than grilling or broiling, but they are pretty tough coming off the grill!

      1. NOT a PLACE for meanness or sarcasm. One does not necesarily double the amounts of all the ingredients when doubling a recipe.

  84. Avatar photo
    Christina Conklin

    Hi,

    I need to serve 7 adults and one kid on Friday. I’ve made this many times before and love it. Can the recipe be doubled? Would that be too much spice?

    1. I haven’t tried it yet, but I would say try some smoked paprika, maybe a couple of teaspoons or a tablespoon, depending on how fresh it is (the fresher, the stronger) and how much smoke flavor you like. Chipotles in adobe really are so spicy; I usually just make sure I clean out the seeds and membranes really well (while wearing plastic gloves) so that my kids will eat it. Good luck!

  85. This was delicious. I always get Barbacoa at Chipotle, and I thought this was better than that. Even my picky husband loved it. I’m on a weight watchers journey right now, and this was a healthy, flavorful meat that didn’t pack a lot of points but felt like an indulgence. Thanks for a great recipe!

  86. What would you do if you were using a slow cooker? Thank you! I just moved in with my fiancé and I am wanting to feed him new recipes. Thanks! 

    1. I browned the meat and used a slow cooker. I cooked it 4-5 hours on low. I used about 3.15lbs of beef eye of round and after that amount of time it shredded pretty easily. Having it tonight for dinner! I can’t wait 🙂 

  87. It might be worth noting to remove the seeds from the chipotles, or at least some of them if you still want a LITTLE heat. This looked easy enough so I was throwing it together quickly, and since I don’t work with chipotles too often, I forgot to remove the seeds before throwing them into the blender. Sure, it was my fault but a reminder couldn’t hurt! Side note, I love your recipes. Thank you, and keep em coming!

  88. Avatar photo
    David Miller

    Incredible recipe. I don’t have an instant pot or pressure cooker but found our slow cooker did a fine job. I simply browned the beef in a skillet before placing everything in the crockpot. I’ve also used chicken breast instead of beef. Equally excellent. 

      1. I browned the meat and used a slow cooker. I cooked it 4-5 hours on low. I used about 3.15lbs of beef eye of round and after that amount of time it shredded pretty easily. Having it tonight for dinner! I can’t wait 🙂 

  89. Thank you for this fantastic and easy recipe!! We made it for game night last weekend and it was a hit for our friends and family. I normally HATE all meat leftovers, it is usually physically hard for me to eat reheated meat. Not this one!! OMG, the leftovers for this Barbacoa made the BEST nachos and then we still had a little left days later so I threw it in with some ground turkey I was making for tacos and added some of the leftover chipotles to that and made a fantastic Taco Salad which then made lunches for the next day. So spoiled with flavor this week! This will be a recipe on repeat, thank you!

  90. I am fairly new to using the Instant Pot so I’m always looking for new recipes to try. This recipe is AMAZING!!! It was so easy and delicious! Everyone loved it and my brother kept saying that it tasted just like what you get at Chipotle! I ended up using about 3.5 pounds of chuck roast because it was on sale at my grocery store, so I added a little more seasoning but the same amount of liquid required by the recipe. I will definitely make it again. Thank you!!

    1. Did you use natural release or quick release? Would love to try this recipe! Can you guess I got an Instant Pot for Christmas? ????

  91. I made this recipe to the T and I got the “burn” message on my instant pot 25 minutes in to cooking 🙁 The sauce was almost all evaporated and the meat was brown on the bottom. Any ideas for making sure this doesn’t happen next time? I have never had that happen before.

  92. The whole family loves this!  
    The corn salsa is delicious and the leftover meat (if there is any)  is great in tacos the next day.  Thanks for another yummy recipe! 

  93. This is seriously good and EASY. I’m always looking for go to recipes for my pressure cooker and this will be at the top of my list!

  94. We love this recipe especially for tacos and empenadas. I just wish that the print feature would get fixed, when you click on print it brings up the video at the top the recipe. I don’t think anyone else want to print the video in their recipe either.

  95. Pingback: 50+ Nourishing Keto Instant Pot Dinner Recipes (dairy-free, Whole30, too!)

  96. I’ve made this many times and it’s so good.  I usually add 4 tablespoons of the chipotle peppers. Freezes well too.

  97. Oh wow…this barbacoa beef is fantastic! Followed the recipe exactly…Instant Pot. So tasty, so tender. The family loved it. Will certainly be making it again soon.

  98. Hi there!  Love your recipes!

    For the instant pot, how long should it cook?  It says 65 minutes, but is that the pressurizing time plus cook time or just the cook time?  I.e. do I set my cook time to 65 minutes? 

    Thanks!

    Holly

  99. This is listed in your freezer friendly section. I was wondering the best way to freeze this meal. Do I just put it in a disposable casserole dish. I have had problems in the past with food getting freezer burn. What is the best way to prevent that.

  100. Delicious and flavorful! I cut back on the peppers because it’s a little spicy for us, but so delicious even without all the hot pepper!!

  101. Avatar photo
    Cynthia Carter-Betancourt

    This was perfect! Delicious on corn / flour tortillas with corn salsa topping and cilantro. Sprinkled with Cotija cheese. Meat was tender and the seasoning was amazing!

  102. I just had this as a burrito and omg sooo great! It was super easy to make! I was quite surprised there weren’t more steps. I used my crockpot on high for 6 hours. Definitely needs the salt and extra cumin at the end as it needs a little kick. For my burrito, I quickly chopped up and threw in a skillet some green bell pepper, onion, frozen corn, tomato, and reheated the barbacoa. Added avocado and cilantro before rolling up the deliciousness. Can not recommend enough! My mouth is very happy.

  103. Making this today in the slow cooker on high- it’s been on for about 4 and a half hours now and it’s still not shreddable. My guess is this is going to take 6 hours on high to shred. I think next time I will use chuck roast instead which may change the fat macros but the bottom round probably works better w the insta than it does in the slow cooker. Chuck is my go to for the slow cooker and I should have followed my instincts. When it is done I think it’s going to be delicious tho. The slow cooker still has lots of liquid too.

  104. This recipe is fabulous! I have already made it three times. Also the Corn Salsa is a must. Thank You!!

  105. Avatar photo
    Teresa l Krage

    Very good recipe used a little more lime cause I love it and I’ll make it again no doubt!

  106. This is the second recipe I’ve tried in the instant pot and both times, the meat wasn’t tender enough to shred. I cooked this on high pressure for 70 minutes with natural release. Am I doing something wrong? Do I just need to give it more time?? Once you open the pot, if it’s not tender enough, should you cook it longer?

  107. This has become a family favorite!!!
    I usually use sirloin steak and it is delicious, even as leftovers!!
    Most of the time we eat over rice, but it’s also great in wraps, lettuce wraps, or on a bun.

  108. So, so delicious! The barbacoa is great, but the corn salsa really puts it over the top! Thank you for yet another amazing meal to add to the rotation. We used sirloin tip roast as there was no round roast when I shopped, and did this in the slow cooker due to no instant pot (8 hours on low). The barbacoa was so tender and it turned out great. 

  109. My second time making this recipe and it has quickly become my husband’s favorite dish of all time! I make it with the cilantro lime rice and corn salsa as suggested and he gobbles it up like it’s going out of style. Gina, thank you so much for providing such delicious, flavorful, and healthier versions of our favorite recipes!

  110. Pingback: Burrito Bowls | Homegrown Patience

  111. Avatar photo
    Susan Freed-Gilvey

    I ran across the Barbacoa recipe when I was browsing through this week’s Skinny Taste Meal Plan (I found the link when I was reading the Fiesta Lime Rice recipe). I’m so happy you talk about other recipes that would go well with the current recipe we are reading. It gives me more options and ideas to explore.

  112. Avatar photo
    Jessica Johnson

    This was super easy to make and extremely flavorful! I added 3 TBSP of the Chipotles in Adobo Sauce and was worried it would be too spicy, but it was not! My entire family loved it, including my 3 and 5 year old daughters! I was a bit lazy and made Rice A Roni Cilantro lime rice and bought Green’s Giant’s Canned Mexicorn to add to the top. I’m sure it was not as healthy as if I were to make the rice and corn salsa myself, but it was quick and easy and a delicious meal!

  113. This was one of my favorite recipes of yours! It was so easy to make and super flavorful. We had it with baked sweet potatoes and sautéed spinach/kale. 

  114. Avatar photo
    Bonnie Robbins

    Made this with the Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn Salsa. My husband and I enjoyed it. I think the Corn Salsa really makes this dish!

  115. Avatar photo
    Allison Hughes

    This was fabulous & super easy in the InstaPot. I served it on a flat out – fold it and made it like a thick taco. I put half a serving on a half a flat out with a little reduced fat cheese. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe Gina! 

  116. I made this recipe tonight for dinner and WOW! It was perfect! Got my Instant Pot for Christmas and honestly I have not used my stove or oven since. I have made everything, even cheesecake. But this recipe is over the top. I also made the corn salsa. which is addicting and the lime cilantro rice…all are great and go so well together. Thank You!!!!

  117. I followed the recipe exactly and this came out perfectly in my Instant Pot! Thanks, it’s delicious!

  118. I don’t know what I did wrong, but I followed the instructions exactly (including 65 minutes in the instant pot) and mine came out so dry it’s nearly inedible. Help? I used an eye of round roast. 

  119. I’ve used a very similar recipe to make barbacoa in the crockpot several times and it always turns out SO yummy. 

    For the several people asking, I cook it on low in the crockpot for about 6-8 hours depending on how much meat I have. I check it with a fork at about 6 hours to see how tender the meat is. I cut and sear the beef on the stove before placing in crockpot, exactly how she has stated in this recipe. I also add a bit more liquid (I use chicken broth) because I’m paranoid about meat drying out. 

     I can’t wait to try it in my Instant Pot. Thanks for the recipe 🙂 

  120. Pingback: Instant Pot Review + Recipes – The Wholesome Haven

  121. While I love it as made above, I used the recipe a different way tonight. I had a lot grilled tri-tip (completely cooked) left over from a company dinner. that I didn’t want to go bad, so I sliced it off in thick slices, made the sauce as above and put it in the instant-pot with the sauce and bay leaves for 35 minutes. Made the corn salsa and heated some tortillas and it was a great dinner! Really good use of roast beef leftovers.

  122. First of all these dishes were so delish and FULL of flavor!!! I used Brown Rice and it had more of bit than I expected, but that was my fault…. I use Brown Rice all the time and knew I should have cooked it longer.  The Beef turned out perfect!!  Oh and the Corn Salsa topped it off. Thank you sooooo much for all this deliciousness????

    SN… I added tomatoes to the blender and marinated the beef over night. Quick, healthy and easy weeknight meal.  

  123. It definitely has heat to it but the flavor is great. I used my pressure cooker and the meat came out perfect!

  124. Avatar photo
    Katriona Brownlow

    Made this on Friday and it was YUMMY. Made my own black bean, corn salsa recipe and served with salad and cilantro rice. Huge hit! Thanks. Eye of round roast is such a funky piece of meat!

  125. I have made this many times and love it! Makes great leftover burrito bowls. Anyone try it with chicken yet? Obviously with different cooking times.

  126. Avatar photo
    Danielle Miller

    I was wondering how you calculated the points? I added this in the recipe builder exactly how it is and it came out to 9 points per serving.

    Thanks!

  127. Avatar photo
    Heather McCroan

    This amazing recipe has replaced our traditional Mexican Night steak tacos. It is so easy. I have even prepped it through adding the sauce in step 2 and freezing it for later. From frozen the warm up is longer, but the cooking is the same time. It is a winner every single time. Don’t miss out on her Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn Salsa which are excellent pairings for this recipes.

  128. Avatar photo
    Michele Murray

    I’m working from home during the storm….took multiple things out of freezer to cook in IP and went right to your site for ideas. Now I’m fingers crossed I have adobo!!!! Thanks for always being the first place I look to make a delicious meal!!!

  129. Love the recipe, love using pressure cooker too. Has anyone found a good guide for pressure cooker times. Many times my weight of meat is less then the recipe and I am not sure about reducing cooking times. I have been trying to find a general guide on this and can’t find anything.
    Thank You.

  130. This is one of my family’s favorites. I take all the leftovers and portion in a snapware and freeze. It defrosts/reheats really well for a quick weeknight dinner! The corn relish is a snap to make while I’m making the rice and defrosting/reheating beef.

  131. This was one of the first things I made in the instant pot. It’s a staple and a favorite.  Love it. 

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  133. I used chuck roast, changed the spices a little and cooked in high for 57 min.  Came out perfect! 

  134. Trying to make this in slowcooker not sure of timing do i need to sear meat first?? Still cut it into smaller pieces??

  135. Here’s the ACTUAL deal with the calories:

    Everything except for the beef has negligible calories, especially when spread out amongst so many servings. However, 4oz of RAW lean beef is about 150 calories, give or take a few depending on cut and grade (higher grades have more marbling, thus more fat you can’t trim off). About 3 ounces of COOKED lean beef is about 150 calories.  For 9 servings, you want about 2.25lbs of  raw beef left after you trim the beef.  I suppose if you buy a cut with a large fat cap, you will trim ~.75lbs of fat from your roast, leaving you with the right amount to hit the calorie target listed above, but that is A LOT of fat.

    I bought a cut of beef that was approximately 2.5lbs. After trimming, it left me with about 2.25lbs of beef. I divided this by 4oz, which is a true serving. This actually gave me 9 servings. If I were to have been left with 3lbs of beef after trimming, then I would have had 12 4oz servings of raw beef. I then cooked the beef (left the rest of the recipe alone), and after I shredded it, but before I returned it to the liquid, I weighed it. I divided that amount by 9, since I had 9 servings, and then I knew how much cooked beef I should have for a serving. 

    So, for those counting points/calories, weigh your meat AFTER you trim off all the fat. Divide it by 4. That is how many servings this recipe actually makes. After you shred your beef and before you return it to the liquid, weigh it out. Divide by the number of servings your original calculation computed. That is how much meat you should eat cooked, without the liquid,

    1. Avatar photo
      Marcia Wallace

      You are a very odd nitpicker.  Just let go and enjoy it.  Have a piece of pumpkin pie, before you urinate in you pants.

  136. BY FAR the best instant pot meal I’ve made. I’ve made probably 10 different things in my pot since getting it and I am just blown away by this recipe! I just finished having seconds now and can’t wait to share this recipe with others. I did the 4tbsp of chipotle peppers and while it was too spicy for my kids…it was just right for me. Just so impressed by the flavor of the meat. Every step of this recipe was so worth it with the corn salsa and cilantro lime rice. I can’t wait to eat it again!

    1. Oh and i have the 8 qt IP and followed your directions to the ‘t’ and it was amazing!!  Thank you so much!

  137. Hi Gina! Big fan! I just bought an IP and have only used your recipes. All have been yum. For some reason, I got the “Burn” message and all of my reserve liquid was gone. Did I need to cook it on High Pressure/Less. It was set to High Pressure Normal? I guess I’m confused in general when to use Less/Normal/More. 

    Thanks in advance for the insight!

    1. The same thing happened to me. I manually set the time to 65 minutes but with 20 minutes left on the timer, I also got the Burn Message. Sure enough, my sauce was burnt on the bottom and I had no reserve liquid.

      I am wondering if it is worth adding another cup of water before starting the pressure cooker? Then again, it was my first attempt at using the IP.

  138. I decided to try this recipe in my IP with a 2 lb chuck tender roast I had picked up. I followed the recipe exactly using the low end of chipotle in adobo since I’m not a big fan of very spicy heat (but my husband it a huge fan). It was perfect! I made the Cilantro Lime Rice with basmati. I didn’t have all the ingredients for the corn salsa but I plan to make it again when my daughter is home. Can’t wait to try some more of your PC dishes.

  139. Like a few other readers, I’m confused about the exact amount of time in the Instant Pot. Does the 65 minutes include the pressure release? Or are you manually setting the time to 65 and then letting it release? Could you write the instructions a little more explicitly for newbies? (i.e. press this button, press that button, wait this amount of time).

      1. manual release after cooking for 65 minutes…good to know because above someone answered natural release ! Big difference !!

      2. Hi Gina, I love your recipes! I’m confused about the release because I see that you’ve said manual release here but natural release a few times below.  Could you clarify which one it is? Thank you. 

  140. I made this today in my slow cooker. So delicious! I loved the interesting flavor from the cloves. My family loved it, too. We made salads with lettuce, black beans, cilantro lime rice (your recipe), guacamole, and light ranch with lime and cilantro blended in.

  141. I made this tonight in my instant pot and it was fabulous! I served it with yellow rice and Cuban style black beans. Absolutely delicious!

  142. I tried this and found the chipotles to be overwhelming in flavor (I used about 2-3, so not even on the high end). I actually ended up washing the meat of the sauce. Furthermore, I know this is supposed to be a “skinny” recipe, but removing all the fat made this a little too lean. The meat was tender and pulled apart easily, but it lacked richness that I think probably comes from some fat, especially when it comes to traditional barbacoa. This was a fail for me.

  143. Gina this was fantastic!

    For anyone interested in using the slow cooker for this — I followed Gina’s directions, cut into chunks and seared on all sides. Then I just added to the crockpot with the pureed sauce and set to low for about 7 hours. It turned out perfectly!

  144. Hi Gina! How would you go about making this in a slow cooker? Huge fan of your recipes–they’re a go-to in my house!

  145. Pingback: 20 Weight Watchers Instant Pot Recipes with Smartpoints - Sweet T Makes Three

  146. Great recipe! Loved the beef, rice and corn salsa too. Kids ate it up as well. Definitely keeping this in the rotation and can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch this week!

  147. Pingback: Never fear! 8 must-have family friendly Instant Pot recipes - Peanut Blossom

  148. Avatar photo
    Susan Reveles

    Hi!
    I have made so many of your recipes and am so grateful for you sharing your talent with the world. The 3 bean turkey chili is my absolute favorite besides this barbacoa. I’m considering making this recipe with chicken breasts in the crockpot. Any ideas or suggestions? Will it taste as good?

  149. Pingback: Beef Instant Pot Recipes - Best BEEF Recipes for Your Electric Pressure Cooker

  150. Well, I followed instructions to a T for instant pot and the sauce was burnt at the bottom of my instant pot and the meat was super dry! Another recipe that didn’t turn out from skinny taste. 

    1. Avatar photo
      Shannon Phillips

      I think the cup of water is supposed to go in too, its in the ingredients but left out of the instructions. Which is why i am reading comments.

    2. Obvious you either did NOT follow the recipe or you set your pressure cooker to meat and burnt everything. Don’t give bad reviews because you don’t know how to cook.

  151. Pingback: Pressure Cooker Recipes for an Easy and Delicious Dinner

  152. Hi Gina, I have a standard pressure cooker and have never cooked anything for an hour.. Typically it cooks about 20 minutes once i get pressure going and then of course the time for natural release. I’m guessing the 60 minutes might include the time it takes to get pressure until the full natural release after cooking?

  153. Pingback: Healthy Instant Pot Recipes – Kendra's Cravings

  154. Hi Gina! I am currently making this in the crock pot since I don’t have any of the other tools. I imagine it will be tasty like everything on here!  Your website has been my go to for almost 6 years now. I’ve bought your cookbook as a gift for family and have shared your carnitas recipe with many of my friends (it’s my fave recipe for new moms and their households). Thanks for the delicious healthy recipes! Thanks for all the effort and time it takes to do what you do! I never comment so just thought I would to say thanks! (Or maybe I have and don’t remember!) 

    1. How long did you cook in crockpot? I don’t have pressure cooker and want to try this and I’m not sure on timing.

  155. I’ve been following your recipes for years, and I just love your blog. My family even “knows” you, so-to-speak, because most of their favorite recipes originated here!

    This. Was. Amazing. Like better than amazing. I wasn’t that hungry, but I managed two tacos just because it was that good. I cooked it exactly according to the recipe, served with your cilantro lime rice, pickled cabbage, and a few other of my favorite taco fixin’s. I want to try the fiesta rice next time.

    I love my InstantPot, and I’m working my way through your recipes!

  156. Do you have directions on how to make this if you don’t have and Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker?

  157. Gina,
    I need some help. I made this on the stove top and cooked it on very low forever! My meat is not tender. I was thinking it would be tender and just come apart. This sounded so good. I followed the recipe and used bottom round roast, but my attempt seems to have failed. Any suggestions?
    thank you.

  158. Avatar photo
    Janet Alexander

    When I took the meat out of the IP, I put is into the bowl of my Kitchen-Aid mixer with the paddle. Got shreddind beef in less than 1 minute!

    1. Avatar photo
      Linda Tierney

      I made this last night for the first time and followed the recipe exactly. It was delicious! And then I took Janet’s idea and used my Kitchen-Aid mixer with the paddle attachment to easily shred the beef in less than a minute – thank you!

  159. This was my first recipe in the instant pot. It was delicious. I didn’t have any cloves, so left it out.  Loved it.  Please post more instant pot recipes!!!!

  160. Very tasty! I will leave out the cloves next time, the smell was overwhelmiong and pungent. Otherwise a perfect dish! 

  161. Absolutely delicious!  I’ve made this several times now in my Instant Pot. I love it with the Corn Salsa and the Cilantro Lime Rice.  My husband raves about how good it is! 

  162. Great Recipe!!! Tastes like I ordered from Chipotle Restaurant but tastes even BETTER!!! Will definitely keep this one in rotation.

  163. When I put this in my weight watcher recipe builder and used 9 servings, it came up as 7  SP. am I doing something wrong? We loved this and going into our rotation! Can’t wait for the leftovers tomorrow! 

    1. I too am having difficulty reconciling this particular recipe with the Weight Watchers site. I’ve tried building it as a recipe, building it as a food… I can’t get it to be just 3 points for 1/9th of the recipe, or 4.oz. Can you check the stats and advise? great recipe!

      1. The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.

        The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.

    2. Avatar photo
      Jeff Eppinette

      I think the solution is in how well you trim the beef. When you build the recipe on the Weight Watchers site, you can choose a lean bottom round roast like “Publix Deli Beef bottom round roast.” For 3lbs, it is only 35 SP. If you remove all fat from your bottom round roast as in the recipe directions, you should be able to use the “Publix Deli Beef bottom round roast” as a reasonable SP example. This will give you 4 SP per serving (I know it is still not 3 SP, but it’s close).

      Hope this helps!

  164. Gina, I used my IP for this on the meat setting for 60 minutes and it burnt. Did I do something wrong?

  165. Just made this yesterday. First ever recipe in the IP. WE LOVED IT! Your directions were very easy to follow. I shared a link to the recipe with friends on FB who were curious about the Instant Pot.

  166. Hi Gina! 

    Quick question. I am looking to get an instant pot. Have you used the slower cooker function? Does it work as well as a regular slow cooker? Thanks so much!!

  167. I am looking forward to making this tomorrow in my instant pot – I am confused on step 3 at the end where you are putting the shredded beef, along with cumin and salt and water, back in the instant pot – then what – maybe I am overlooking a step.

  168. We made this for dinner tonight and it was wonderful.  Tasty with nice amount of heat.  Made this with no changes to recipe and really enjoyed.  Will make again!

    1. You can keep flavor and subtract heat with smoked paprika instead for the adobo chiles if your kids are tolerant of more intense flavors.

  169. This was really good. I cut the meat into 2 inch cubes and reduced the cooking time in my Instant Pot to 35 min with natural release. Turned out perfect!

  170. I came across a chuck roast that was marked down for quick sale because it was expiring in 2 days, so I decided to try this recipe. Let me tell you, this was BETTER than Chipotle! I replaced the lime with apple cider vinegar and left out the cloves to save myself a trip to the store, and it was still phenomenal. I ate it as lettuce wraps, but next time I’ll go all-in and make the salsa, rice, etc.

    Thank you for this!!

    1. I’m glad to hear it worked! I accidentally got a shoulder roast (I think that’s more similar to a chuck roast?) and was looking to see if anyone else had experience with a different cut of meat! Thanks for sharing! 

  171. Are the points calculated for this without the rice? It says it’s a Paleo recipe, but rice isn’t Paleo. I just wanted to clarify. I’m BRAND new to paleo and looking for staples. This looks amazing 🙂

    1. Just an FYI, she also serves the beef with corn salsa. Corn is also not paleo so just use a standard salsa without added sugar.

      You can substitute cauliflower or broccoli rice for the rice. It’s becoming easier to find in supermarkets.

  172. I am new to instant potting and need more exact directions on how to cook the meat. Is is natural pressure release. You said roughly 65 minutes. Should I cook it for at least that?

  173. I made this for my family today and it was amazing!! Everyone loved it. I am definately making it again.

  174. Is the number of servings being 9 in this recipe, accurate. When I import the recipe into MyFitnessPal to track, with 3 pounds of beef and only 9 servings, it calculates each serving at 276 calories. I’m counting calories, not points, so I want to make sure I’m not miscalculating. Thanks. I love the recipe!

    1. I was wondering the same thing ! I am counting macros and it comes out be 273kcal, not sure if I am doing something wrong, but girl every Kcal counts ???? So whatever I can do to make it be 153 kcal I wanna do ????

    2. Me four! I also calculated on MFP and even using eye of round trimmed to zero fat (which I don’t think is technically possible), it comes out higher. 

      1. Are you using the recipe builder? The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.

        The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.

    3. The problem is that the recipe is built around a pound being equal to 12oz.  If you look at the serving size of 4oz and multiply that by the 9 servings you get 36oz.  36oz would equal 3lbs if 12oz was a pound, but it’s not.  So, at 16oz/lb we get 48oz of meat + 1/2 an onion + 1tsp of oil + 5 cloves of garlic = your calorie total. To sum up, 3lbs of roast equals 48oz of roast equals 12 4oz servings.  

      1. I think it’s cooked vs uncooked weights. Would love to know for sure, though! 

    1. Honest, I scrolled through the comments before asking, so I apologize if this has been answered. I don’t own a pressure cooker, but I have a crock pot. Can you give the time in the crock pot? Can I assume 8-10hrs on low? Huge Skinnytaste fan, btw… We had the turkey burgers tonight and the slow cooker tacos last night…

    2. Making this in the crockpot for the second time today. I’m cooking mine on low for 8 hours, but you could probably do it on high for 5 hours. I don’t even puree the sauce- just throw it all in the slow cooker & take out the bay leaves before serving. Worked great last time!

  175. This is marked as a whole 30 dish but I’m having trouble finding a brand of chipotle in adobe that does not have corn starch/sugar in it. Any brand suggestions and where I might find it?

    1. You can make it. It’s actually really easy. All you need to get is dried chipotle peppers. I made mine from this recipe:
      https://oldworldgardenfarms.com/2013/09/13/make-your-own-chipotle-peppers-in-adobo-sauce-fridays-recipe-of-the-week/

      It came out so good I couldn’t stop licking my spoon, haha.

  176. What about a chuck roast in the instant pot? How would the cooking time vary? It’s on sale at while Foods this week ?

  177. I know you’re not supposed to try new recipes on company, but since I’m a huge skinnytaste fan, I did it anyway. I made the Barbacoa Beef in the Instant Pot and then did as suggested and prepared the corn salsa and cilantro lime rice. For myself, I passed on the rice and ate the meal instead as a salad, and I cannot say enough good things about it. The entire group LOVED the meal. Everyone went for seconds…. which I couldn’t decide if I was happy about, or not, since that meant less leftovers for myself =) Definitely making this again for just my small family so that I can have leftovers throughout the week… and definitely doubling the corn salsa. That stuff is addicting!!! Great addition to my skinnytaste recipe rotation!!

  178. I would like to make this in the slow cooker using chicken breasts. Can I follow your recipie for pulled chicken in your. Cookbook and instead of making the BBQ sauce I use the ingredients here? Thanks,,

    1. Probably – I’ve made crock pot recipes in the instant pot and they’ve worked well. I’d say you’d leave it in about 8 hours on low, 4 on high. You might have to adjust the liquid amount. 

  179. I’ve made this twice now (in instant pot) and really like the flavor! The first time I did use a Chuck Roast and I think I preferred it to the Bottom Round Roast. The bottom round did not shred very easy so I did shred as much as I could and then added it back in for another 7 minutes on high. Thanks for the recipe!

  180. Hello, will this work with brisket? If so, how long in the Instant Pot for approx. 2lb brisket and do I need to adjust anything else? Thanks so much!! Love all of your recipes 🙂

  181. This recipe is easy and tastes so good! Thanks for the directions. I would love to see more pressure cooker recipes on here. I have become a “SkinnyTaste Snob” because I know all of your recipes will be healthy AND flavorful which is a combo that is hard to find! Thanks for sharing!

  182. just a quick question.. I’m using an Instant Pot (novice) and was wondering if I use a Quick Release or a Natural Pressure Release..

    1. Natural pressure release (or quick release after 15-20 minutes) is best for all meat in the IP…helps to keep it from being chewy.

  183. I used an Instant pot and i think I left it in too long. Im new to IP, should I set the timer for 65 mins on the IP (which evens up longer because it takes time to hit to pressure) or watch the clock for 65mins. and not wait for the IP to get to full pressure to start the timer? Thanks in advance!

  184. Gina, I cannot thank you enough for sharing your delicious recipes with us! I found your blog several years ago and have tried dozens of recipes… I have yet to be disappointed.

    I am very much a novice in the kitchen, but your recipes are easy to follow and the results have been fantastic. My husband (previously the primary cook in the house) is a carnivore who shuns any recipe that is even mildly described as healthy. That being said, he has 100% trust and confidence in your recipes. So again, thank you! Thirteen years of marriage and he finally looks forward to my meals! Lol.

  185. Hi Gina,

    You cooked this for 65 minutes in the Instant Pot and then did you Quick Release? I’m new to this whole Instant Pot stuff but I know it makes a difference to quick or natural release. Thanks!!!

  186. Can you tell us how much water you used in step one of the recipe?  I’m thinking that’s why so many people say something is off.  It says to blend with water, but water is not listed in the ingredients and an exact amount is not mentioned.  It would be helpful to know as I have bought all the ingredients but don’t know how to start.

  187. Sorry to say that this was a total miss for us. Really lacking in flavor – even my husband who will eat just about anything didn’t care for it.

  188. When using the pressure cooker- what is the temperature on the stove top?  I have never used it before.  Do I keep it on high the entire hour or lower it?

    Thanks!

  189. Did not love this dish.  My son liked it better than I, needs flavor tweaking.  Can not pinpoint the exact flavor that is “off” but something is off.  Only used 2 tbsp plus a smidge of the chipotle in adoba, plenty spicey enough.  Sauce needed to thicken more, that could be my error. though i reduced the cooking liquids for 15 minutes and there did not seem to be any concentration of flavor.  I will try this recipe again, only because my son liked it   

  190. Avatar photo
    Carrie Miller

    Hi Gina. Just made a batch of this in the instant pot. It tastes fantastic. I have a question about how you calculated the SP’s. Every time I’ve entered the recipe into the builder it comes out either 4 points per serving (using 3lb beef eye of round, cooked) or 6 points per serving (using 3lb beef eye of round, raw). I can never get it to come out to3 points per serving. Just curious if you have any idea what the difference could be?

    1. The only accurate way to determine any recipe’s SmartPoints® value is to plug the ingredients into the recipe builder on the Weight Watchers website (Click on “My Foods,” select “Recipe,” and click “Create a recipe.”) which does not count fruits and vegetables in recipes in the calculations as they are now 0 points.

      The SmartPoints® calculator isn’t meant for recipes and will often give you the wrong points (usually higher) because it’s counting the fruits and vegetables. So if you see a recipe with a SmartPoints® value that’s different from what the calculator tells you, now you know why.

  191. Made this yesterday in the slow cooker and it came out fantastic! I used 4 heaping tablespoons of chipotles in Adobe because I really enjoy the smokey spice and don’t find it “spicy”. To cook in a slow cooker- cut into cubes as instructed, do a quick braise in a frying pan on each side of the cubes, and place in the slow cooker. When making the sauce, add an extra cup of water (2 cups total). Cook on low for 8 hours. At hour 6-7 I shredded the meat and placed back in to absorb the flavors for the remaining time. Delicious! Perfect for food prep!

  192. We made this in the crockpot since I don’t have a pressure cooker. Left the roast whole and let it cook on low for about 8 hours. It came out great– really tender and shredded and tasty.

  193. I made this last night with a bottom rump roast, beautiful piece of meat. However it was tough and did not easily shred.
    Prior to putting  it in the crock pot on low, I browned it on all sides. I checked it after 3.5 hours in the crock pot and it was tough as could be. The sauce mixture was more than enough and covered 1/4-1/2 of the roast the entire time. I took the roast out, cut it and it was clear it was cooked through. I ended up cutting it into pieces and putting it back into the crock pot so the meat could marinate in the sauce. I was hoping this would give the meat more flavor and potentially soften it up a bit. I have no idea what happened to this one.

  194. I made all three of these delicious recipes last night for our dinner.  (Barbacoa Beef, Corn Salsa, and the Cilantro Rice),  We were on flavor overload.  Oh my gosh, best tasting authentic mexican style food I have ever made!  Thank you so much for sharing these tasty recipes and I will be sure to look for more of your recipes on Pinterest!  My husband said these are definitely keepers!

  195. I just made this for the second time a couple of days ago. It is fantastic! I made a barbacoa hash with the leftovers by sautéing potatoes and onions then adding the left over barbacoa. I topped the potatoes and meat mixture with eggs. My husband swears that is the best meal he’s ever eaten and in the future will only eat the Barbacoa with potatoes and eggs! Great way to do something different with the leftovers. Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes!

  196. The Flavor was terrific–I made it in the Instant Pot; however, the beef was tough and hard to shred. I cooked it for 65 minutes as per instructions but left it in for 7 minutes afterwards before I released the pressure. Was it in there for too long?

  197. Saw this on your Instagram and knew I had to make it immediately! It’s just my husband and I so I picked up 1 lb of beef eye of round, and making in the crock pot. Should I 1/3 all of the other ingredients, as well? Is it still ~8 hours in the crock pot if it’s such a small portion? Help! I want it to turn out perfectly 🙂

  198. Just wanted to say that I made all 3 recipes in my Instant Pot. I followed the directions exactly and it turned out PERFECT. This is the best dish I have made in my Instant Pot so far. My entire family LOVED it, even the picky teen!!

  199. Made this for dinner last night and my family and I loved it. We had the leftovers tonight and it was even better. Thanks Gina 

  200. OMG this was amazing… made the cilantro-lime rice and the corn salsa to go with, and it was phenomenal. Both myself and the hubby felt like we were eating at Chipotle, but with none of the guilt! Will definitely be making this again 

  201. This was another amazing recipe!!  Gina, thank you for all you do. I cook for my family pretty much every night and other than family recipes everything I make is yours!  My daughter will say, ” is this a skinnytaste?”  Thank you so much for all you do!!

    I did cook mine in the crock pot for nine hours on low with 1 and 1/2 cups water as someone else recommended.   I also used a shoulder roast as it was on sale at. Y grocery store. It was so tender after the 9 hours!!  Delicious!!

  202. Pingback: Beef Recipes | Pearltrees

  203. This recipe was sooooo sooooo good. I never comment but I just finished eating this 3 days later heated up for lunch at work and it’s just too yummy. We originally ate it as tacos at home, but for my work lunches this week I’m eating it over your mexican cauliflower rice. So filling, so healthy, so delicious!!!! I used eye of round and followed the directions exactly in my instant pot. Will be making this again for sure!

  204. I made this one day ahead in my electric pressure cooker for 65 minutes and let the pressure release naturally, then reheated it in a dutch oven the next day, I used 2 chipotle peppers, it was just spicy enough for us. My family loved it, as well as the corn salsa, it was perfectly done and shredded easily. Thank you !

    1. Thanks for posting – I’m a newbie with my Instant Pot, so I panicked when I didn’t see specific instructions about the release. Sixty five minutes and a natural release. Perfection!

  205. This makes so many servings, can it be successfully frozen ?  Or if halving recipe, halve all ingredients ? I cook for one and going to try this in my new Instant Pot.  And while I’m asking, can the corn salsa and cilantro lime rice (basmati will be used) also be frozen and reused later ?  Can’t wait to get everything and make this.  

  206. This tasted great, but starting burning after 30 mins in my pressure cooker! All the liquid was gone and the meat had started carmelizing to the bottom of the pan. I think I need to add more water to prevent burning (I added an additional cup but it still burned).   My family loved it though, and the rice and corn salsa were a big hit! 

  207. Hi Gina, 

    What size instant pot do you have? I want to buy one but I’m not sure what size to get. How many quarts does yours hold? 

  208. Can this be made and a slow cooker, and if yes, what cooking time and temperature level would you suggest? Barbacoa is my favorite so I’d love to be able to make it in a slow cooker!

  209. Avatar photo
    Rosemary B Thompson

    Gina, Did you try this in the instant pot? Would you put this on low pressure in an Instant POT for two hours? I would love to make this over the weekend…so in the mood for some Mexican food. I have made this in the crock pot with great success…but just got an Instant Pot on Prime day..and really wanting to try it out.

    1. I am actually testing this today. I will be on Snapchat (Skinnytaste) if you want to see the results fast, otherwise will update here soon!

      1. Oh please share! I am curious as I rarely use the lesser pressure settings on my pressure cooker-I don’t know why that is…but I would love to read your feedback.Thanks a bunch!

  210. Just made this recipe tonight and fell in LOVE! This is yet another Skinnytaste repeat at our house. We followed Gina's slow cooker instructions (cooked on low for 8 hours) and the meat was juicy, tender, and incredibly delicious. We had it with some bakes corn tostadas, refried beans and avocado! Awesome meal!

  211. Gina, you really pressure cook this for two hours? Sounds delicious and it is my favorite at Chipotle!

  212. I made this for dinner tonight, it is so delish!! I used my crock-pot instead of a pressure cooker. I placed the ingredients in the crock-pot on low for 7 hours, removed and shredded the beef, returned it to the pot and turned it on high while I made brown rice with cilantro and lime. I used 4 chiptole peppers and it was plenty spicy! This is a definite "make again" recipe!

  213. This was perfect! I added more onion, garlic and chipotle so I'd have extra sauce but after shredding, the meat sucked it all up. Also 2 hours under pressure my aunt thought was crazy. We did 20 minutes of pressure and then let it sit for about 30 off and the meat was perfectly tender.
    Super quick and easy and tastes really close to Chipotle! Great copy cat recipe!!

  214. Can this be made in a slow cooker? Could i simply sear the meat then put in the slow cooker with the liquid and cook till fork tender?

    And then add the shredded meat to a pan with leftover liquid at the end?

  215. Avatar photo
    Billie McShane

    Tastes great and pretty easy! I learned that a pressure cooked and slow cooker are not the same thing after it wasn't done in 2, 3, or even 4 hours, but I left it for about 10 hours total and it tasted amazing!!

  216. I made this today in the slow cooker, and skipped the clove and bay leaf (picky pregnancy senses!). We had these in hard tacos with corn salsa and monterey jack cheese and it was sooooo good! I used a lean cut of beef that I had on hand, and cooked on high for about 5 1/2 hours…I might have to go back for thirds!

  217. Made this tonight in my oven as the slow cooker was already in use. I used a chuck roast, followed the directions but placed in dutch oven, covered top with foil and then placed lid on top. I braised in oven at 300 degrees and checked every hour. Note the meat was still tough after first two hours but at 2 hours 45 minutes the meat was soft and fork tender! I added a little more water (about a cup) during 2nd hour. If your meat is tough, keep cooking and it should become tender!

  218. This is a fantastic recipe. Making it today for the second time. Used the rice and corn salsa ('cause that's what I get anyway at Chipotle's)and then we added some diced tomato, sliced avocado, cheddar/jack shredded cheese and salsa verde. Cooked it on top of the stove in a very large skillet for 5 1/5 hours. Put two nice reconstituted great in the microwave on about 40% power.

  219. I made this in the slow cooker over the weekend and put it on top of the fiesta lime rice. AMAZING!!!!!! Everyone loved it and it was so incredibly easy and flavorful. Thank you for the great recipes. My family is eating healthier but not lacking flavor! Keep it up Gina!!!!

  220. Help I dont have adobe sauce I bought all ingredients already to make today, I have Serrano peppers, and Chipolte seasoning can u help me figure something out please

    luccia39@hotmail.om

  221. Avatar photo
    Amanda - Cupcakes and Corndogs

    I tried this and LOVED it! I featured you and this recipe on my blog today. Thanks!http://www.cupcakesandcorndogs.com/2013/01/ww-favorite-friday-barbacoa-beef.html

  222. Avatar photo
    Laura McKissack

    I am having a hard time finding information on regular barbacoa. I had some for lunch thinking it was a good thing to eat because Chipotle's version is only 4 pts+ per 4 oz. serving. Then I started reading up on it and other sources say it's very fatty meat usually. What is the norm out there in non-ww land? Did I mess up? It was very tasty, but so is Chipotle's…

    1. My bottom round wasn't fatty at all. I did just what the recipe said and trimmed ALL the fat from it….I cooked it in a very large skillet on top of the stove for 5 1/2 hours and only had to add a little water near the end. I had no fat to skim off. Got my bottom round at Sam's Club.

  223. PS- I just posted (am the one who likes to add a bit of red wine) and just a note, I do mine in slow cooker (7-8 hours) & it turns out wonderfully.

  224. Good dish & thank you. I taste it as it cooks away and at the last hour I think it needs some "sharpening" and add 1/2 C dry red wine. Turns out great. I also add some pickled onion (red onion slices soaked for at least a few hours in vinegar)on top along with the corn. Sometimes a dollop of fresh pico de gallo, or radish slices..any 1, 2 or 3 will do.

  225. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    I would stick to the pressure cooker, it really takes any cut of meat and makes it tender. I'm guessing the crock pot didn't give you the same results.

  226. Hi Gina – thanks so much for sharing your many talents with us, you are a godsend! I made the barbacoa today and was a bit disappointed with the way the meat turned out. I don't have a pressure cooker so used the slow cooker for my 3 lb eye of round roast. After 10+ hours in the slow cooker, the "4 inch" pieces are still hard as a rock and will not shred. Should I give it more time or give up entirely (and slice it). Sliced just won't be the same. Thanks for your advice!

    1. Avatar photo
      Nick Tisdell

      I have made this with many cuts of beef in the SlowCooker and it has turned out great! hmmm – odd

      I have yet to throw any type of roast cut into a slow cooker with a little liquid (or just veggies) and have it not turn out perfect!

      I typically DON"T cut the roast at all…and also often i sear it first a bit.

  227. Hey Gina, I love all of your recipes and basically live on your site… but I gotta say I feel like I did something wrong with this one. Had to use a slow cooker since we don't own a pressure cooker, but ended up with dry chunks of beef (it just would not shred like it should have)… any suggestions for the next time, or is the pressure cooker really the way to go for this recipe?

    Thanks!!

  228. Could I freeze the leftovers? I am thinking I could, but I always get nervous about sticking things in the freezer and want to double check.

  229. I have to say, my family made this for dinner tonight and the meat came out bland and we didn't want to use the liquid because it didn't taste anything like Chipotle's barbacoa meat. We followed the instructions but maybe we did something wrong? We also made the cilantro rice, and that was delicious! Another note on the meat, it doesn't look anything like the picture.
    -Jessica

  230. I made this for Phil and me. He LOVED it. I also made the corn salsa (huge hit) and the cilantro lime rice. We had enough leftovers for another dinner! Excellent recipe. Corn Salsa was even spicier the next day. I only used two adobo peppers, I think next time I would use more. I like things very spicy!

  231. I tried this recipe and love it. It is just live Chipolte's, I shredded it and love it as a salad. Next is to put it in a tortilla.

  232. I just found your website last night. I have to say that I love your blog. It has various, amazing recipes that are healthy. I have been looking forever for a recipe blog like this. Thank you. I love eating barbacoa and my boyfriend love carnitas. We also love spinach and artichoke dip which I also find a skinny version. Seriously, I love your website. Thank you again!! I never comment on website, so I hope that gives you prospective of how thankful I am. 🙂

  233. This looks fantastic, and I'm going to make it this weekend. But the name of the pepper is "chipotle," not "chiptole." You have it misspelled in a couple of places.

    Best wishes!

  234. Made this in my pressure cooker tonight……amazingly good!! Thanks for the recipe. Oh, and the Cilantro Lime Rice…..yum!!! Perfect dinner!

  235. Avatar photo
    Karen @ The Food Charlatan

    I think this is my new favorite recipe! Thanks so much for sharing! I blogged about this recipe here: http://thefoodcharlatan.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/barbacoa-beef/

  236. Made this last night with a moose roast I had in the freezer, it was VERY good! Will definitely make again, thanks.

  237. This was so yummy, thank you!! I wanted to say too that I was super lazy and I kept everything whole, didn't blend or cut anything up and it still turned out great! It still blended well together and fell apart. It was a tiny bit dry so next time I will use more water, but man was it yummy. I just had it in a burrito bowl with the corn salsa and brown rice for lunch. 🙂

  238. I made this today while at work in the crock pot (9 hours total). I kept the beef whole (no 4" chunks), and used about 1-1/2 cups of water since I was afraid it would get dry. When I got home it just fell apart and was very moist. FANTASTIC, I give this 5 stars! Served with her fiesta lime rice (also a 5 star dish!)

  239. This looks amazing! Cant wait ot try it out.

    PS I do have a recipe request for the Chipotle Chicken as well. Barbacoa and the chicken are to die for

    1. Oh yes, please please come up with a Chipotle chicken copycat recipe, I am addicted and you will be my HERO!! 🙂 Trying this barbacoa this weekend, can’t wait!

  240. I just made this for dinner for my boyfriends family. While it was good, it was by far the spicest thing I have EVER eaten (and we LOVE spicy). I only put two peppers, I am not sure where I went wrong. Suggestions for mellowing it out? I have a TON of left overs and don't want to threw them out.

  241. I made this for dinner tonight along with the cilantro lime rice. I was really happy with the way everything turned out, I may not need to go to Chipotle again! 🙂

  242. Avatar photo
    JennyPalafox

    I just wanted to thank you for this recipe! It's really good. I usually buy all of my meat from a carniceria Mexicana(Mexican meat market), and I had a hard time trying to figure out what eye of round was called en espanol. It is called "cuete" for anyone out there who also buys their meat en espanol! Also, I'm not sure what Anonymous was referring to as this is not barbacoa ; barbacoa is a dish, not a cut of meat. Thanks Gina for all of your awesome recipes.

    1. To my understanding, traditional Barbacoa uses beef tongue and other unsavory things I personally would not cook with. Yes I am squeamish. This recipe is more like Barbacoa I would not only eat, but be able to make as well. 

      1. We typically have used Chuck roast in the crock pot and it comes out delicious. I think this recipe is more health conscious because the cuts of meat are leaner. I’ve never met anyone who used tongue for Barbacoa. Although tongue can be very tender, it doesn’t shred very well. I’m from San Diego and I think roasts or large chunks of beef such as chuck or sirloin are more typically used (in this area) for Barbacoa. Sounds like a great recipe. Hope it turns out great for you. 🙂

      2. Here in TX, and in most of the Southwest, the most authentic barbacoa is made from beef cheeks, which are a little fatty. It makes for great flavor, and when cooked low and slow, or in a pressure cooker (not traditional, but a great time saver,) it comes out juicy and tender. Cheek meat looks like most of the muscles in a steer. The size and where it’s from are different, but it shouldn’t make you feel squeamish like tongue or organ meat. If you decide to try it, you might have to ask your butcher order it. It makes the best barbacoa, hands down. To make it Skinny Friendly, you can drain the meat once it’s done and shredded, adding back in enough liquid to moisten it. There are lots of recipes using this cut of meat you can Google.

  243. So when you state that this is Barbacoa, what you really mean is that it is Eye of Round, and NOT Barbacoa. HUGE difference.

  244. Just finished having this for dinner with your rice. It was delish! Hubby said "it's just like Chipotle"
    I made 1/2 a recipe in the crockpot and it turned out perfectly. Next time I'll make the corn salsa too.
    Thank you for some great recipes!

  245. Gina, thanks so much for all of your tasty recipes. Last week I tried this and your turkey picadillo and both were AMAZING. Thank you!

  246. Gina – please help. I live in Australia and don't have access to chipotles in adobo sauce. What can I use as a substitute?

  247. Oops! Forgets to say, I cooked mine in the crockpot and cooked it for about 8-9 hours. I also added another cup of water to mine. I did check on it throughout the day, turning it a few times but it was perfectly shredable by the end of the day.

  248. I had slightly under 3lb & used 2 or 3 chipotles and my husband thought it was too spicy. Next time, I'll just use one. I loved it!

  249. i have a sirlion tip roast in my freezer, think that would b ok for this? i was thinking this or your roast beef with gravy recipe……

  250. This was SO good. Leftovers the next day made awesome tacos with cabbage, lettuce and pepper jack cheese MMMMM!

  251. Avatar photo
    sheryljennings

    Really yummy! Although for some reason my beef wouldn't shred….it was a little tough….I did it in the crock pot…..wonder if that had something to do with it?

    1. I made mine in the crockpot as well and it turned out amazing! I cooked it for 4 hours on high and it shredded beautifully. If you have more time, 8 hours on low is preferable.

      1. Hi Michelle, did you add any water to the recipe to cook it in the crock pot, or did you stick to the recipe? 

  252. Made this last night for a big extended family dinner with brown cilantro lime rice and a deconstructed guacamole salad and it was EXCELLENT! The fam said it was BETTER than Chipotle's – cleaner and fresher and no disgruntled employee behind the counter! So glad I found your site. I've made quite a few things and they've all been a hit.

  253. I am on your website like EVERYDAY printing SOMETHING for dinner ha ha! I love it love it love it! I can't express how thankful I am to be able to make my Latin recipes that are healthy!!! THIS recipe is GREAT! I was crazy skeptical about the Coke but WOW it was great! When are you putting out a cookbook? I'd be first in line! Your recipes are at my table at least 2 times a week!

  254. I made this in the slow cooker and let it go all day while I was at work. Mixed with the Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn Salsa from here as well and it was phenomenal! I put in 3 chipotles since I had never cooked with them before and there was quite a bit of kick. I love spicy so it was ok, but I'll tone it down tonight when I make it for my boyfriend!

  255. made this recipe over the weekend, i absolutely love it. Thank you for all your awesome recipes, it's helping me a ton with weight watchers!

  256. I miscalculated my time and it turns out we have to leave the house about an hour prior to the dish is done (I have an old school non timer crock pot). Since its already in the crock pot (which smells ah-mazing btw) I placed it on high for 3 hours then I will change the setting to low for the remainder of the time. Hope it works! 🙂

    P.s. Ur website is fabulous and I constantly recommend it to all my friends! Thank you for your hard work and dedication Gina 🙂

  257. I just bought a eye round for this recipe and I CANNOT WAIT to try it. My boyfriend and I love Chipotles Barbacoa beef. Plus, he's a meat and potatos kind of guy. To top it off, we're both on WW's. This is going to be such a blessing to our diet!

    YUMMY!

  258. Hi Gina. If you were going to use pork with this recipe, what would you recommend? Or, does it not matter? Pork Shoulder, butt, etc? Thanks!!

  259. The recipe is awesome but I used a little too many of the chillies. Any recommendation on how to tone it down?

  260. Gina I loved this recipe, it has the right amount of spice and is so delicious……thank you….

  261. This is so good! My husband is hooked and even my 20 month old twins loved it! Thank you for sharing your recipes.

  262. Gina -I'm new to your site but I am oh-so-thankful that someone recommended it to me! I tried this recipe yesterday, along with the Skinny Chipotle Lime Rice and Skinny Chipotle Corn Salsa and LOVED IT! I mentioned your site in my WW meeting last night, because when I find something I truly like I can't keep it to myself! Keep up the good work!

  263. made this last night for a crowd and it was delicious. not a drop left! I set up a taco bar that included this, crockpot santa fe chicken, cilantro lime rice, cuban black beans and all the fixings! everyone loved everything! i love all your recipes and am so happy i found your blog!

  264. This may be the most delicious thing I've ever made! I served it over Goya Spanish rice and it was delicious. Thanks!

  265. I found your blog a couple months ago and have since tried MANY of your recipes and loved every single one! It's great to have help getting new meal ideas and my favorite part is making HEALTHY meals that my husband still loves! (I'm not on WW but counting calories and your site has made this so much easier and more delicious.) None of it is "diet food"… it's all wonderful and flavorful! Anyway, this recipe is next to try and I'll be serving it with the corn salsa and cilantro lime rice. Thank you Gina!

  266. I made this today in my slow cooker and it was incredible! I had it over yellow rice and my husband had his with rice and flour tortillas. I used a bit less oregano and clove, since I'm a little sensitive to those flavors and it was PERFECT!! Thanks much, Gina!

  267. AWESOME! This tastes exactly like Chipolte! LOVE it! Everything that I've tried on this blog has been delish! Thank you!!!

  268. I could only find a small can of chipolte salsa so I just poured it in instead of the actual chiles and it was delicious. Also I cut the meat into smaller pieces and simmered on low for 3 hours and it was perfect. Great recipe…I know my husband's gonna love dinner tonight!

  269. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Catherine, I would imagine in a crock pot it would be best 8 hours on low.

    I'm sure this would taste great with ground beef, more like a chili.

  270. I am not a beef eater, but would like to try this recipe. Could use 90% or 95% fat free ground beef?

  271. Wow, this was sooooo good and spicy my husband and I love it! I will be making this again next week. Thank you for sharing =)

  272. I made this (Barbacoa Beef) with Cilantro Lime Rice and Corn Salsa for dinner. We loved, Loved, LOVED it! My husband can't believe that these recipes I have been finding on your wedsite are healty! Thanks for the wonderful recipes Gina!

    Kelly Greb

  273. My, my, my!!! I've never been to Chipotle's, but this was definitely restaurant quality! I made this along with the corn salsa recipe and white rice, and it was awesome! I am so grateful for this website…..thanks Gina!

    ~Teresa~

  274. I'm trying to use the link to your "chipotle in adobe sauce" and the "chipotle" link but neither worked.

  275. I made this last night for the final four games!!! Followed the recipe except I added two cans of Rotel tomatos…and I think it could have done without it. Next time I will follow the recipe exactly. It was still great!!! It was juicy and very flavorful. I also made the southwestern beans and cilantro rice. They were amazing too! My BF loved the beans… We also had the skinny margaritas! What a hit for dinner and super easy. I used my Le Creuset 5 qt pot….after browning and bringing the meat to a low boil…I placed it covered in a 250 oven for 5 hours…while we did yard work. What a great way to have dinner ready with no fuss! Thanks so much Gina…your recipes are keeping my diet alive!!!!…and keeping the BF happy.

  276. LOVING your blog, Gina!! I had a WW friend over for dinner last night for a faux-Chipotle experience and I'm not sure I'll ever need to go to the restaurant again!! This was *amazing* and I had the control over the points, which is a TOTAL bonus!

    We had this recipe, the cilantro lime rice and your black bean salad! Yummy yummy!

  277. I would like to make this in a slow cooker, since I don't have a pressure cooker. Before I attempt it though, I'd like to ask if anyone cooking it in the slow cooker found it to be dry? In the past i have found beef dishes in the slow cooker to be on the dry side. Any feed back would be appreciated.

  278. This was ABSOLUTELY amazing! I did this with the cilantro rice, corn salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. BOY! You could not tell this was NOT chipotle. Dinner got 4 stars tonight. My boyfriend said the only thing it was missing was tortilla chips…

  279. Avatar photo
    Sienna's Mom & Dad

    This was so yummy too! I made this and the cilantro lime rice – on top of a bed of lettuce to make a salad w/ a ¼ c of black beans for 2 extra pp!

  280. I made this recipe (along with the corn salsa and cilantro rice) over the weekend, and it was amazing! I couldn't believe how much it tastes like Chipotle. Thank you so much for developing this recipe! 🙂

  281. Tried this last week and it was great! Tastes just like Chipotle's! This is my second recipe I tried from your blog and I love it. I'm now a follower. I used two chipotles for a nice kick without it being too spicy. Thanks Gina!

  282. Made this too! See Gina, I've made so many of your recipes! Loved it.. Questions, I'm use to my barbacoa with a little more "juice" to it. It was rather dry, but delish.. What do you suggest I add to make it saucier? Thanks!

  283. Delicious! I made it in the crock pot, super easy. I also made the rice and corn salsa, yummy. Can't wait for the leftovers tomorrow!

  284. FYI I just did entered this in the new points system and it came out at 6 points!!! This is going on the next menu plan!

  285. This dish was AWESOME! Tasted just like Chipotle's! I made the rice to go with – YUMMMMmmmmm!!!! It was very easy!

  286. This is dinner tonight. I was brave (or stupid) and used 4 of the peppers in adobo sauce. I've got in it the crockpot and can hardly wait till it's done.

    Happy New Year

  287. I was really excited about this, but I'm really disappointed. Next time I think I will use 2 tsp of coriander and 2 tsp of cumin and some apple cider vinegar for some tang.

  288. Avatar photo
    Gina @ Skinnytaste

    Glad you liked it! It's perfect for making during these hot summer months without heating up your kitchen turning the oven on!

  289. I made this about a month ago and even though we were eating Barbacoa Beef for about a week (only two eaters here), we never got tired of it. That's how good it was!!! In fact, I want some right now! It was just perfect and I wouldn't change a thing. With a nice glob of sour cream on top, it tasted exactly like Chipotle! You are awesome, Gina!

  290. It doesn't matter if you make 2 lbs, or 5, if you weight a 4 oz portion, the points will be the same, so enjoy!! Glad your daughter likes it!!

  291. my meat was 2.88 lbs but had a big peice of skin and fat on the bottom, im sure it was only 2 lbs by the time i was done trimming it, ill still count it as 4 though, id rather be wrong and eat less points than be wrong and go over my points, lol. eating a burrito bowl for lunch right now, it so freakin good!

  292. @VLo- yeah, sorry about that! This is 4 pts for 4 oz (weight). Depending on the size of your meat, or how much fat is trimmed, you may get more or less servings.

  293. made this today in my crock pot and just left it in there for 8 hours, i didnt even have to use a fork, it was so tender i just pushed down on the meat and it would shred on its own. i only used 2 chipotle chilies and it was just the right amount of spice. i made a burrito bowl with this and the cilantro lime rice,pinto beans, salsa, sour cream and cheese. YUMMY!

  294. My husband had WLS a few months ago, and still can't eat beef, so I tried this recipe with chicken!!! It was soooo good! I just put some chicken tenderloins in the liquified spices and let them boil, then shredded them and added them back to the pot. YUM! I can only imagine how good it will taste with the beef! Thanks Gina! 🙂

  295. slow cooking this for dinner tonight. i almost have to rope off the kitchen to keep people from going in and sneaking a peek. too many lid lifters in my house!

    Smells EXCELLENT so far.

  296. Dear Gina,
    Another amazing hit in my house!!! I made your manicotti a couple weeks ago and we LOVED it and I made this last night with my new pressure cooker and it was AMAZING!! WONDERFUL!! DELICIOUS!!!!! It really did taste like chipotle! My husband went nuts over it, I can't wait to get home and have leftovers for dinner!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!XOXOXOXXOXOXO

  297. T make it in the crock pot, sear the meat, put it in the crock pot, blend the spices and pour it over the meat. Add water and cover.

  298. Avatar photo
    Curry & Gutierrez Family

    Ok so this is a dumb question. Do I blend all the ingredients even if I am making it in the crock pot or do I just sear the meat and then throw the ingredients as they are on the ingredients list?

  299. Made this today in the crockpot and it is smells so good in my house!! Took a little taste test and it is Y-U-M-M-Y!!

  300. Made this today in the crock pot. Hubby was scraping out the little bits leftover after I packed away the leftovers!!

  301. This is a winner guys. I made this in the crockpot last night and it was a hit! I will be using this receipe again. A tip add a little orange juice with the lime juice amazing.

  302. What does liquedfied spices mean? I am not sure what to do in that step… thanks for all the recipes here tho!

  303. Avatar photo
    playingwithpixels

    It was delicious! We used the meat for soft tacos. Three chipotles was about the right amount of heat to satisfy the various tastes in our family. Thanks!

    ~Julie

  304. Making this tonight!! It's on the stove top now. I don't have a pressure cooker so I'm using my Le Creuset. It smells DIVINE! I'm making the rice, too. 🙂

  305. I've never heard of this, but wow – this looks and sounds so delicious. Will put on this list for this week.

  306. Oh my goodness I could kiss you right now! I can not WAIT to add this to my dinner list for next week. You ROCK!

  307. You're pretty much AMAZING, Gina. Thank you for recreating this … I'll be trying it this weekend.

    Claudia 🙂

  308. Excellent Beth!!

    This makes a lot, so I am having leftovers tonight. I'm thinking tacos with barbacoa and avocado!

  309. Thank you for all of your delicious recipes using REAL food! You fill a real void that existed when I did weight watchers about 2 years ago. It is such a blessing to find your website. I am slow cooking this for tonight's dinner.

    Beth

  310. @Janelle- All pressure cookers operate slightly different, but they come with instructions. Basically the cover locks into place and no air escapes except from the valve. You lose very little liquid because of this and the flavors really get into the food. Great for stews, chilis, beans. I couldn't live without mine.

    1. I just bought a pressure cooker because of reading your recipes (well several weeks ago) but haven't taken it out of the box yet! I'm thinking this recipe will be my first! I remember my parents using one years ago and all the sputtering frightened me but I'm hoping they are much easier to use these days…

  311. @Jess, SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
    Sear meat on high heat in a pan with 1 tsp oil or oil spray. Place all ingredients in your crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes. Super easy!!

    @Janice, click on the links in the red links and it will take you to those recipes.

    @ Patrick – Low flame. My pressure cooker is not that sophisticated!

    1. Confused? Slow cooker instructions.After 8 hours,shred pork. Don't you mean,shred beef? Is this slow cooker instructions the same for pork and beef?

    2. Oh please. This is not confusing. She obviously meant beef since this is a beef recipe, it was a typo at best! Love love love the recipe Gina!

    3. Avatar photo
      Patricia Pusey

      You don't even have to sear it if u don't want too. I season mine the night before and leave it in the fridge throw it in before work on low for the 8 or so hours then shred and leave it in the juices until everybody is ready to eat ?

    4. Avatar photo
      Patricia Pusey

      You don't even have to sear it if u don't want too. I season mine the night before and leave it in the fridge throw it in before work on low for the 8 or so hours then shred and leave it in the juices until everybody is ready to eat ?

  312. Gina: do you have a pressure cooker 101? I haven't used one but I hear that once you do, you are hooked… point me in the right direction?

    That dish looks like it might be a bit addictive… like just.one.more.bite…

  313. Hi Gina:

    This sounds great and I can't wait to make it! Method question, though: when you say "simmer on low two hours in the pressure cooker" do you mean high pressure maintained over low flame or low (5 PSI) pressure?

  314. Yum!!! We made the carnitas and the hubby loved them. I am going to try this one for sure! Thanks Gina!!!!

  315. Avatar photo
    Rooster Shamblin

    http://roostershamblin.wordpress.com/ please check out the chicken and egg recipes on my website.

  316. I must have missed the recipes for cilantro lime rice and the corn salsa.How can I look those up on your site?
    It looks wonderful and I would like to be able to put the whole meal idea together.

  317. @memoria- your site is beautiful! Love your photos!!

    I never post pressure cooker recipes because I'm not sure how many of you have one, but I Love my pressure cooker!! Cooks in half the time, meat practically falls apart and the flavored really penetrate into the meat. I use my pressure cooker mostly when I make beans or stews. Any crock pot recipe can be made in the pressure cooker!!

    1. What's the difference between a crock pot and pressure cooker? Have a crock pot and LOVE it! Never heard of a preasure cooker though.. huh

    2. So what was the answer? How long would the cooking time be in the crock pot… and would any of the ingredients adjust? Really want to try this!

    3. crock pot would be 8-10 hours on low, and I would cut the water down to about 1/4 cup as the crock pot tends to make its own liquid

    4. I make mine in the crock pot put everything in and put on low before u leave for work come home shred it leave it in there to soak up the juices then around 5 ( i get off work at 3pm) serve it up with onion , cilantro and squeeze of a quarter lime and its yummy time. Kids and husband love it!!!❤

  318. wondering if you might be able to suggest how to make this in a crock pot? I'd LOVE to make this but dont have a pressure cooker 🙁 thanks!!

  319. Avatar photo
    roxan @ kitchen meditation

    Only 161 calories? This is a perfect dish for me and my husband. I don't eat much meat but he is a huge carnivore!

  320. I made something very similar a few days ago. It was so good and flavorful. I like how you shredded the beef.

  321. Chipotle is one of my favorite places to eat!!
    And this is my husbands favorite thing to eat there…love it!