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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.
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Years ago, readers requested that I create a barbacoa beef recipe inspired by Chipotle’s, which I originally made in my conventional pressure cooker but eventually rewrote for the Instant Pot.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.
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:
- Make barbacoa tacos with cilantro and onions in corn tortillas.
- Wrap the beef in a large flour tortilla with rice, black beans, guacamole, and salsa for a burrito.
- Serve the beef on top of scrambled eggs or add it to an omelet for breakfast.
- Top nachos, tostadas, or a taco salad with the meat
- Serve it as a main dish with black beans, refried beans, or corn-tomato-avocado salad.
- Keep it low carb and pair it with this Mexican zucchini or cauliflower rice.
- Make a barbacoa burrito bowl with cilantro lime rice (I make it with brown rice, too), corn salsa, and avocado.
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.
More Beef Recipes You’ll Love
- Bisteces a la Mexicana (Mexican-Style Beef Stew)
- Instant Pot Braised Beef
- Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew)
- Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich
- Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Carrots
Barbacoa Beef (Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot)
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.
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
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!
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.
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!
Slow cooker time and setting, please!
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.
So good! This rivals our favorite Mexican spot!
I used the slow cooker and seared the meat the night before.
Could you tell me how long and on what setting?
This is an excellent recipe. The flavor is perfect. The meat came out very tender. Definitely bookmarking this one!
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.
Incredibly delicious!
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?
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.
Yum!
Can this be cooked in the oven at a low temp?
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.
Barbacoa Beef is a tasty, easy recipe. It’s great over rice, on a taco, or on a salad!
So easy to make and delicious. No need to go to Chipotle when I want that Mexican meal.
So Good!
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!
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!♥️
Absolutely delicious! Had with corn/black bean salsa!
Nice meal!
Not a fan of chipotle what else could I use?
How do you adjust the directions if using a slow cooker?
I would replace the Chipotles with the same amount of Jalapeños, seeds removed if you don’t like it too hot!
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.
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…
Here’s the rice as well
https://www.skinnytaste.com/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice-4-pts/
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.
Just try it with regular Chuck roast with a fair amount of fat/marble and Marinade in sauce for 2-4 hours (;
This was really good and easy! Was able to throw it together after work and enjoy a delicious dinner.
Perfect!
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!
I don’t think so because this cut of beef isn’t as marbled as pork shoulder
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.
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.
Sounds and looks amazing! I don’t like spicy. Could I omit or substitute the adobo sauce?
Hi!
What cooking time would change for using a crockpot?
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!
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.
I used steaks, too! Mine were thinner than yours, so I knocked it down even more to 40 minutes. Worked great!
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.
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.
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.
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. .
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!
Would rump roast work with this?
Why are there ads on the recipe? This is just useless. You can’t even do the first part of the recipe
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.
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!
Do you have the alternate recipe for slow cooker?
no
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!!
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?!
I used to make this recipe in my crockpot but that recipe has disappeard. Will this recipe work in a crockpot?
Very tasty. One of my favorite recipes on your site.
Thank you!
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.
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!
I’m using my instant pot. In what cooking method should I use? Slow cook high? Bake? So confused.
Kat, the recipe says to use high pressure for about an hour– so that would be the manual pressure button on high.
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…
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!
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.
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!
Need recipe for crockpot please
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?
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!
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.
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?
Cook it longer…80 minutes is my usual for a beef roast. Just my 2 cents.
This was delicious! We used more than 1.5 cups of the sauce. The corn salsa really made it.
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!
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.
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!
Could I make this with chicken? Breast or thighs? How would I adjust the recipe? Thanks!
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!
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.
How long did you cook it for in the slow cooker?
Hello, I was wondering for how long you cooked the meat in the slow cooker? I don’t have an instant pot. Thank you!
If you look in the instructions, it says at least 4 hours
I can’t find it either it says 4 hrs for stove
Better than Chipotle!!
Made this last night and it’s literally the best thing in the world!!!
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!!!
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!
Hi, do you still cut the roast until cubes before putting it in the crock pot, or put it in whole?
Thank you
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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
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.
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!
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!
Can I use pork shoulder instead of beef? Cook time different ?
you spelled “Chipotle” wrong in the ingredients list.
Really???? That’s the comment?
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 🙂
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.
I was thinking about 7 – 8 hours. Thank you 🙂
I’ve made this dish 4 times now and every time my friends and family LOVE it!
So glad!!
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.
Love it. We make burrito bowls with it and no matter how much I make the kids will always eat it all.
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.
I don’t have a kitchen scale. Approximately how much is 4 oz in a measurement ? 1/8 cup or more? Thank you
Usually that a 1/2 cup. 😊
How does eye round come out for this? Wondering if it comes out tough or does it cool down as well as chuck?
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!
I’m so disappointed!! EVERYTHING Skinnytaste I’ve ever made has come out amazing!
My beef had NO flavor 😕. Did I do something wrong?
No idea, did you add salt?
Can I use a chuck roast?
I would not see a reason why you could not. Your cook time would probably be cut by 15 min at least.
Would there be a way to use a crockpot for this?
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.
Do you cook the meat on the rack for the IP?
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!
There is a link in the recipe/article above for corn lime salsa
Delicious! Came out perfectly
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?
What do you do with the leftovers ideas welcomed thank you!!!!
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!
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!
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.
So glad they loved it!
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.
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.
It is. Check it again.
Can this barbacoa need be made in a crock pot? If so, cooking directions, please.
Thanks,
Karen j
You can try this one https://www.skinnytaste.com/slow-cooked-sweet-barbacoa-pork/
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
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.
Absolutely delicious! Loved it the with copycat Chipotle rice!
Could I use chicken instead of beef?
Yes! It’s delicious!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 🙂
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.
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.
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.
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.
Does anyone know the 21 Day Fix portions for this recipe? And how to count it?
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.
Should this be a quick release or natural release of pressure? Thanks!
Having never used my pressure cooker before, I would love to know the answer to this
Natural release. Quick release can make meat seize up
If I wanted to half the meat, would I just half all of the ingredients? Also would it be the same cool time too?
What setting do you use on the instapot to leave it cooking for 65 minutes?
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!
Cook on high.
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 ?
I had the same issues! Would love to have some help w this as well!
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.
What setting did you use on instant pot to cook for an hour? You started on saute, but what did you use to cook?
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.
Do you use high pressure on insta pot for 65 minutes? Seems ling for insta pot
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 !
Sure!
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?
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.
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
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.
I used the recipe builder and mine came out the same! 3lbs of beef round bottom trimmed raw came to 68 points!!
Any ideas on this for vegetarian?
Hi Gina! After the 65 minutes, did you quick release or natural release? Thanks!
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.
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!
Hi! Cooking it now. Do you use natural release or fast release? Smells delicious!
Thanks!
Step 2 states natural release. Always natural for meats so the release doesn’t cause the meat to seize and toughen the meat.
I only have tenderloin chunks (bite-sized) Would anyone know the altered time for the smaller chunks of meat?
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!
Does anyone know the best way to double this? Double all spices and liquid?
Yes, double ALL ingredients. Cooking time stays the same. 🙂
Multiply by two. Can you do the on your own or do you need help?
NOT a PLACE for meanness or sarcasm. One does not necesarily double the amounts of all the ingredients when doubling a recipe.
Would I put this in the crockpot for 4 hours on low ?
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?
What would be a good substitute for the chipotle in adobo sauce? I can’t handle the heat.
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!
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!
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!
I haven’t tried it in the slow cooker yet.
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 🙂
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!
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.
How long did you put it in the crockpot for? Thanks!
How long did you cook it in your slow cooker (and on high or low)? Thanks!!
Thank you for this information David. How long did you cook it in the crock pot?
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 🙂
How many breasts? Cut up? How long in pressure cooker
Thx