Beef Barbacoa

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb beef chuck roast (Cut into several large pieces; trim excess surface fat.)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (For browning the beef.)
• 3 dried guajillo chiles (Stemmed and seeded.)
• 1 dried ancho chile (Stemmed and seeded.)
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo (Use more or less to adjust heat.)
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 1 white onion (Half roughly chopped for the sauce; reserve the remaining half for serving, finely chopped.)
• 5 cloves garlic (Peeled.)
• 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1.5 cup beef broth (Plus additional liquid as needed to reach the pressure cooker's minimum requirement.)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 0.25 tsp ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp kosher salt (Plus more to taste.)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (Chopped, for serving.)
• 2 lime wedges (For serving.)
• 12 corn tortillas (Warm, for serving.)

Steps

1. 1

   Pat the beef dry and season it generously with salt and black pepper. Set a 6- to 8-quart electric pressure cooker to Sauté.

2. 2

   Add the oil to the hot pot. Working in batches so the pieces are not crowded, add the beef and brown it on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.

3. 3

   Add the guajillo and ancho chiles, sesame seeds, chopped half of the onion, and garlic to a blender. Add the vinegar, beef broth, cumin, oregano, cloves, and black pepper, then blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed.

4. 4

   Pour the chile puree into the pressure cooker and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the browned beef and bay leaves, turning the pieces so they are coated in the puree.

5. 5

   Lock the lid and set the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook at high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes before carefully venting any remaining pressure.

6. 6

   Transfer the beef to a large bowl. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Skim and discard the fat that has pooled on the surface of the cooking liquid.

7. 7

   Set the cooker to Sauté and simmer the uncovered sauce for about 10 minutes, until slightly reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust the salt.

8. 8

   Return the beef to the sauce and shred it into large, moist pieces with two forks. Toss the meat with enough sauce to coat it thoroughly.

9. 9

   Warm the tortillas. Serve the barbacoa in tortillas or with rice and beans, garnished with the reserved chopped onion and cilantro, with avocado and lime wedges alongside.

Notes

The source excerpt does not include the paywalled ingredient list or full instructions; quantities and method beyond the stated cooking times are reconstructed from the dish description. The excerpt also gives a slow-cooker alternative of 9½ to 10½ hours and emphasizes skimming fat before the final uncovered cooking period. Serve with rice and beans, or use for tacos; diced avocado is an optional accompaniment.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Mexican
• Instant Pot
• pressure-cooked
• tacos
• beef
• make-ahead friendly