the moody menu
a pot of barbacoa shredded beef
Gluten-free Nut-free

Instant Pot Barbacoa

by Chris Moody · published May 2026 · last edited May 30, 2026

12 servings 30 min prep 60 min cook Easy

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We were looking for a Chipotle barbacoa copycat recipe and came up with this!

Ingredients

servings
  • 3 lbs beef brisket or chuck roast
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • ½ cup beef broth, or chicken broth
  • 2 whole medium chipotle chiles in adobo, including the sauce, about 4tsp
  • 5 whole garlic cloves, minced or coarsely chopped
  • 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar
  • 2 TBSP lime juice
  • 1 TBSP dried oregano
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp ground cloves, optional

Instructions

  1. Trim & Cut beef into 2-inch chunks.

  2. Brown beef in Instant Pot with Sauté setting.

  3. SAUCE: Puree everything EXCEPT BEEF & BAY LEAVES in blender.

    • Broth

    • Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

    • garlic

    • apple cider vinegar

    • lime juice

    • dried oregano

    • cumin

    • sea salt

    • black pepper

    • ground cloves

  4. Pour sauce in pot.

  5. Add whole bay leaves.

  6. Pressure cook for 1 hour on high.

  7. Quick release the pressure.

  8. Discard the bay leaves.

  9. Shred the meat using two forks and stir into the juices.

  10. Cover and rest for 5-10 minutes to allow the beef to absorb even more flavor.

  11. Use a slotted spoon to serve