Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best cut of meat to use for barbacoa? ›

In the US, people typically make barbacoa with chuck roast, brisket and beef cheeks. However, any cut of beef that has a lot of connective tissue and takes a long time to cook until tender works well.

Grind the toasted cumin and cloves into a powder, and place into a blender. Add the ancho chile powder, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, vinegar, and lime juice. Remove the chiles from the soaking water, and place into the blender along with 1/3 cup of the soaking liquid. Cover, and blend until a smooth paste forms.

Barbacoa is a method of cooking meat (historically lamb or goat, though beef or pork is often used today) that produces tender and juicy results. It's traditionally steam-cooked underground, but modern barbacoa can be prepared over an open fire, on the stove, or in a slow cooker.

Barbacoa is made by braising beef for many hours until tender. At Chipotle, they first cook it sous vide before braising it. Carnitas is made by slow-cooking pork for many hours until tender. Then, it's crisped up by roasting or pan frying it.

Barbacoa (or Mexican shredded beef) is made out of tougher cuts of meat that require long, slow cooking times with flavorful chiles and seasonings. It's usually hand shredded and used for tacos, burritos, etc.

Beef – The best cut of beef for homemade Chipotle barbacoa is chuck roast. It has enough fat to keep the beef moist during the slow cooking process, and it adds plenty of flavor as well.

In addition to its delicious flavor, barbacoa is also a great source of nutrients. The slow cooking process helps to retain the meat's natural juices, which makes it moist and flavorful. The spices used to season the meat also have health benefits, such as helping to reduce inflammation and improve digestion.

In short, birria is a type of barbacoa, but barbacoa is not birria. Barbacoa is more closely related to barbecue, while birria is braised or steamed. Barbacoa is traditionally slowly steamed in its own juices with a marinade, and most barbacoa is made from beef (although lamb or mutton are also common).

Barbacoa can be served in a variety of ways, and salsas are the customary accompaniment. The most popular way to enjoy barbacoa is to serve it with tortillas for barbacoa tacos. Zaragoza recommends making tacos dorados (fried tacos) and topping your barbacoa with Mexican crema, shredded cabbage, and salsa.

Barbacoa was originally cooked in a hole in the ground, lined with hot stones and covered with leaves. The meat was cooked slowly over the fire, and the resulting dish was tender, flavorful and succulent. Today, barbacoa is still popular in Mexico where it is often served as a street food.

Why is Chipotle barbacoa so good? ›

Chipotle's barbacoa meat is known for its rich, savory, and slightly spicy flavor. It is slow-cooked to perfection, resulting in tender and flavorful shredded beef that pairs well with a variety of toppings and salsas.

What Is Barbacoa Sauce Made Of? For this recipe, barbacoa sauce is made of beef broth, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, yellow onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, lime juice, and allspice.

In the U.S., barbacoa is often prepared with parts from the heads of cattle, such as the cheeks. In northern Mexico, it is also sometimes made from beef head, but more often it is prepared from goat meat (cabrito).

Steak: According to Chipotle's customer service, the “beef” in their steak could be any number of cuts including part of the loin, ball tip, round steak, flat iron steak, top butt, clod, or knuckle.

The word “carnitas” means “l*ttle meats” in Spanish. These three dishes are very similar, but have some differences. Barbacoa can be either shredded or chopped, birria is usually shredded and served with a sauce or broth, and carnitas is usually chopped.

In the U.S., barbacoa is often prepared with parts from the heads of cattle, such as the cheeks. In northern Mexico, it is also sometimes made from beef head, but more often it is prepared from goat meat (cabrito).

Traditionally, barbacoa in Northern Mexico is made from either a cow head (including the cheeks) or goat meat (cabrito).

While the braise should only take 4-5 hours, you can "hold" this meat in the hot liquid for hours until you are ready to eat. Prepare your smoker at a temperature of 275. We recommend a heaver smoking wood or pellet such as oak, mesquite or hickory.