Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Barbacoa
Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe + Video – mild spicy chipotle Mexican shredded beef. Quick + healthy dinner or meal prep! Slow cooker instructions too. Paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, sugar free, clean eating, real food.
My instant pot carnitas recipe has become a fan favorite with all of you! I got so many messages asking for a barbacoa recipe. Ask and you shall receive!
This whole30 + keto instant pot barbacoa is the shredded mexican beef of your dreams!
Table of Contents
Browning Meat for Instant Pot Barbacoa
What I love the most about this recipe is that it is a total dump and cook. I don’t even brown the meat!
I tested the recipe with browning the meat and not, and could not tell a difference in taste. Hurray for keeping it easy!
Marinade for Barbacoa
Barbacoa is traditionally made with canned chipotle peppers. But all the canned versions have sugar and not so great oils + preservatives.
To make it healthier, I replicate it by using dried chipotle powder! Adding in tomato paste and spices mimics the canned chipotle but keeps it whole30 + keto!
Serving Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Barbacoa
The best part of this barbacoa is it makes a ton! So you’ll have leftovers for days! Perfect for meal prep. It freezes beautifully also. (Freezing instructions in the recipe notes below).
Our favorite way to serve our barbacoa is as a barbacoa burrito bowl with cauliflower rice, sheet pan fajita veggies, salsa + guacamole. You could also serve it over greens as a salad, or in lettuce leaf tacos.
Watch Recipe Video Demo (2:54 mins)
Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Barbacoa
Ingredients
- 4 pounds bonesless chuck roast, I get my 100% grass fed beef from ButcherBox, which I highly recommend!
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup bone broth, or stock or broth, I use chicken but you could use beef too!
- 4- ounce can diced green chiles
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 3 teaspoons chipotle powder, or more for spicier!
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cut your chuck roast into 3" cubes and add into the instant pot.
- In a food processor, make the cooking liquid by combining the onion, tomato paste, diced green chiles, garlic, spices and bone broth. Blend until liquid.
- Pour the liquid over the chuck roast. Give it a stir to coat all the meat. Add in the bay leaves.
- Close the instant pot, make sure the valve is at sealing. PRESSURE COOK on high for 1 hour. Then do a quick release.
- Shred the meat with 2 forks and serve with the cooking liquid. Discard the bay leaves. Our favorite way to serve it is a barbacoa burrito bowl with cauliflower rice, sheet pan fajita veggies, salsa + guacamole! You could also serve as a salad, or tacos using lettuce leaves.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container refrigerated for at least 5 days. Or frozen for 6 months. To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight then reheat in instant pot with it's cooking liquid for 5 minutes on high pressure.
Notes
This post contains affiliate links, thanks for the love!
52 Comments on “Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Barbacoa”
do you have to brown the meat when using a slow cooker?
It is not necessary to brown the meat when using a slow cooker Yasmine. You certainly can if that is your preference. I sure hope you like it!
My husband wanted to go out for tacos tonight. Instead I decided to make this so we didn’t have to worry about eating out. My husband and kids (6&4) LOVED it! I served it on a tortilla with all the fixings. Do not hesitate to make this! It is so good 🤤
I am so happy you and your family enjoyed my barbacoa Amanda! I remember before the pandemic we used to go out for tacos too! Now it’s all such a worry to go out that I always make them at home. Thanks so much for your feedback, it really means the world to me.
Another great recipe! Thanks for this one! It goes great with those fajita vegetables. Definitely going in our regular rotation. You make the best stuff!
So glad it will be part of your regular recipe rotation Heidi!
I just made this meat tonight and it’s super delicious! We served it over mashed potatoes and had peas with it.
Serving it over mashed potatoes with peas sounds delicious Carol!
Hi! Been following you on IG and love your food! Quick question because I don’t have a lot of pressure cooker experience: Our meat and sauce are in the pot as I type, but is the cook time an hour TOTAL or an hour after the pressure comes to pressure? Thanks!
An hour once it comes to pressure Erika! Will take about 15 minutes to get to pressure. Then it will start counting down from 1 hour!
This is so delicious and so easy! I can’t believe that I nailed it on my first try. Your recipes are fantastic!
Yeah! I love that you nailed the barbacoa on your first try Erin! I love to hear that it was easy to make and delicious. Thank you for your kind words about my recipes! It really made my day.
We made this tonight for Cinco de Mayo and it was amazing! My husband raves about the flavor.
Happy Cinco de Mayo to you Maria! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed my barbacoa tonight for dinner. Sounds like you both had a fun celebration.
Made this tonight for myself and 3 dudes. It was a huge hit!!! Thank you!!!
I am so happy you liked my barbacoa Lindsey! Even better that the three dudes liked it too! So glad to hear it was a huge hit!
This is so good – I had a smaller chuck roast and just didn’t pour in all of the marinade. I realized it was really good and saved the extra, now I’m pouring it on literally everything else I eat and can’t stop ?
I am so glad you liked my barbacoa Kayla! I agree, the marinade is the best!
I don’t have a slow cooker or instant pot. Any recommendations on how you would cook this in a dutch oven on the stove top or in the oven?
I haven’t recipe tested this in a dutch oven Carmelle, but I would probably bake it at 325 for about 4 to 5 hours. I sure hope you like it!
So easy to make. So delicious too! My husband loves it also and requests it for an easy weeknight dinner when we’re busy with the kids.
I am so happy you like my barbacoa Heather. That is fantastic that your husband requests it.
Very easy to make!!! OMG soooooo delish!!! Thank you for this recipe!!!! This will definitely be a staple!!!!
I am so happy you liked my barbacoa Shannon! I thrilled this will be a new staple for you. I also LOVE how easy it is to make and the flavors just pop!
Natalie,
This recipe was beyond amazing! As the baby chef in our household, I’m proud to say my parents and older siblings loved it. It was super flavorful and more delicious with your salsa and guacamole. Thank you so much for sharing (:
I am so happy you liked my barbacoa! How fantastic that you made it for your parents and older siblings and they loved it! You sure can’t beat that! I am thrilled it was flavorful and delicious. Your family must love it that you are such a good cook. Keep up the good work and happy cooking!
Super easy and super delicious! I can’t handle super spicy, but this was just the right amount of spice (I followed the recipe to a tee). I served mine over white rice and then made the fajita veggies (also Natalie’s recipe) and topped with salsa and crumbled goat cheese. Perfect!
Lauren it sounds like you just made the perfect meal! I am so happy the spice amount was perfect for you. It can be tricky to get the recipe just right. Thanks so much for letting me know that you liked this.
Delicious and so easy!
Another perfect recipe!! Thank you!
This recipe is so delicious and so easy to make! I used moose meat instead of beef. The meat was so tender and flavorful!
I am so glad this turned out with moose meat! Isn’t it just the most tender?
Ohhh my goodness. Sooo yummy!! It was easy to make, tastes amazing, and still tasted delicious as left overs which is so important to me. I’m already planing on making it again next week!
I am amazed at how good the leftovers taste. I think the flavors build each day. Glad you agree!
Our Sunday was busy & I knew we’d be out of the house. I used the crockpot because it involved less of my intervention. The barbacoa came out amazing! My husband loved it, as did my 3 boys. I omitted the chipotle seasoning because my kids are spice sensitive. My husband & I spiced ours up after. Love the ease of this tasty clean recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed the barbacoa Brookann! The crockpot is wonderful to use on busy days. Thanks so much for sharing the tip on spicing it up after you have served the kids. That is such a great idea!
This recipe was absolutely delicious and perfect for the whole family. Also so easy for a weeknight.
Yea! I’m so happy to hear that Hilarie! Thank you!