This Instant Pot Mexican Beef or Instant Pot Barbacoa Beef is made with sweet dried guajillo chili peppers that give the perfect amount of sweet heat.
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It costs about $12.47 to make this Mexican Beef in the Instant Pot. The recipe makes six servings for about $2.07 per serving.
If you love cooking in an Instant Pot as much as I do, you do not want to miss out on this Instant Pot Turkish White Bean Soup or my Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash.
Table of Contents
This Mexican Shredded Beef is delicious, and because it is made in the Instant Pot, it is a cinch to make. You can make it in a fraction of the time without losing out on taste.
The beef is tender, flavorful, moist, and easy to shred. My favorite part is the red sauce infused into the beef, rich in spices and flavor.
The sauce is deep red and is flavored with aromatic spices like garlic powder, cumin, sweet smokey paprika, and sun-dried guajillo chilies. Instant Pot Mexican Beef is perfect for Taco Tuesday or any other day of the week!
What ingredients do I need to make Instant Pot Mexican Beef?
Spices—in this recipe, we will use garlic powder, oregano (use Mexican oregano when possible), cumin, and the perfect amount of coarse salt.
Guajillo chilies—will be the base of the sauce. It will give a deep red color and sweet with the perfect amount of heat.
Tomatoes—provide sweetness and a little bit of acidity. I like to use Roma tomatoes for this recipe.
Maple syrup—though not traditional, I like the sweetness and flavor that maple syrup has t offer. Feel free to substitute for brown sugar or regular sugar.
Red onion—is a bit spicier than other onions. However, it’s the preferred onion of choice and pairs well with the garlic powder.
Cilantro—has a citrus-like flavor and smells very earthy. We will add freshly chopped cilantro right at the end.
Estimated Cost of Ingredients:
- 2 pounds of beef chunks – $10.58
- 1 Roma tomato – $0.26
- 3 dried guajillo chiles – $1.05
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika – $0.21
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder – $0.03
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt – $0.01
- 1 teaspoon cumin – $0.03
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro – $0.20
- 1 lime – $0.10
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.
How To Make Instant Pot Mexican Beef
- First, remove the stems and seeds from each chile and then tear them into pieces. Place the chile pieces and spices into a blender along with 3-4 cups of boiling water. Set aside for ten minutes.
- After ten minutes, blend the ingredients until a smooth red sauce forms.
- Then, place the beef into the Instant Pot and season it with sea salt.
- Cover the meat with the red sauce and place the lid on the Instant Pot. Cook on the meat setting for thirty-five minutes.
- Release the steam and then add ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and the juice of one lime. Stir this into the mixture.
- Finally, serve with warm tortillas or over a bed of rice or quinoa.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Serve: You can keep the Beef out for about an hour and a half before it needs to be covered and refrigerated.
Store: Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to three days in the fridge.
Freeze: Once cooled, place the beef in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Place the Beef and sauce in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until heated through.
Recipe FAQ’s
Mexican food, in general, is so good because it’s loaded with fresh ingredients like cilantro, onions, limes, and tomatoes. Let’s not forget that meats are traditionally cooked in dried chilies that give every dish a smokey and perfectly spicy flavor.
Sometimes, I like to use the meat setting button displayed on the instant pot or sear the meat first using the saute button.
Typically, I add the ingredients after the meat has browned, followed by the lid. I find that 30-40 minutes is the perfect amount of cooking time for the shoulder and the round cuts of the Beef.
Yes, if the beef is cooked too long, it can become dry and tough. But don’t worry! Follow my step-by-step directions, and you will have moist and tender beef that will almost melt in your mouth!
More Gluten-Free Dinners:
- Ginger Chicken Skewers
- Best Picadillo Recipe
- Pollo Asado
- Gluten-Free Chicken Meatballs
- Greek Chicken with Lemon and Feta
- Gluten-Free Pasta Salad with Artichoke
- Easy Baked Chicken and Zucchini
- Sheet Pan Chicken with Vegetables
- Thai Red Curry
Instant Pot Mexican Beef
Recipe Cost $12.47 Serving Cost $2.07
Recipe Cost $ $12.47 Serving Cost $ $2.07Ingredients
- 2 lb of beef chunks from the shoulder or round
- 1 roma tomato
- 3 dried guajillo chiles
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt or salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro
- 1 lime
Instructions
MAKE CHILE SAUCE:
- Rip off the stems of each chili and remove the seeds. Tear the chile into chunky pieces and put them into a highspeed blender with all the spices. Cover the ingredients with 3-4 cups of boiling hot water or beef broth until all of the ingredients are submerged. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- After the chiles have hydrated, blend all of the ingredients until a smooth red sauce forms.
COOK BEEF:
- Place the beef into your instant pot, season the meat with a generous amount of course sea salt.
- Add the red sauce into the pot with the meat and cover with the lid and cook on the meat setting for 35 minutes.
- When ready, release the steam, and dive into the meat with a fork and flake off a piece to ensure it is fork-tender.
TO FINISH:
- Add ¼ cup of freshly chopped cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime right into the pot and stir to combine.
- Serve with warm tortillas, over a bed of warm buttery rice or quinoa.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Andre says
Do you have slow cooker (crock pot) instruction for this recipe?
Dayna Jankowski says
You can adapt it for a slow cooker with these steps:
Sear the beef in a skillet, then transfer to the slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender.
Holley says
One of my favorite budget dinners! So easy to make and tastes even better made at home!
Suja md says
Absolutely delicious; thank you for this fantastic recipe! Very straightforward and easy to make. The dish came out perfectly. I will make it again!!
Shanika Graham-White says
The best and yummiest recipe! My kids LOVED it!
Mahy says
Love this Mexican beef recipe – it is easy, it is delicious and it is exactly what I have been looking for!
Dannii says
Anything with Mexican flavours is good with me and this beef looks perfectly cooked.