Tender shredded beef cheeks and sirloin pressure cooked with green bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, garlic, tomatoes and seasoned to perfection!

• 

  • Save

• 

  • Save

• 

  • Save

• 

  • Save

• 

  • Save

Barbacoa are my favorite tacos. You can have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and we really never get tired of them. I typically make them with equal parts beef sirloin and beef cheeks. Anyone familiar with authentic barbacoa knows its majority beef cheeks but that tends to get really really fatty and yield quite a small amount of meat. So you generally add beef cuts like sirloin or shoulder to help bulk up the dish. Sometime people at home and even restaurants cut out the beef cheeks all together and just deal only in other cuts of shredded beef. Since Barbacoa actually refers to the slow roasted cooking process and not a particular cut of meat itself. Cheeks can be hard to find so don’t stress replace the cheeks with your favorite cut of meat and nobody will know the difference. Check out my tips and trick below for the best shredded barbacoa beef. Make sure to try this recipe out and let me know what you think!

TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST BARBACOA

sear your beef before you cook it: seasoning and searing the beef with make sure you get flavor directly into the meat. so make sure you get a little sear on the outside. to save dishes sear directly in the pressure cooker its generally labeled under “sear/sauté” switch to high before you start. due to the elevated sides of the pressure cooker your not going to get as deep of a char as you would a cast iron pan so don’t worry if a deep crust doesn’t form.

add more beef: beef cheeks comes from the actual head of the cow so they are fatty. once the beef breaks down it actually yields a lot less. so fix that by adding a cheap cut of lean beef that you can shred along side the cheeks. it will also even out the fat too

season your beef directly: don’t wait to season the beef when its submerged in liquid the seasoning will penetrate the meat better from a rub and sear.

cut your vegetables depending on the cook: larger vegetables are better for longer cooks since you’ll want to give them time to melt into whatever you’re making. but smaller or finer cuts are better for short cooks. So with this cook you’ll want the vegetables to be smaller so they melt into the broth and shreds into the meat.

SIMILAR INGREDIENTS TO:

1. BARBACOA AND EGG SOPES
2. CILANTRO-CHIMICHURRI STEAK TACOS
3. BIRRIA BEEF TACOS

ENJOY THIS RECIPE WITH:

1. CHILI GARLIC CORN ON THE COB
2. NOPALES (CACTUS) BREAKFAST TACOS
3. RAW VEGAN TACO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 2lb Sirloin
• 3lb Barbacoa Beef

BARBACOA BROTH

• 10oz Crushed Tomatoes
• Water- enough to cover beef
• 10 Garlic Cloves
• 2 Yellow Onions, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Jalapeno, Sliced
• 1Tb Adobo Seasoning
• 1Tb Garlic Powder
• 1Tb Chili Powder
• 1Tb Black Pepper
• 1tsp Cumin
• Cilantro, about a small handful
• Salt

BARBACOA SEASONING

• 3Tb Adobo Seasoning
• 3Tb Black Pepper
• 3Tb Garlic Powder
• 2Tb Chili Powder
• 1Tb Cumin
• 1Tb Achiote
• 2Tb Paprika
• Salt

DIRECTIONS:

• SEASON MEAT: Season meat generously with barbacoa seasoning. liberally season with salt and let rest for 5 minutes.
• SEAR MEAT: Switch pressure cooker to sear. Once heated add in a small amount of oil and sear on both sides for about 3-5 minutes. till nice crust is formed.
• ADD VEGETABLES: Add in garlic, bell peppers, onions and garlic.
• ADD LIQUID: Add in crushed tomatoes, and enough water to cover the beef.
• SEASON: Add in cilantro and season with spices listed under barbacoa broth.
• COVER AND COOK: Cover with pressure cooker lid. Latch lid to seal and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.
• RELIEVE PRESSURE: After the timer is up vent meat and remove lid.
• REMOVE AND SHRED: Remove the meat from the excess liquid. Shred with the tender veggies and enjoy.