Whether you are feeding a large family or just a group of friends, we all love to rely on slow cookers and pressure cookers to take the load off our shoulders once in a while. Some days you just want to do a little bit of prep work, throw in some meat, and set and forget while the kitchen gadgets do the heavy lifting. Today's recipe, Beef Barbacoa, is a prime example of a meal that be prepared in either the slow cooker or pressure cooker with almost identical results! Granted, the slow cooker version will take all day or overnight while the pressure cooker gets things done in under 2 hours, but you can choose either method depending on the time and circumstances you are under. This Beef Barbacoa is sure to be a hit with the family and works great in tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, protein bowls, and everything between to satisfy even the fussiest of eaters! Do me a favor and follow along as I explain and detail this slow cooker/pressure cooker recipe and decide for yourself which is the right move for your next dinner......Let's get cooking!
No matter which method, pressure cooker or slow cooker, you choose to use to make this delicious Beef Barbacoa, the first several steps are the exact same. Even though cooking large cuts of meat in a pressure cooker and/or slow cooker typically helps retain moisture and keep things juicy and delicious, I still think searing the beef first adds additional depth of flavor. Give each side of your chuck roast a generous coating of salt and pepper and sear for 2-3 minutes per side in a hot pan. If you are using an Instant Pot, you can accomplish this step in the pressure cooker itself set to Sauté mode. Make sure you get a good crust formed on both sides to not only help retain those juices but also create a bit of texture in the final product.
The biggest flavor key to this recipe lies in the seasoning itself. Rather than just adding some spices like most recipes, this time we are going to make a wet rub/paste to make sure those Mexican/Central American flavors are truly fortified and abundant throughout! You can certainly keep things rustic and chop by hand, but a food processor or blender really pays for itself when you want to make a seasoning paste. Add a whole bundle of cilantro, stems and all, to the food processor with the garlic, chipotle peppers, lime juice, tomato paste, cumin, chili, garlic salt, and oregano. Don't let that adobo sauce those chipotle peppers came in go to waste either and add a couple tablespoons of it as well, depending on your individual spice/heat tolerance. It's not particularly that spicy hot to me, but 2-3 tablespoons is sufficient. Pulse and blend until everything is well chopped up and combined, but still a hearty paste. Be careful not to overdo it and turn it into a pure liquid. You will still want to see some chunks of garlic and cilantro in there!
Use half the seasoning paste to coat one side of the chuck roast and place into the slow cooker unseasoned side up. Add the remaining paste to the top side and carefully add the beer and beef stock around the side being careful not to rinse off the paste. Follow the same process for a pressure cooker, but pour in the liquids first and lay the meat on the included cooking trivet. Place 2 small bay leaves, or break one larger one in half, on top and cover with the lid.
Slow cooker users will set their cooker on low heat for 10 hours and head off to work or go to bed, depending on when you started this process. The rest of you should set your pressure cooker to high pressure for 90 minutes and enjoy a Mexican lager while you wait. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally vent, about 20 minutes, after it is done cooking before moving on to the next step.
Once your beef is done cooking, remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the chuck roast to a separate container and shred. It should literally fall apart as you move it so you can use some tongs or a couple forks to shred it sufficiently. Before you decide to clean your slow cooker or pressure cooker, grab a ladle or 2 of the remaining cooking juices and pour them over the shredded beef. You can go a step farther and reduce any other remaining juices to a thick gravy with a corn starch slurry if you like, but the beef itself should be juicy and amazing as is so it's totally unnecessary if you want to skip a step.
Esta acabado! Finito! Terminado..........however you want to say it....we are done! The best part of this Beef Barbacoa recipe is its flexibility. You can serve it up hot on some fresh tortillas with some Cilantro Lime Crema and Pickled Red Onions as a street taco, roll it in a tortilla with other fresh veggies as a burrito, or simply toss it in a bowl with some sides and enjoy as is! Those Mexican and Central American flavors really shine through and create a wonderful delicious beef dish with minimal effort. When I made this recipe, I was truly curious if 10 hours in a slow cooker vs 90 minutes in a pressure cooker would make any difference. Survey says.......not really! If you have a couple hours to get dinner ready then use the pressure cooker. Otherwise, let this cook all day while you are at work or overnight while your sleeping in a slow cooker. Both methods are essentially hands off and produce the same results so just get in the kitchen and make this wonderful meal for your friends or family....Just keep cooking!
BEEF BARBACOA