A bowl is a plate, right?

Barbacoa beef, rice, salad, and a variety of toppings.

The star of this dish is the barbacoa. It’s an Instant Pot recipe that takes minimal prep, an hour of twiddling your thumbs, and an amazing result. A go to favorite that tastes even better as leftovers.

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Barbacoa is spiced, shredded beef.

It is amazing! You can make it for tacos, burrito bowls, or simply as a main protein for your plate with other sides. Now that I’m thinking about it—it would be great with macaroni and cheese! Random thought that I’ll need to pursue soon. The recipe is from Gimme Some Oven. It’s fairly straightforward. You blend together a bunch of ingredients as you brown the beef. Pour the marinade over the meat, set the instant pot, and enjoy some free time. Warning: this recipe does take about an hour and a half, and tastes better the longer it sits, so feel free to make it earlier in the day. Note: I always use beef stock instead of water or beer. The chipotles in adobo sauce are very spicy. If you want it extra spicy, feel free to add more. I leave out the cloves, because I think the flavor is overpowering, and isn’t my favorite. However, many people love the depth it adds. The rest is up to you. This recipe can go numerous different ways. You can make tacos or a bowl. I like a mix of spring mix and rice. I add pickled red onions, cheddar cheese, and avocado. Sometimes, I take the extra step to make guacamole. This time, I sautéed some fresh corn and red pepper with some cumin. So many flavors and combinations, but believe in the barbacoa. It’s the star. One plate.

One meal.