CANNING: Chipotle Barbacoa Beef or Venison
- Barbacoa Serving Suggestions
- What if I don’t have a Pressure Canner?
- Hot-Pack vs. Raw-Pack Barbacoa Beef
- Seasoning Modifications and Variations
- What Cuts of Meat Can I Use?
- Chipotle Venison or Beef Ingredients
- Canning Equipment Needed
- How to Can Chipotle Venison or Beef
- Pantry Storage Instructions
- Canning Chipotle Barbacoa Beef or Venison
This chipotle barbacoa beef recipe is a delicious pressure-canned meal-in-a-jar. The meat comes out tender, fully cooked, and ready to reheat, shred, and serve. You can use it to make quick tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, nachos, and more.
It’s so great to have jars of this flavorful braised meat on the pantry shelf as a shortcut to fast and wholesome lunches and dinners. But you can also use this recipe without canning it, to make a big batch of barbacoa to feed a crowd, or freeze it for meal-prep.
I’ve adapted this canning recipe from the Chipotle Beef for Tacos recipe in The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. The original version is an easy raw-pack canning recipe, which is also an option if you’re pressed for time!
Barbacoa Serving Suggestions
Your canned chipotle beef (or venison) is a fantastic shortcut to delicious homemade burritos, burrito bowls, enchiladas, tacos, nachos, casseroles, and more.
You can warm and serve the seasoned meat and sauce as is straight from the jar, or first saute some sliced onions and sweet or hot peppers before adding the seasoned meat to the pan. Leave the meat in large tender chunks, or shred it gently with a fork and mix it with the sauce.
Pair it with some homemade tortillas and your favorite fixin’s for a simple but delicious taco night! I’m partial to chopped cilantro and onion plus some hot sauce or spicy salsa. Or layer it in a Mission-style burrito with all the trimmings- rice, beans, veggies, and cheese for an even more filling (and potentially portable) meal!
Or heat up your chipotle barbacoa and serve it on a plate with sides of seasoned Spanish rice and black or refried beans, a basket of warm homemade tortillas, and bowls of fresh chopped cilantro and onions, and assemble tacos at the table. Pass bowls of lime wedges and avocado slices, along with your favorite hot sauce, crumbled cotija cheese, and sour cream or crema to really make this over the top!
What if I don’t have a Pressure Canner?
No pressure canner? No problem… you can still make this barbacoa recipe, but you can NOT can it. You can use this same recipe (or a half batch) following the initial prep steps and instead of packing it in canning jars, pressure or slow cook it in an 8 quart Instant Pot or large dutch oven. You can then portion and freeze your braised barbacoa into meal-size containers.
Or, throw a party, and set up a buffet-style burrito, taco, or nacho bar with all the trimmings and let your guests serve themselves. Keep the meat hot in the slow-cook setting, and use chafing dishes or other crock pots for the rice, beans, and a pot of queso.
Follow the recipe directions below (up to jarring the recipe) to sear and season the meat using the saute setting or on the stove-top. Add everything to your Instant Pot or covered dutch oven, and braise until the meat is fork-tender.
Don’t skip the searing step (this adds a lot of flavor) though you will probably have to do this in batches. Add everything back to the pot, and several inches of broth or stock to the pot (you aren’t making stew, so don’t fill the pot with liquid… just enough to cover the meat a little more than halfway so that it doesn’t dry out).
In an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, this will take about 45 minutes on high (plus natural pressure release) or several hours of braising in a moderate oven (about 375-400 F).
If you’re oven braising, stir the meat occasionally, and cover the top (under the lid) with a circle cut from parchment paper to help keep the moisture in. The steam trapped in the Instant Pot will keep everything moist, and you don’t want to risk covering the vent valve, so do not do this in a pressure cooker.
Hot-Pack vs. Raw-Pack Barbacoa Beef
I prefer to hot-pack my meats for canning whenever possible, so I added a browning step to the Ball raw-pack recipe. Instead of mixing the raw cubed meat with the seasoning, I quickly sear the outsides of the meat cubes before mixing them with the spice mix and onions for this barbacoa beef or venison recipe. This extra searing step adds a richer meaty flavor (from the Maillard reaction that happens when the proteins brown in the hot pan).
This also improves the texture of the canned meat, and makes the jars easier to clean after canning. When you raw-pack meats, they “sear” to the inside of the jar, leaving protein deposits that are very hard to scrub from the jars afterwards. While raw-packing recipes are faster to can, at least some of the time you save you lose on the back end while trying to get your jars clean to use them again!
If you are raw-packing your barbacoa, don’t fully pre-heat your canner. Putting cool jars into very hot or boiling water can crack the jars. If you are doing the hot-pack version, fill and preheat your pressure canner while you are filling your jars.
Seasoning Modifications and Variations
I find that the original Ball recipe is good, but the seasoning is a little bit bland. I’ve added a more authentic blend of spices and peppers along with the chipotle in adobo, onions, and cilantro in the original recipe.
The original recipe calls for 2 chipotle peppers for a 2 quart batch. I don’t like running my canner unless it’s close to full, especially for recipes that have a longer processing time like this one. I’ve scaled the recipe up to make a more efficient canning batch, and to use the whole 8 oz can of chipotles and adobo sauce in the larger batch. If you are sensitive to spice, you can use less of the smoked chili peppers (freeze any extras for later use).
Since traditional barbacoa has a tangy sauce with zippy lime and vinegar in the meat marinade, I’ve added some of both of those to the hot beef broth from the original recipe. They’re not necessary for preservation and you can safely reduce or omit them if you don’t want your sauce to be as acidic.
These should be safe canning modifications to the seasoning and sauce mixture, but this is not a fully lab-tested recipe as written… as always, can at your own risk and follow safe canning practices!
What Cuts of Meat Can I Use?
The original recipe calls for beef, but you can use cubed stewing meat or diced roasts of veal, lamb, pork, goat, or game meats like venison, elk, or bison, or even bear. This should also work for diced poultry or game birds. Do not substitute ground poultry, or raw pack ground meat.
Chipotle Venison or Beef Ingredients
Cubed Venison or Beef Roast:
You can make this with pre-trimmed beef stew meat, or 2″ diced chuck or round roast. I used diced venison boned out from a shoulder and neck roast.
Trim any large pieces of fat or silverskin from the meat. I save the non-fatty trimmings for my stock bag in the freezer and put them in my next batch of broth.
Onion:
Thinly sliced yellow or red onion is best, although you can substitute white or sweet onions.
Stock:
Homemade beef or venison stock is best, but you can also use commercial broth or reconstituted bouillon concentrate, cubes, or powder.
Cilantro:
Fresh green cilantro leaves, washed, dried, and roughly-chopped.
Peppers:
One 8 oz can of chipotle in adobo, plus optional dried ancho and guajillo chiles.
Seasoning:
Fresh garlic, Mexican oregano (you can substitute regular oregano) leaves, ground cumin and coriander, salt, black pepper, and a hint of cinnamon and clove.
Acid:
This sauce benefits from a bit of acidity to balance the rich flavors. It’s not there for food safety (or in the original Ball recipe), but improves the flavor and tenderizes the meat. I use a blend of apple cider vinegar and lime juice.
You can safely omit or reduce this, but I recommend adding at least some acidity! You can substitute all lime juice instead of cider vinegar and lime, or substitute bitter orange juice (not sweet orange juice) for some or all of the lime.
Canning Equipment Needed
Pressure Canner:
You absolutely must use a pressure canner to safely can this chipotle barbacoa beef. Do not try to water-bath can low-acid foods! Botulism isn’t worth the risk… always pressure can low-acid foods like meats, broths, and vegetables.
You also can’t safely can this in an Instant Pot or small pressure cooker. They do not reliably build up enough pressure to safely can foods, especially low-acid foods like meat and veggies that require consistent pressure and long processing times.
I love my All-American pressure canner, but any pressure canner that is large enough to hold at least four quart jars and that has a pressure weight and/or a tested pressure gauge should work.
Heavy saute or roasting pan:
If you’re doing the hot pack version of this recipe, you’ll need one or two large heavy saute pans. I use cast iron, but you can use what you have (avoid non-stick pans which inhibit a good browning sear). Or, use a heavy roasting pan to brown the meat cubes in the oven.
Large mixing bowl:
You’ll need an over-sized mixing bowl or pot that can hold all of the recipe ingredients (except for the broth) with room to toss and mix them well before packing the jars.
How to Can Chipotle Venison or Beef
1: dry seasoning mix
- If you are using the dried ancho and guajillo peppers, de-stem and remove the seeds. Cut or tear the peppers into smaller pieces.
- Grind them with a blender, food processor, or spice grinder until the pieces are quite fine.
- Add the dried spices, salt, and oregano and pulse to mix.
2: seasoning paste
- Add the chopped garlic and the can of chipotle peppers with adobo sauce to the blender or food processor along with the dry spices and pulse until smooth.
- If you are mixing by hand, finely chop the garlic and chipotle peppers first before mixing.
- Add the lime juice and apple cider vinegar and blend or process (or whisk) until it makes a smooth, thick paste.
3: prep onions, cilantro, & broth
- Peel and slice the onions. I like to cut the onions in half and then into even ¼” slices.
- Wash, pat dry, and chop the cilantro leaves.
- Heat the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan, and then reduce the heat to keep warm.
4: sear the meat (hot-pack version)
- For raw-pack, skip to the next step.
- Lightly brown the meat cubes over medium-high heat using as little oil as possible. You can also spread the meat in a single layer in a roasting pan in a hot oven, though you’ll get better results by browning them in a skillet.
- You are not trying to cook them through, just browning them lightly on the outside. This will add flavor, improve the texture, and make the jars easier to clean after canning.
- When you have browned all of the meat, deglaze the pans with some of the hot beef broth, scraping the pans to dissolve all of the fond (crust) from the pan. Add this back to the pot of hot broth- this adds a ton of richness and flavor!
5: mix meat and seasoning
- In a large bowl, mix the browned (or raw) meat cubes, the chipotle spice paste, sliced onions, and chopped cilantro. Toss the mixture until everything is well coated with the seasoning.
6: pack jars
- Fill the clean and pre-warmed canning jars with the meat, marinade, and onion mixture, leaving an inch of headspace at the top of the jar.
- A canning jar funnel will make this a lot easier and less messy!
7: add broth & lids
- Top up the jars with the hot broth, leaving the one inch of head-space. The broth isn’t optional- if you don’t have enough stock you can use water with bouillon or even plain water. It helps with even heat transfer through the jar during processing and keeps the meatballs from being dry.
- Wipe down the rims of the canning jars with a clean cloth dampened with distilled vinegar. This will clean the rims and will cut any oil that would interfere with a good seal.
- Cover with clean, new canning jar lids. Tighten the rings finger-tight and place them in your pressure canner.
8: pressure-can
- Check the weighted vent of your canner to make sure it is clean and free to vent, then place the lid on your canner and latch it. Begin heating the canner over medium heat, with the weight off or the vent open (depending on your canner model) until it is steadily venting steam.
- Once it begins to vent, set a timer for 10 minutes and let it continue to vent steam. Then, place the weight on your canner and/or close the vent valve.
- Watch the dial gauge and/or listen for the appropriate jiggle on your canner to let you know it has reached your processing pressure. This will generally be 10 lbs of pressure on a weighted gauge or 11 lbs on a dial, unless you are at an altitude above 1000 feet (see the linked chart below if you are at a higher altitude). Don’t start the processing timer until the canner has reached the proper pressure.
- Process pint (500 ml) jars for 75 minutes or quart (1 L) jars for 90 minutes (adjusting pressure for altitude if needed).
- If the canner drops below the recommended processing pressure at any time, you must restart the timer from zero, so keep an eye on that gauge or listen for the weight and adjust heat if necessary as you can. It’s best to make slow, gradual adjustments as sudden swings in pressure can cause siphoning in the jars.
- When the processing time is up, turn the heat off under the canner. Let cool until the gauge reads zero (or a weighted canner doesn’t vent steam when you bump the weight). Carefully remove the weight or open the vent, away from you in case there is still steam to vent. Open the canner away from you, and remove the jars with jar tongs.
- Place the jars on a towel or cooling rack (not a cold counter top). Let the jars cool undisturbed for at least 8 and up to 24 hours.
Pantry Storage Instructions
After canning, you’ll end up with fully cooked, shelf-stable jars of tender, well-seasoned chipotle barbacoa beef or venison. Once the jars have fully cooled, remove the rings, check for seals, and wash the jars with warm, soapy water.
Refrigerate any jars that did not seal and use promptly. You could reprocess them with new lids, but since the processing time is so long, the reprocessed jars will lose quality, so if you only have a jar or two that didn’t seal, I recommend just refrigerating or freezing them and using those jars first.
Label the jars and store in a cool, dark place. For best quality, enjoy home-canned goods within 12-18 months, although they will be safe to eat while the seals are intact. Discard any jars that lose seals in storage, smell off, are bubbling, or hiss when opened.
Canning Chipotle Barbacoa Beef or Venison
Equipment
- canning jars, rings, and new lids
- jar lifters or tongs or jar rack with handles
Ingredients
- 7 lbs cubed beef or venison roast or stew meat (you can substitute diced pork shoulder, lamb, goat, bear, or hooved game)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for hot pack only, omit for raw pack)
Marinade or Spice Mix
- 1 large dried ancho chile, seeds & stem removed, rough chopped or torn (optional)
- 1 large dried guajillo chile, seeds & stem removed, rough chopped or torn (optional)
- 2 tbsp mexican oregano, dried (sub regular oregano)
- 1 tbsp coriander, ground
- 1 tbsp cumin, ground
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper, ground
- ½ tsp cinnamon, ground
- ½ tsp cloves, ground
- ½ cup garlic, crushed & rough chopped (minced if you are not using a blender)
- 8 oz chipotle in adobo, with sauce (one standard can, or reduce for milder barbacoa)
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup lime juice
Other Ingredients
- 7 cups onions, small diced or sliced 3 medium or 2 large
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, packed 4 oz
- 3 cups beef or venison stock (approx, to top up jars) can substitute bouillon broth
Instructions
Make the Spice Paste or Marinade
- If you are using dried peppers, de-stem and remove the seeds. Grind them with a blender, food processor, or spice grinder. Add the dried spices, salt, and oregano and pulse to mix.
- Add the chopped garlic and the can of chipotle peppers with adobo sauce to the blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. If you are mixing by hand, finely chop the garlic and chipotle peppers first before mixing.
- Add the lime juice and apple cider vinegar and blend or process (or whisk) until it makes a smooth, thick paste.
Prep Onions and Broth
- Peel and slice the onions. I like to cut the onions in half and then into ¼" slices.
- Wash, pat dry, and chop the cilantro leaves.
- Heat the stock to a simmer and then reduce the heat to keep warm.
Raw-Pack Canning Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the diced meat with the barbacoa spice paste, the onions, and the cilantro. Mix well until everything is well combined and the spice paste is evenly distributed.
- Pack gently into quart or pint jars with at least an inch of head-space.
- Top up the jars with hot broth, debubble, and then top up again if needed with more stock.
- Wipe down the rims of the canning jars with a clean cloth dampened with distilled vinegar (to cut through any oil that may interfere with a good seal) and cover with clean, new canning jar lids.
- Tighten the rings finger-tight and place them in your pressure canner, then skip to the pressure-canning instructions. Don't preheat your canner for raw pack jars, but fill it according to your manufacturer's instructions with a few inches of cool to lukewarm water.
Hot-Pack Canning Instructions
- Put several quarts of hot water in the bottom of your pressure canner (follow instructions from your manufacturer, enough to have several inches of water in the canner once you place the jars inside, without covering the jars) and begin to heat the canner. You can pre-heat your jars in the canner if you like, or keep them warm on a baking pan in the oven or a clean dishwasher with a heating element.
- Lightly brown the meat cubes over medium heat using as little oil as possible. You can also spread the meat in a single layer in a roasting pan in a hot oven, though you'll get better results by browning them in a skillet. You are not trying to cook them through, just browning them lightly on the outside to add flavor, improve the texture, and make the jars easier to clean after canning.
- When you have browned all of the meat, de-glaze the pans with some of the hot beef broth, scraping the pans to dissolve all of the fond (crust) from the pan. Add this back to the pot of hot broth- this adds a ton of richness and flavor!
- In a large bowl, mix the browned meat cubes, the chipotle spice paste, sliced onions, and chopped cilantro. Toss the mixture until everything is well coated with the seasoning.
- Fill the clean and pre-warmed canning jars with the meat, marinade, and onion mixture, leaving an inch of headspace at the top of the jar.
- Top up the jars with the hot broth, leaving the one inch of head-space. The broth isn't optional- if you don't have enough stock you can use water with bouillon or even plain water. It helps with even heat transfer through the jar during processing and keeps the meatballs from being dry.
- Wipe down the rims of the canning jars with a clean cloth dampened with distilled vinegar (to cut any oil that may interfere with a good seal) and cover with clean, new canning jar lids. Tighten the rings finger-tight and place them in your pressure canner.
Pressure Canning the Barbacoa
- Check the weighted vent of your canner to make sure it is clean and free to vent, then place the lid on your canner and latch it. Begin heating the canner over medium heat, with the weight off or the vent open (depending on your canner model) until it is steadily venting steam.
- Once it begins to vent, set a timer for 10 minutes and let it continue to vent steam. Then, place the weight on your canner and/or close the vent valve.
- Watch the dial gauge and/or listen for the appropriate jiggle on your canner to let you know it has reached your processing pressure- generally 10 lbs of pressure on a weighted gauge or 11 lbs on a dial, unless you are at an altitude above 1000 feet.
- Process pint (500 ml) jars for 75 minutes or quart (1 L) jars for 90 minutes*. If the canner drops below the recommended processing pressure at any time, you must restart the timer from zero, so keep an eye on that gauge or listen for the weight and adjust heat if necessary as you can. It's best to make slow, gradual adjustments as sudden swings in pressure can cause siphoning in the jars.
- When the processing time is up, turn the heat off under the canner. Let cool until the gauge reads zero (or a weighted canner doesn't vent steam when you bump the weight). Carefully remove the weight or open the vent, away from you in case there is still steam to vent. Open the canner away from you, and remove the jars with jar tongs.
- Place the jars on a towel or cooling rack (not a cold countertop) and let cool undisturbed for at least 8 and up to 24 hours. Check to make sure that the jars sealed, and refrigerate any jars that did not and use promptly. Remove the rings, wash the outsides of the jars with hot soapy water, label, and store in a cool dark pantry.
Notes
- 0- 1,000 ft 10 psi 11 psi
- 1,001- 2,000 15 psi 11 psi
- 2,001- 4,000 15 psi 12 psi
- 4,001- 6,000 15 psi 13 psi
- 6,001-8,000 15 psi 14 psi
- 8,001-10,000 15 psi 15 psi
Nutrition
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I made barbacoa with chuck roast last night, looked at all the ingredients, and thought ‘there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to pressure can this!’. Cool to see someone else has done it!
You mention that you can use “diced roasts of veal, lamb, pork, goat”. Could you use a pork shoulder, or just a pork roast? I ask because I know that the pork shoulder is a fattier cut of meat.
Sure, I would just trim the fat-cap (if it has one) and any other large or very thick chunks of fat as you are cubing the pork butt/shoulder… (freeze and save those to render for lard & cracklins, to make sausage, or add to a batch of carnitas). Too much fat can lead to more of your jars not sealing but a little bit is fine, especially if you’re going to crisp up the meat when you serve it!