Slow Cooker Birria Tacos (Printer-friendly)
Tender beef slow-cooked in spiced chile broth, served in crispy tortillas with fresh toppings and consommé.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1.1 lbs beef short ribs, bone-in
→ Dried Chiles & Vegetables
03 - 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded
06 - 1 large onion, quartered
07 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled
08 - 2 large tomatoes, quartered
→ Spices
09 - 2 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 cinnamon stick
14 - 4 whole cloves
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - 1 tsp black peppercorns
17 - 1 Tbsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
→ Liquids
18 - 3 cups beef broth
19 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
→ For the Tacos
20 - 18 corn tortillas
21 - 1 cup diced white onion
22 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
23 - Lime wedges, for serving
24 - 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
# Directions:
01 - Toast the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let soften for 10 minutes.
02 - Combine the softened chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, thyme, paprika, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of beef broth in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
03 - Place the beef chuck chunks and short ribs in the slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce over the meat, add the remaining beef broth and salt, and stir to coat everything evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls apart.
05 - Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard the bones. Skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, then strain the consommé through a fine-mesh sieve and reserve for dipping.
06 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly dip each corn tortilla in the reserved consommé fat, place in the skillet, and top with shredded beef and cheese. Fold in half and cook until crispy and golden on both sides.
07 - Plate the tacos topped with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve alongside a bowl of warm consommé for dipping.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The consommé alone is worth the effort and makes incredible leftovers you will crave for days
- Most of the cooking happens hands-free so you get restaurant-quality results with almost no active work
02 -
- Straining the consommé is not optional if you want the clean dipping experience that makes birria tacos special
- The cinnamon and cloves will taste strange in the raw sauce but transform completely during the long cook so trust the process
03 -
- Dipping the tortilla in consommé before pan-frying is what creates that signature red crispy exterior so do not skip it even if it feels messy
- Add one or two dried arbol chiles to the sauce if you want noticeable heat without changing the flavor profile