Description
This Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe delivers tender, slow-cooked beef infused with bold Mexican spices, served in crispy tortillas with melty cheese and a rich, flavorful consommé for dipping. A perfect meal for taco lovers!
Ingredients
Scale
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For the Birria Beef:
- 2–3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and deseeded
- 2 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and deseeded
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 4–5 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
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For the Tacos:
- 18 corn tortillas
- 20 oz Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella), shredded
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Toast dried chilies in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, then soak them in hot water for 10 minutes until softened.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, then sear each piece for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
- In the same pan, sauté onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add tomato sauce, cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Blend the softened chilies with 1 cup of beef broth until smooth. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker along with the sautéed onions and remaining beef broth.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (or HIGH for 4-5 hours) until the beef is tender and easily shredded.
- Remove beef from the slow cooker, shred it, and discard the bay leaves. Blend the remaining broth into a smooth consommé.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip tortillas into the consommé, place them in the pan, sprinkle cheese over the entire tortilla, and add shredded beef on one side. Fold over and cook until crispy.
- Serve with a small bowl of consommé for dipping, garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, marinate the beef overnight in the blended chili sauce before slow cooking.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, use a Dutch oven and bake at 300°F for 3-4 hours until tender.
- For a crispier texture, cook tacos in a mix of butter and oil.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican