Slow Cooker Birria Tacos (Printer-Friendly)
Tender beef braised in a spiced chile broth, served in crispy tacos with fresh toppings and dipping 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
# How-To Steps:
01 - Toast the dried 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 beef broth in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
03 - Add the beef chunks and short ribs to the slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce over the meat. Add the remaining beef broth and salt. Stir to coat the meat 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 forks. Discard 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 tortilla in the fat from the consommé and place in the skillet. Top with shredded beef and cheese if desired. Fold and cook until crispy and golden on both sides.
07 - Serve the tacos topped with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Accompany with a bowl of warm consommé for dipping.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The consommé alone is worth the eight hour wait, a deep reddish broth you will want to drink from a mug
- Chuck roast transforms from tough and humble into something luxurious without you doing much at all
- Crispy tortilla dipped into that spiced liquid is one of those textures that ruins regular tacos forever
02 -
- Straining the consommé is not optional unless you enjoy biting into whole cloves and bay leaves mid taco
- The fat layer on top of the consommé is your secret weapon for frying tortillas, so do not discard it
03 -
- Add one or two dried arbol chiles to the blender if you want noticeable heat without changing the flavor profile
- Make the sauce and assemble the slow cooker the night before, then just turn it on in the morning