Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

July 29, 2023

Ingredient

Chuck Roast: A three pound boneless beef chuck roast is best; look for marbling, as this will increase the taste and tenderness. You can use beef brisket, or any well-marbled beef roast for this recipe.
Corn Tortillas: Use regular sized corn tortillas. However, the mini street taco size will work if you’re making these as a delicious appetizer.
Dried Chiles: You’ll need dried Guajillo chiles and Arbol chiles. These can be found in your local grocery store in a package in the Mexican food section.
Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Use the canned product which will be found in the Mexican or Latin section or international aisle of your grocery store.
Tomatoes: Both fire roasted tomatoes and tomato paste are used to help add taste and texture to the sauce.
Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, cumin, garlic, cloves, Mexican oregano, dried coriander, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried onion, cinnamon sticks, fresh lime juice, bay leaves and fresh onion.
Beef Broth: This velvety broth liquid is the base of the sauce.
Oil: Use a high heat cooking oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil.
Produce: Freshly chopped cilantro and red onion are the perfect topping for these tacos.

Step One – Season all sides of the chuck roast with salt and pepper and preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and sear the meat for 4-5 minutes on all sides.
Step Two – Add all the remaining ingredients (except the tortillas and oil) to the slow cooker. Stir it well to combine into a chunky sauce.
Step Three – Place the seared beef into the crock pot and cover. Cook for 9-10 hours on low.
Step Four – Remove the cooked chuck roast and place it in a large bowl.
Step Five – Shred the beef and mix in about a cup of the sauce (after step 7).
Step Six – Remove the cinnamon sticks, stems from the peppers, and bay leaf and discard.
Step Seven – Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, add everything to a food processor or regular stand blender to puree, then return to the crock pot or pour into a large bowl.)
Step Eight – Using a pair of tongs, dip each side of the tortillas in the sauce and then double them for frying.
Step Nine – Place the dipped tortillas into a frying pan flatly and fry for about two minutes. Flip and add the shredded beef, diced onion, and cilantro to one-half of the tortilla, fold it in half and fry each side of the now shaped taco for up to 2 minutes per side. Spoon a bit of birria sauce over each side of the tortilla after it’s been fried. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a bowl of the pureed dipping sauce.

Classic toppings for most Mexican taco recipes include sour cream, shredded cheese, diced onions (purple or diced white onion), fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and avocado. The best part is serving the tacos with the dipping sauce, which is often called consummé.