Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe offers tender, flavorful shredded beef slow-cooked to perfection, served in crispy corn tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese, onions, cilantro, and a rich dipping consommé. Perfect for a comforting and authentic Mexican main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 3 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 dried Guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 5 Chipotle chilies in adobo from a can
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic
- ¼ cup honey
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can peeled crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Tacos
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 corn tortillas
- 12 ounces Oaxaca cheese
- ½ white onion, diced
- ¼ cup cilantro, minced
- Limes for garnish
Instructions
- Season Beef: Season the chuck roast evenly with salt and black pepper on all sides to prepare for searing.
- Sear Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the chuck roast on all sides for 2-3 minutes per side to develop a rich brown crust. Add more oil if necessary. Remove and place the roast in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Prepare Sauce: In a blender, combine Guajillo chilies, chipotle chilies, diced onion, garlic cloves, honey, low-sodium beef broth, crushed tomatoes, fresh lime juice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, ground coriander, and dried thyme. Blend until smooth and pour the sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Place bay leaves on top.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
- Shred and Mix: Remove the bay leaves and ladle 1 cup of birria consommé into a bowl reserved for dipping. Shred the beef with two forks and mix it well with the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
- Prepare Tortillas: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the reserved birria consommé and place 2-3 tortillas flat in the skillet at a time.
- Assemble Tacos: Sprinkle Oaxaca cheese evenly over each tortilla in the skillet. Add shredded beef, diced onions, and minced cilantro to one side of the tortilla. Fold tortillas in half and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until cheese melts and tortillas become crispy.
- Serve: Strain the remaining birria consommé with a fine-mesh strainer into small bowls for dipping. Serve tacos hot with limes on the side for garnish and enjoy.
Notes
- For a proper sear, ensure your skillet is very hot before adding the chuck roast to develop deep browned bits for flavor.
- Dip tortillas in the consommé before frying to prevent soggy tacos and enhance flavor.
- Let the Oaxaca cheese come to room temperature before using to help it melt quickly and evenly.
- Press down on the tacos with a spatula while frying to create a crispier exterior and better contact with the pan.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the consommé and remove any small particles for a smooth dipping sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
