Slow Cooker Birria Tacos (Printable Version)
Tender slow-cooked beef in rich spiced broth, folded into crispy corn tortillas with fresh toppings.
# What You 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 Make It:
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 soak for 10 minutes until softened.
02 - Combine the softened chiles, quartered onion, garlic cloves, quartered tomatoes, cumin, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of beef broth in a blender. Blend on high 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 kosher salt. Stir to evenly coat all the meat pieces.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the beef is fork-tender and easily pulls apart.
05 - Transfer the beef to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Discard any bones. Skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, then strain the remaining broth through a fine-mesh sieve to produce a clean consommé. Reserve the consommé for dipping.
06 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly dip each corn tortilla in the reserved consommé fat, then place in the hot skillet. Add a portion of shredded beef and cheese to each tortilla, fold in half, and cook until golden and crispy on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
07 - Arrange the crispy tacos on a platter and top with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime. Serve alongside small bowls of hot consommé for dipping.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The slow cooker does almost all the work while you go about your day
- That crispy dipped tortilla shell is something you will crave on random Tuesdays
- The consommé alone is worth making the entire recipe
02 -
- Straining the consommé is not optional because whole spices and chile skins will make the dipping broth gritty and unpleasant
- Letting the fat cool slightly makes it much easier to skim off the top before straining
03 -
- Add one or two dried arbol chiles if you want noticeable heat without changing the flavor profile
- Dip your finger in the blended sauce before cooking and adjust salt then because it is much harder to fix seasoning later