Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe offers tender, flavorful shredded beef slow-cooked in a rich blend of chilies, spices, and beef broth. Served crispy on corn tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese and fresh garnishes, these tacos are a delicious and comforting meal perfect for gatherings or a hearty dinner.
Ingredients
Meat and Seasoning
- 3 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 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
Additional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 16 corn tortillas
- 12 ounces Oaxaca cheese
- ½ white onion (diced)
- ¼ cup cilantro (minced)
- Limes (for garnish)
Instructions
- Season the Chuck Roast: Season the chuck roast evenly with salt and black pepper on all sides to enhance the beef’s natural flavors before cooking.
- Sear the Meat: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear each side of the roast for 2 to 3 minutes until a brown crust forms. Remove the roast and transfer it to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a blender, combine Guajillo chilies, chipotle chilies in adobo, diced white onion, garlic cloves, honey, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, lime juice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, coriander, and thyme. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour this sauce evenly over the beef in the slow cooker and place bay leaves on top.
- Slow Cook the Beef: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours, allowing the meat to become tender and absorb the rich flavors of the sauce.
- Prepare the Consomé: After cooking, remove the bay leaves. Scoop out 1 cup of the birria consomé (broth) and place it in a bowl; set this aside for dipping.
- Shred the Beef: Use two forks to shred the cooked chuck roast directly in the slow cooker, mixing the shredded beef into the remaining sauce for maximum flavor.
- Prepare the Tortillas: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip the corn tortillas into the reserved birria consomé, then place 2 to 3 tortillas flat in the skillet at a time.
- Assemble the Tacos: Top each tortilla generously with Oaxaca cheese, then add shredded beef, diced white onions, and minced cilantro on one half. Fold the tortilla over to form a taco and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the cheese melts and the tortilla crisps.
- Serve: Strain the remaining birria consomé and serve it in small bowls alongside the tacos for dipping. Garnish with lime wedges and serve hot for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Removing seeds and stems from dried chilies helps control the spice level and prevents bitterness.
- Use low-sodium beef broth to manage sodium content but still get a rich flavor.
- Oaxaca cheese melts well and adds an authentic creamy texture to the tacos.
- Slow cooking for 8 hours allows the connective tissues in the chuck roast to break down, resulting in tender meat.
- For extra spice, add more chipotle chilies or serve with hot sauce.
