Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe features tender, slow-cooked chuck roast infused with a rich, smoky chili and spice blend. The beef is shredded and served in crispy corn tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese, onions, cilantro, and a flavorful birria consommé for dipping. Perfect for a hearty Mexican main course that’s easy to prepare and full of vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Marinade
- 3 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce and Seasonings
- 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 the meat: Generously season the chuck roast on all sides with salt and black pepper to prepare it for searing.
- Sear the roast: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Sear the chuck roast for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned and flavorful. Add more oil if needed. Remove and transfer the roast to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Prepare the sauce: In a blender, combine Guajillo chilies, chipotle chilies, diced onion, garlic, honey, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, lime juice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, coriander, and thyme. Blend until smooth to make a rich sauce.
- Cook the birria: Pour the blended sauce over the beef in the slow cooker and place the bay leaves on top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the meat to become tender.
- Shred the beef: After cooking, remove the bay leaves. Take out 1 cup of the birria consommé and set aside in a bowl for dipping. Shred the beef using two forks and mix the shredded meat back into the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
- Prepare the tacos: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the reserved birria consommé, coating well. Place 2-3 tortillas flat in the skillet at a time.
- Assemble and crisp: Evenly sprinkle Oaxaca cheese over each tortilla in the skillet. Add shredded beef, diced onions, and cilantro to one side of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in half and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until the cheese melts and the outside is crispy. Press lightly with a spatula for a crispier crust.
- Serve: Strain the remaining birria consommé through a fine mesh strainer to remove any particles. Serve the tacos hot with small bowls of consommé for dipping and lime wedges as garnish. Enjoy your flavorful birria tacos!
Notes
- Ensure your skillet is very hot before searing the chuck roast to develop deep flavor with browned bits.
- To prevent soggy tacos, quickly fry each tortilla after dipping it in the consommé to crisp it.
- Bring Oaxaca cheese to room temperature before use so it melts easily in the tacos.
- Press down gently on the tacos with a spatula while cooking to create extra crispy edges and better contact with the pan.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer when straining consommé to catch small chili and spice particles for a smooth dipping broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
