Description
Experience the rich flavors of Mexico City with these tender, slow-cooked birria tacos. Perfect for a cozy family meal, these tacos are filled with succulent beef and topped with fresh ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup diced onion
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Hot sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Start by heating 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chunks of beef chuck roast. Sear the meat on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Remove the beef from the skillet and transfer it to your slow cooker. In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and sauté for about 2-3 minutes until they become translucent.
- Next, add the minced garlic to the onions and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour this mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
- In the same skillet, briefly toast the guajillo and ancho chiles over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, just until they become fragrant.
- Transfer the toasted chiles to a blender, along with 4 cups of beef broth, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon each of oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, and salt. Blend until you have a smooth sauce.
- Pour the blended sauce over the beef in the slow cooker, and add 1 bay leaf. Stir to combine, ensuring the beef is well coated in the sauce. Set your slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours (or high for 4 hours) until the beef is fork-tender.
- Once the cooking time is up, remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot and mix it with the sauce.
- To serve, heat the corn tortillas on a skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side, or until warm and pliable. Assemble your tacos by placing a generous amount of the birria in each tortilla.
- Top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese (if using), chopped cilantro, and diced onion. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the top and add hot sauce if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Searing the beef adds a rich depth of flavor that you can't achieve by just tossing it in the slow cooker. For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the broth mixture.