Description
If there were ever a taco that stops everyone mid sentence, it is a beef birria taco. Fall apart beef slow cooked in a deep red smoky broth gets tucked into a cheesy tortilla, dipped in rich consommé, and fried until perfectly crisp on the edges. These beef birria tacos are cozy, dramatic, melty, and packed with bold flavor while the slow cooker does most of the work.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, diced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 16 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Oil for frying
- Diced white onion for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast generously with salt and pepper.
- Add beef, onion, garlic, broth, tomato paste, chipotle, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and bay leaves to a slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours until the beef shreds easily.
- Remove bay leaves and shred the beef directly in the slow cooker so it absorbs the flavor.
- Ladle some consommé into a bowl for dipping tortillas and serving.
- Warm tortillas until pliable. Dip each tortilla lightly in consommé.
- Place dipped tortilla in a hot skillet, sprinkle cheese on one side, add shredded beef, fold, and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side until crispy and golden.
- Serve hot with diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and extra consommé for dipping.
Notes
Warm tortillas before dipping to prevent tearing. For less heat use half a chipotle pepper. Leftover beef birria is perfect for quesadillas, nachos, rice bowls, or make ahead meals throughout the week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 36g
- Cholesterol: 105mg