Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe features tender, slow-cooked chuck roast simmered in a rich, smoky chili and spice sauce. The beef is shredded and served on corn tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese, fresh onions, and cilantro, perfect for dipping in flavorful birria consommé. A delicious and authentic Mexican main course ideal for a comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Marinade
- 3 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 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: Season the chuck roast thoroughly on all sides with salt and black pepper to enhance its natural flavor before cooking.
- Sear the Roast: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, sear the chuck roast on each side for 2-3 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Add more oil if necessary. Remove the roast and place it in a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Prepare the Sauce: Add Guajillo chilies, chipotle chilies, diced onion, garlic cloves, honey, low-sodium beef broth, crushed tomatoes, lime juice, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, nutmeg, coriander, and thyme into a blender. Blend everything until the sauce is smooth.
- Cook the Beef: Pour the blended sauce over the chuck roast in the slow cooker. Place bay leaves on top. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours, allowing the meat to become tender and absorb the spices.
- Shred the Meat and Reserve Consommé: After cooking, remove bay leaves. Ladle out 1 cup of the birria consommé into a bowl and set aside. Shred the cooked beef using two forks, then mix it back into the 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 to soak, then place 2-3 tortillas flat in the skillet at a time.
- Assemble and Cook the Tacos: On each tortilla, sprinkle an even layer of Oaxaca cheese, then add a portion of shredded beef, diced onions, and minced cilantro on one half. Fold the tortillas in half and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the cheese melts and tortillas become crispy and slightly browned.
- Serve: Strain the remaining birria consommé through a fine-mesh strainer into small bowls for dipping. Serve the tacos hot with lime wedges on the side for garnish and extra zest.
Notes
- Ensure the skillet is very hot before searing the chuck roast to create flavorful browned bits that deepen the taste of birria.
- Dip each tortilla in consommé and fry immediately to prevent soggy tacos and achieve crispiness.
- Allow the Oaxaca cheese to come to room temperature before cooking for easier, faster melting.
- Press the folded taco gently with a spatula while cooking to increase contact with the pan and develop crisp, caramelized edges.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer when pouring consommé into bowls to remove any small solids for a smooth dipping experience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
