Slow Cooker Birria Tacos (Printable)
Tender slow-cooked beef in rich spiced broth, served in crispy tacos with fresh toppings and consommé for dipping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1.1 lbs beef short ribs, bone-in
→ Dried Chiles & Vegetables
03 - 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 1 dried pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded
06 - 1 large onion, quartered
07 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled
08 - 2 large tomatoes, quartered
→ Spices
09 - 2 tsp ground cumin
10 - 1 tsp dried oregano
11 - 1/2 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - 1/2 cinnamon stick
14 - 4 whole cloves
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - 1 tsp black peppercorns
17 - 1 Tbsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
→ Liquids
18 - 3 cups beef broth
19 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
→ For the Tacos
20 - 18 corn tortillas
21 - 1 cup diced white onion
22 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
23 - Lime wedges, for serving
24 - 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
# Directions:
01 - Toast the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let soften for 10 minutes.
02 - Combine the softened chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, thyme, paprika, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup beef broth in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
03 - Place the beef chuck chunks and short ribs in the slow cooker. Pour the blended sauce over the meat, then add the remaining beef broth and salt. Stir to coat the meat evenly.
04 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the meat pulls apart easily with a fork.
05 - Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Discard the bones. Skim excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, then strain the consommé through a fine mesh and reserve for dipping.
06 - Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lightly dip each corn tortilla in the fat skimmed from the consommé, then place on the skillet. Add shredded beef and cheese to one side, fold in half, and cook until crispy and golden on both sides.
07 - Arrange the crispy tacos on a platter and top with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve with a bowl of warm consommé alongside for dipping.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The consommé alone is worth making this, a rich spiced broth you will want to drink by the bowlful
- The beef gets so tender it shreds with almost zero effort, which feels like a small kitchen miracle
- Crispy cheese crusted tortillas dipped into that broth create a texture combination that is genuinely hard to stop eating
02 -
- The consommé will separate and look greasy when it first comes out of the slow cooker, but straining it and skimming the fat transforms it into something clear and extraordinary
- Do not rush the chile toasting step, because under toasted chiles taste flat and over toasted chiles turn bitter with almost no margin for error in between
03 -
- Dip the tortillas in consommé instead of oil before crisping, because that is where the flavor and the signature red color come from
- If you want extra heat, throw one or two dried arbol chiles into the blender with the other chiles, but taste the sauce before adding them because arbol brings real fire