Description
Simmering tender beef, this Birria Tacos recipe brings Mexican culinary magic to home kitchens with rich, spicy flavors. Slow-cooked meat melts into crispy tortillas, inviting you to savor each delicious bite of regional comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4.5 to 5 lbs (2 to 2.3 kg) boneless beef chuck roast
- 5 dried ancho chiles
- 4 dried guajillo chiles
- 5 dried arbol chiles
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp coriander seed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsps sea salt
- 3 tbsps avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 quart (946 ml) beef broth
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsps tomato paste
- Corn tortillas, for serving
- Grated mozzarella cheese or Oaxaca cheese, for serving
- Pickled red onions, for serving
- Cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- Chile Preparation: Submerge dried chiles in boiling water, allowing them to rehydrate and soften for 15-20 minutes.
- Spice Toasting: In a dry skillet, gently toast whole black peppercorns, coriander seeds, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick until fragrant, then wrap toasted spices in a cheesecloth to create a compact spice packet.
- Meat Searing: Season beef chunks with coarse sea salt, then sear in hot avocado oil over high heat until a rich golden-brown crust develops, creating deep flavor layers.
- Aromatics Development: In the same skillet, sauté diced onions and minced garlic until translucent, then incorporate tomato paste, ground cumin, and dried oregano, stirring to release aromatic oils.
- Slow Cooker Assembly: Transfer sautéed aromatics and seared beef into the slow cooker, adding rehydrated chile liquid, beef stock, and apple cider vinegar. Nestle the prepared spice packet into the mixture, ensuring all ingredients are well combined.
- Slow Cooking: Cook on low temperature for 8-10 hours until beef becomes incredibly tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- Sauce Creation: Remove beef and shred meticulously, then blend the remaining cooking liquid into a smooth, rich chile sauce. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and mix with the blended sauce, ensuring even flavor distribution.
- Taco Preparation: Dip corn tortillas into the consommé, then layer with shredded cheese and beef in a hot skillet, creating crispy, flavor-packed birria tacos.
- Serving: Plate hot tacos garnished with pickled red onions, fresh cilantro, and serve with a small bowl of consommé for additional dipping.
Notes
- Spice Toasting Technique: Gently heat whole spices until fragrant to unlock deeper, more complex flavor profiles without burning.
- Beef Searing Secret: High-heat searing creates a golden-brown crust that develops rich, caramelized notes and locks in deep meaty flavors.
- Slow Cooking Magic: Long, low-temperature cooking breaks down tough meat fibers, transforming beef into meltingly tender, succulent strands.
- Consommé Dipping Trick: Quickly dip tortillas in the rich cooking liquid before grilling to infuse extra flavor and create a crispy, delicious exterior.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg