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Crock Pot Birria Tacos Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 50 reviews

Crock Pot Birria Tacos are a slow-cooked Mexican comfort food featuring tender, shredded beef simmered for hours in a rich, smoky blend of chipotle chiles, garlic, and warm spices. Served with melted cheese in tortillas and accompanied by a flavorful consommé for dipping, this recipe brings authentic birria flavors with the ease of a slow cooker.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Broth

  • 2 ½ lb beef pot roast or chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2–3 large pieces
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves

Spices and Sauce

  • 1 ½ cups yellow onion, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 4 large garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder blend
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon or 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 3 ounces chipotle in adobo
  • 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes (fire roasted recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Optional Chiles for Traditional Birria

  • 2 dried guajillo chiles (mild, fruity flavor)
  • 1 dried ancho chile (rich, smoky depth)
  • 1 dried chile de árbol (adds heat, optional)

For Serving and Assembly

  • 16 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, or queso Chihuahua cheese
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Lime wedges (optional)
  • Additional chopped onion for garnish

Instructions

  1. Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Brown the beef pieces on all sides in two batches to develop flavor and color. Transfer the browned beef to your slow cooker.
  2. Prepare the Sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine 1 cup chopped onion, garlic cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle in adobo, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, white vinegar, and kosher salt. Blend until smooth. Pour this sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the bay leaves.
  3. Slow Cook the Beef: Cover and cook on low heat in the slow cooker for 8 hours until the beef is very tender and shreddable.
  4. Shred the Beef and Strain Broth: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Strain the cooking broth (consommé) and return about ½ cup of the broth to the shredded beef to keep it moist. Keep warm in the slow cooker. Reserve the remaining broth for dipping the tacos.
  5. Assemble the Tacos: Quickly dip each corn tortilla into the warm consommé to soak. Place the dipped tortilla on a hot skillet or griddle. Add about 3 tablespoons of shredded beef and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla. Add some chopped onion and cilantro on top.
  6. Cook the Tacos: Fold the tortilla over to enclose the filling and cook it like a quesadilla until the tortilla is browned and crispy on both sides and the cheese has melted.
  7. Serve: Serve the birria tacos hot with extra chopped onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
  8. Enjoy and Share: Leave a rating and comment to support and share your experience with this delicious recipe!

Notes

  • For a more traditional birria flavor, use dried guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol instead of chipotle in adobo. Remove stems and seeds, soak them in hot water for 20 minutes until softened, then blend with the sauce ingredients before cooking.
  • Start with a 2 ¾ or 3 lb roast and trim excess fat for best results.
  • Slow cooking on low for 8 hours allows the beef to become tender and absorb all the spices and smoky flavors.
  • Use fire-roasted crushed tomatoes if available to add extra depth of flavor.
  • The consommé broth is essential for dipping and adds a wonderful moistness and taste to your tacos.
  • Feel free to customize your taco garnishes with lime wedges, extra cilantro, or your preferred hot sauces.

Keywords: birria tacos, crock pot birria, slow cooker birria, Mexican tacos, shredded beef tacos, chipotle birria, slow cooked beef, quesadilla tacos

Find it online: https://cookwithlea.com/crock-pot-birria-tacos-recipe/