Description
This Crockpot Birria Tacos recipe offers a delicious and tender beef dish slow-cooked to perfection with a rich blend of dried chiles and spices. Served in crispy corn tortillas with melted cheese and fresh toppings, these tacos deliver authentic Mexican flavors with minimum effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Sauce
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
Toppings and Serving
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup diced white onion
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Soak Chiles: Place the guajillo and ancho chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 10 minutes until softened to make blending easier.
- Prepare Sauce: Transfer the softened chiles to a blender along with the chipotle pepper, garlic, chopped onion, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and beef broth. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, forming the birria sauce base.
- Cook Beef: Place the beef chunks in the crockpot and pour the blended sauce over them. Add the bay leaves, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
- Shred Beef: Remove the beef from the crockpot and shred it with two forks. Optionally skim any excess fat from the cooking liquid’s surface. Return the shredded beef to the crockpot and stir well to coat it with the sauce.
- Assemble Tacos: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the top layer of the birria sauce to lightly coat it, then place it on the hot skillet. Add shredded beef and cheese to one half of the tortilla and fold it over.
- Cook Tacos: Cook the folded tortilla in the skillet until crispy on both sides and the cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Serve: Serve the tacos hot topped with chopped cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges. Provide extra birria sauce cooking liquid on the side for dipping.
Notes
- For extra flavor, sear the beef in a hot skillet before adding it to the crockpot.
- You can substitute beef short ribs or a mix of chuck and brisket for deeper flavor.
- Adjust spice levels by adding more or less chipotle pepper according to your preference.
