Slow Cooker Beef Birria Tacos
Just the right combination of savory and spicy, these Slow Cooker Beef Birria Tacos are a fun take on a traditional Mexican dish. Birria, a meat stew that’s often prepared for special occasions, uses a marinade of vinegar, oregano, and spices, but the beauty of this recipe is that you can throw it all in a slow cooker with some beef consomme and let the flavors meld for hours. When it’s done, fork-tender chunks of beef chuck roast will shred easily for the filling of these Slow Cooker Beef Birria Tacos, which you can top with diced white onion, salsa, and fresh cilantro. Leftovers- if you have any- are just as tasty the next day.
Ingredient
- 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-to 3-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup Mexican-style chili powder or regular chili powder
- 2 teaspoons Mexican dried oregano leaves or regular dried oregano leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large white onion, diced (about 2 1/2 cups) (amount divided in recipe steps below)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Condensed Beef Consomme
- 18 (6-inch) corn tortilla or flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 8 ounces)
- 1 cup cilantro
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
Direction
- Place the beef into a 6-quart slow cooker and season with the chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Add the garlic, 1 1/2 cups onion, bay leaf, vinegar and consomme.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Remove the beef to a cutting board and shred the beef. Strain and reserve the consomme mixture and keep warm (just reserving the liquid). Spoon the fat of off the consomme mixture and reserve separately.
- Season the beef and the consomme mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 170°F. and place a wire rack onto a rimmed baking sheet (you'll fill and cook the tacos three at a time and keep them warm in the oven).
- Heat 1 tablespoon reserved fat in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Place 1 tortilla in the skillet and top with 2 tablespoons cheese. Place 1/4 cup beef on one side of the tortilla and spoon 1 tablespoon each onion and cilantro in the center. Fold the tortilla in half over the filling and press down gently. Repeat with 2 more tortillas. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the tacos over from the open side, keeping the folded side in contact with the skillet. Cook for another 2 minutes or until crisp. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling (don't forget to start each batch on medium heat), keeping the finished tacos warm on the baking sheet in the oven.
- Serve the tacos with the lime wedges and small bowls of the reserved consomme mixture on the side for dipping.
