Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe features tender, slow-cooked beef chuck roast infused with a rich and flavorful chili sauce made from dried guajillo and ancho chilies, garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Perfectly shredded and served in crispy fried corn tortillas, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion, these tacos are a comforting and satisfying Mexican dish ideal for gatherings or a hearty meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Sauce
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
- 3 dried guajillo chilies
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 1 medium onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Tacos and Garnishes
- Corn tortillas, for serving
- Oil, for frying tortillas
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Diced onion (for garnish)
Instructions
- Soak Chilies: Begin by soaking the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in hot water for 15 minutes until they become soft and pliable. This step rehydrates the chilies for blending and enhances flavor extraction.
- Prepare Sauce: Drain the soaked chilies and blend them together with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, and canned diced tomatoes until you achieve a smooth, rich chili sauce.
- Combine Ingredients in Crock Pot: Place the beef chuck roast pieces into the crock pot, then pour the blended chili sauce evenly over the meat.
- Add Broth and Seasonings: Pour in 2 cups of beef broth and add apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine all ingredients well.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beef is extremely tender and falls apart easily with a fork.
- Shred Beef: Remove the beef from the crock pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded meat to the crock pot and mix it thoroughly with the cooking sauce to absorb all the flavors.
- Fry Tortillas: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the corn tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Assemble Tacos: Fill each crispy tortilla with the shredded beef mixture. Fold the tortillas and serve hot.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the tacos with fresh chopped cilantro and diced onion. Serve alongside some of the cooking broth for dipping, enhancing the birria taco experience.
Notes
- Soaking the chilies well helps develop deeper flavors and reduces bitterness.
- For spicier tacos, you can add a serrano or chipotle pepper to the sauce blend.
- Leftover birria can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Use fresh corn tortillas for best texture when fried.
- If you prefer less oil, bake the tortillas until crisp instead of frying.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Birria tacos, crock pot tacos, slow cooked beef, Mexican recipes, guajillo chilies, ancho chilies, shredded beef tacos
