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Slow Cooker Birria Tacos with Savory Consomé Recipe

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4.2 from 7 reviews

Delicious Slow Cooker Birria Tacos featuring tender, slow-cooked beef chuck roast simmered in a rich, smoky chile and tomato sauce, served on crispy corn tortillas with melted cheese, fresh onion, cilantro, and lime for an authentic Mexican street food experience.

Ingredients

Meat

  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast
  • Salt & pepper (to taste)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Chiles and Sauce

  • 4 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed & seeded)
  • 3 dried ancho chiles (stemmed & seeded)
  • 2 dried chile de arbol (stemmed & seeded)
  • 3 Roma tomatoes (roasted or charred)
  • 1 medium onion (quartered)
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 tbsp chipotle sauce
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups beef broth

Toppings and Serving

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella if unavailable)
  • Chopped white onion & fresh cilantro (for topping)
  • Lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Toast and Soak Chiles: Toast the guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles lightly on a dry skillet for 10–15 seconds on each side, ensuring not to burn them. Then soak them in hot water for 15–20 minutes until softened.
  2. Prepare Chile Sauce: In a blender, combine the softened chiles, roasted tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until smooth.
  3. Strain Sauce: Pour the blended mixture through a fine sieve to achieve a silky, smooth sauce without any solids.
  4. Season and Sear Beef: Cut the beef chuck roast into large chunks and season with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot and sear the beef pieces on all sides until browned, building flavor.
  5. Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place the seared beef chunks into the slow cooker.
  6. Add Sauce and Broth: Pour the prepared adobo sauce over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the remaining 1 cup of beef broth along with the bay leaves.
  7. Slow Cook Beef: Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
  8. Shred Beef and Prepare Consomé: Remove the beef from the slow cooker, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot with some of the cooking broth (consomé). Optionally, reduce the consomé on the stove over medium heat to concentrate the flavor.
  9. Prepare Tortillas: Heat a skillet. Brush each corn tortilla lightly with the consomé to coat it.
  10. Assemble and Cook Tacos: Place a brush-coated tortilla on the skillet, sprinkle with Oaxaca cheese, add a portion of shredded beef, and fold the tortilla over. Cook until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is melted.
  11. Repeat: Repeat the brushing, filling, and cooking steps with remaining tortillas.
  12. Serve: Serve the hot birria tacos garnished with chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.
  13. Consomé Serving: Pour the consomé into small bowls for dipping alongside the tacos.

Notes

  • Be careful not to burn the chiles when toasting to avoid bitterness in the sauce.
  • Roasting the tomatoes adds a smoky depth; you can roast them directly on a grill or skillet.
  • Oaxaca cheese is preferred for its meltability and flavor, but mozzarella works as an alternative.
  • Consomé can be reduced on the stove to intensify flavor before serving as a dipping sauce.
  • Leftover birria meat and consomé can be stored separately and reheated for great leftovers.
  • Adjust the chili types or quantities to control the spiciness level.

Find it online: https://cozyplatter.com/slow-cooker-birria-tacos-with-savory-consome-recipe/