Birria Tacos (Slow Cooker)
The first time I dipped a birria taco in that consomé, I understood what people mean by "spiritual experience." The crispy tortilla, the tender shredded beef, the melted cheese, and then that dip into the rich, deeply spiced, ruby-red consomé — it's a flavour combination so perfect that I closed my eyes and forgot I was standing in my kitchen in suburban Chicago. For about three seconds, I was somewhere beautiful. Then my youngest spilled juice on the floor and reality returned. But those three seconds were magnificent.
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 4 dried guajillo chillies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chillies, stemmed and seeded
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes 14oz
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper
For the Tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Shredded mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese
- Diced white onion, fresh cilantro, lime wedges
Method
Make the Chilli Sauce
- Toast the dried chillies in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and pliable. Cover with hot water and soak 15 minutes. Drain. Blend the softened chillies with fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, vinegar, and a cup of beef broth until smooth. This sauce is the soul of birria — it should be deep red, aromatic, and complex.
Slow Cook
- Place beef chunks in the crockpot. Pour the chilli sauce and remaining broth over the meat. Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours until the beef falls apart with a fork. Shred the meat in the pot and stir it back into the consomé. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be rich, slightly spicy, and deeply savoury.
Make the Tacos
- Dip a corn tortilla into the consomé (this is the key step that makes birria tacos different from regular tacos — the tortilla absorbs the chilli oil and turns red). Place the dipped tortilla on a hot skillet. Add shredded cheese and birria meat on one half. Fold and cook 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and the cheese is melted. The tortilla should be crunchy, stained red from the consomé, and slightly oily on the outside.
Serve
- Plate the tacos alongside a small bowl of hot consomé for dipping. Top the tacos with diced white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Dip. Bite. Close your eyes. This is the ritual. The consomé dip is non-negotiable — eating birria tacos without the dip is like eating pierogi without sour cream. Technically possible. Spiritually wrong.