Description
Experience the ritual of slow-cooked, fork-tender beef birria tacos with a rich, smoky consomme. This recipe uses chuck roast, dried guajillo and ancho chiles, and a secret tea bag trick for deep flavor, resulting in crispy, cheesy tacos that are perfect for crowds.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–5 lbs Beef Chuck Roast (cut into 3–4 large chunks)
- 4 cups Beef Broth (low-sodium)
- 8 cloves Garlic (fresh)
- 1 large White Onion (chopped roughly)
- 3–4 Bay Leaves
- 1 teaspoon Whole Allspice Berries
- 1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns (crushed)
- 6–8 Dried Guajillo Chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 4–6 Dried Ancho Chiles (stems and seeds removed)
- 2–3 Dried Chipotle Chiles
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
- 1 small Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Black Tea Bags (Earl Grey or black)
- 12–16 Flour Tortillas (6-inch)
- 2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend (Oaxaca or Monterey Jack)
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
- 1/2 cup White Onion (finely diced)
- 4–6 Limes (cut into wedges)
Instructions
- Prepare the dried chiles by removing stems and seeds. Place them in a large pot, cover with hot water, and soak for 15-20 minutes until soft.
- Drain the chiles (reserve some soaking liquid). Add chiles, garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon stick, tea bags, and half the chopped onion to a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour sauce into a bowl.
- Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Optionally sear in a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side for added flavor.
- Place beef in a slow cooker. Pour adobo sauce over meat. Add remaining onion, bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns, and beef broth. Ensure meat is mostly submerged.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours until meat is fork-tender.
- Remove meat to a bowl. Discard bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, peppercorns, and tea bags. Strain broth if desired for clear consomme. Shred beef with two forks.
- Heat a skillet with butter. Place tortilla in skillet, add beef and cheese to one half, fold over. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Warm consomme in a saucepan. Serve tacos with diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and cups of consomme for dipping.
Notes
The tea bags add tannins for complexity. Searing the meat is optional but recommended for depth. Flour tortillas are traditional for dipping; corn tortillas are more fragile. The consomme can be frozen for later use. Leftovers taste even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos per serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 25
Keywords: beef birria, birria tacos, consomme recipe, slow cooker birria, mexican food, cheesy tacos, guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, easy dinner, party food