Slow Cooker Birria Quesotacos
Tortillas are first filled with shredded cheese and beef that’s been marinated and cooked to tender, flavourful perfection, dipped in the birria consomme and panfried. A tasty flavourful taco inside and out!
Servings: 8 tacos
Calories: 464kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lb chuck roast
- 3 dried guajillo peppers
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 ½ tsp smoke paprika
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil divided
- 5 ½ oz tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 quart beef or chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 9 whole cloves
- 7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo sauce or 1 small can
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 1 large onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 6-8 7" corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Chihuahua or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Add peppers dry to a pan over medium-high heat and toast for a 3-5 minutes.
- While they are toasting boil a large pot of water. Remove from heat and then soak the toasted peppers for about 15 minutes. Remove the tops of the peppers after soaking and then hang them upside down over the pot of water and the seeds should slip right out. Set aside.
- Cut the roast into 2 or3 steaks. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel and then season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to a large pan. Sear one steak at a time to a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on both sides to brown and lock in the juices. Remove and set aside.
- Lower heat to medium and quickly add in one tbsp of olive oil, cumin, cinnamon and paprika, stirring for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and let cook, stirring occasionally for another minute.
- Add one cup of water to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the dark bits on the bottom of the pan. This process is called deglazing.
- Place the seared steak and tomato mixture into the slow cooker. Pour in the beef or chicken stock and add the oregano. Toss in the spice pouch of cloves and bay leaves.
- To a blender or food processor add the chili peppers, ½ of the onion, garlic, chili in adobo sauce and vinegar. Blend on high until smooth.
- Add the chili mixture to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Cover and let cook on high for 3-4 hours or until meat is fork-tender and can be shredded. Ensure meat is just covered with liquid and if need be add a little water.
- Shred the beef using two forks in a separate serving dish and discard any fatty pieces. Add a ¼ cup of sauce and mix to moisten.
- Dip the taco shell into the birria consomme to moisten both sides.
- Add the a 1/4 cup of cheese to the top of the taco shell and let it melt for a minute. Add a 1/2 cup of the beef birria to the top and let cook for another 30 seconds or so before carefully using a spatula to fold the taco shelf over to a half moon. Let cook another 30 seconds before carefully flipping over and letting cook for another 30 seconds or until the shell is lightly browned and the cheese is melted.
- Remove the Birria Taco from the heat and serve alongside the Birria Consomme for dipping.
Notes
Storage and Freezing
Store leftover Birria in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm in a pan adding more broth if needed or thaw in a slow cooker.
Do not dip the tacos into the Birria Consomme until you are ready to fry and eat them or the shells may become soggy and fall apart.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1480mg | Potassium: 859mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 711IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 6mg