Birria Tacos

5 from 10 votes

These easy Birria Tacos are loaded with juicy shredded beef, melty cheese, and crispy tortillas. Made in the slow-cooker and freezer-friendly!

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Total Time8 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Total Cost: $21.01 recipe / $2.63 serving

Servings: servings (2 tacos each)

Calories: 454kcal

Author: Jennie Alley

Equipment

6-quart Slow Cooker
Bowl
Medium Non-Stick Skillet

Ingredients

2 lbs. beef chuck roast (braising steak) boneless, $14.98*
1 tsp salt $0.04
¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.04
1 cup white onion chopped, (½ onion, 180g) $0.65
4 garlic cloves minced, (2 Tbsp) $0.38
3 cups beef broth 24 oz, $0.36**
1 Tbsp tomato paste $0.07
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce diced, $0.23
2 tsp chili powder $0.07
1 tsp smoked paprika $0.08
1 tsp ground cumin $0.04
1 tsp dried oregano $0.05
½ tsp ground cinnamon $0.02
2 bay leaves $0.20
16 small corn tortillas taco size, $1.05
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded (211g, 8 oz.) $1.89

Garnishes

¼ cup white onion diced, for garnish $0.16
¼ cup fresh cilantro (coriander) chopped, for garnish $0.20
2 limes sliced into wedges, for garnish $0.50

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Gather and prep all ingredients.
Pat dry the chuck roast and season all over with salt and pepper.
Add the beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, diced chipotle pepper, spices, and bay leaves to a slow cooker (mine is 6-quarts). Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.***
Remove bay leaves and shred the meat directly in the slow cooker.
Ladle some broth (consomé) into a bowl. Lightly dip both sides of a tortilla into it.****
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium. Place the dipped tortilla in the skillet and sprinkle with cheese on half, top with shredded birria, and fold into a taco.
Cook 2–3 min per side until crispy and golden. Repeat with the remaining tacos.
Serve your birria tacos hot with small bowls of consomé for dipping. Garnish with diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*A 2 lb (900g) boneless chuck roast yields roughly 24 oz (680g) of cooked, shredded beef. Using about 1.5 oz (40g) per taco, you'll get around 16-18 tacos, or 8-9 servings.

**For the beef broth, we use Better Than Bouillon and base pricing on its per-use cost. It's an affordable pantry staple that adds great depth of flavor without the waste of boxed broth.

***Cook time can vary by slow cooker. I've found 8 hours on low gives the most tender result.

****If your tortillas tear easily, try warming them briefly before dipping to make them more flexible. Doubling up works too, but opting for a slightly thicker corn tortilla can save you from using extras and help stretch your budget.

Nutrition

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