This is the taco to end all tacos! Birria Tacos with Consomme are corn tortillas filled with delectable shredded beef that’s made so easy in the slow cooker (time saver!!). They are filled with cheese, then quickly melted in a pan.
This is the taco to end all tacos! It’s like a taco meets an enchilada meets a philly cheesesteak sandwich meets a french dip. This is my version of Birria Tacos with Consomme and if you like full flavor, ooey-gooey, cheesy deliciousness, then you need to try it! Slow cooked shredded beef and Oaxaca cheese are melted together in corn tortillas in a pan.
Then all of that goodness is dipped into the most unbelievable ancho chile sauce for one delicious bite after another. My version uses a slow cooker to cook the beef roast to melt-in-your-mouth perfection and blends the sauce right in a blender. It’s super easy to toss the ingredients together and let the slow cooker do all the work!
Oh, and use the leftover beef in Birria Nachos with Birria Shredded Beef!
If you like this recipe, you will love my Easy Chicken Mole Enchiladas (Enmoladas) with Rotisserie Chicken!
What are Birria Tacos with Consomme?
First, let me say that I have come to know and love this delicious dish through local restaurants in my hometown of Hoboken, NJ. I don’t have a personal history in my family with Birria. However, here is what I’ve learned through my research.
Let’s start with Birria, before we move on to the tacos. Birria is a traditional stew from Mexico that is flavored with chiles and a variety of spices and seasonings, along with goat or beef. The chiles used are typically guajillo or ancho. Ingredients include, but are not limited to, garlic, onion, cilantro, cumin, and thyme. I added cinnamon, smoked paprika, oregano, and tomato sauce.
Birria tacos are when you take the flavorful beef that’s cooked in the Birria stew and place it in a tortilla with cheese. It is also called Birria Quesatacos. The best cheese to get that authentic Mexican melty goodness is Oaxaca cheese. However, mozzarella works great as a melty substitute. In fact, Oaxaca is made using the same pulling and stretching process as mozzarella which makes the texture so similar.
The tortillas are dipped in the Birria sauce before being lightly cooked in a pan, which is how they get the red color.
The Slow Cooker Saves Time for Birria Tacos
This Birria Taco Recipe is Easier Than Others!
My goal with every recipe is to make dinner easy and delicious. So, for Birria, rather than cooking the beef stew in the oven or on the stove for hours, I have it cooking in the slow cooker where you can set it and forget it.
Birria tacos are often dipped into the Birria Consomme, which is the clarified liquid from the stew. For this version, I have everything blended up for a thicker, smooth and amazing dipping sauce. It ends up being more like a mole texture, so it coats each bite that you dip into it. Yum! If you like Mole, check out my Chicken Mole Enchiladas!
Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.
Easy Ingredients!
The ingredients for this recipe are easy and likely things that you already have on hand. However, to make it even easier, I have included a SHOPPABLE LINK with all of the ingredients for you!
Equipment needed for these Birria Tacos
I made the beef and sauce in a slow cooker. However, you could also make it in the oven in a dutch oven or small roasting pan with a lid.
Once the beef is cooked, you need a blender for blending the ingredients into a smooth and creamy sauce.
Next, to cook the tacos, you need a skillet/frying pan. I used my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning.
Finally, this is optional, but I used a large sheet pan to please the cooked tacos on and keep warm in the oven.
Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps for Birria Tacos
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)
You cook the beef and shred in advance up to 5 days or freeze it up to 5 months. However, if you’re just looking to get ahead on the prep before cooking the beef, then you can dice the onions, rough chop the garlic, remove/discard the stems from the dried chiles and shake out the seeds. Discard the seeds and cut the chiles into 2-3 pieces each (will get pureed once cooked, so this is just to fit into slow cooker).
Slow Cook the Beef
For this Birria Tacos Recipe recipe, I used a 3 pound boneless Beef Chuck Roast. This is a pretty economical cut of meat that comes from the shoulder and is great for slow or long cooking methods. It’s extremely flavorful and perfect for tender shredded beef recipes like these Birria Tacos. See the below FAQs for other options if you don’t have chuck.
Sear all sides of the beef first in a pan. This is an optional step. Preheat a frying pan or skillet on high heat. Season your chuck roast with salt and pepper to coat all sides. Add the beef to oil in a hot pan and sear for 2 minutes on each side to brown evenly.
Pour 1 cup of the beef stock or broth in the pan to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker and pour in the liquid from the pan.
To the slow cooker with the beef, add the onions, garlic, cilantro leaves, crushed tomatoes, chiles, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Pour in the rest of the beef stock until it reaches the top of the beef. Set the slow cooker to 8 or 10 hours, depending on your schedule.
When the cooking time is done, transfer the beef using tongs to a platter or cutting board. Shred the beef with forks and discard any string that may have been tied around the roast. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
Make the Sauce
Make sure to first fish out the bay leaves and discard them. Then using a slotted spoon, scoop out all of the onions and ancho peppers and transfer to a blender.
Blend the onions and the peppers until smooth. If needed, add ½ cup of the cooking liquid to the blender to help smooth it out. Once smooth, pour it back into the liquid in the slow cooker and stir to combine.
Finally, pour ½ cup of this sauce over the beef and gently stir to mix through.
Cook the Birria Tacos
Preheat a large frying pan or skillet on the stove medium-high heat. Spray the pan with olive oil and then take 1 corn tortilla and dip it lightly into the sauce, then place it in the oiled hot pan. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the entire tortilla, then top half of the tortilla with the shredded beef.
Using a spatula, gently fold over the cheese-only side of the tortilla over the beef side. With the spatula, transfer the folded taco to a sheet pan and keep in the oven at 300 F degrees as you assemble and cook the rest of the tacos, each taco getting transferred to the oven as finished.
Serve each taco with a small bowl of the dipping sauce.
Time-Saving Tips for these Birria Tacos
Co all of the Prep-Ahead steps the weekend before! Also, if the cheese is not shredded, shred the cheese in advance and store it in the fridge.
Measure out all of the spices and seasonings.
You could also make the beef in the slow cooker over the weekend and shred it so it’s completely ready to go! Then on a busy weeknight, simply reheat the beef and assemble the tacos.
Birria Tacos Recipe FAQs
Are Ancho Chiles Spicy in the Birria Consomme?
The Ancho chiles are not spicy in this recipe. Dried ancho chiles are more smokey and peppery than spicy. By way of comparison, ancho chiles measure up to about half of the scoville units vs. jalapenos.
What can I substitute for Ancho Chiles in this Birria recipe?
For this recipe, you really want smokey and peppery, but not spicy. If you cannot find Ancho chiles, then look for dried Guajillo peppers. If you cannot find any of these dried peppers, you could use Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but go light, as they tend to be spicy. Then supplement with another ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground Smoked Paprika.
Is there a cheese other than Oaxaca cheese that could go in Birria Tacos?
The best cheese to use for Birria Tacos for authentic Mexican melty goodness is Oaxaca cheese. You can find Oaxaca in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. However, if you cannot find it mozzarella works great as a melty substitute. In fact, Oaxaca is made using the same pulling and stretching process as mozzarella which makes the texture so similar. Do not, however, substitute Cotija cheese as it is a hard cheese is great for sprinkling on top of tacos, but does not melt the way that Oaxaca or Mozzarella do. You could also use Jack cheese in a pinch!
Are there other cuts of beef I can use for the Birria Beef?
For cooking this Birria Beef in the slow cooker, a Chuck roast is best. If you cannot find Chuck Roast, sometimes labeled as blade roast, arm roast, or pot roast, you can use tri-tip, top round, bottom round, or rump roast.
Should I use Mexican Oregano or Regular?
If you can find Mexican oregano, that’s the way to go so that you get a more authentic flavor. However, I used a regular dried oregano and it turned out delicious.
What if I don’t have a slow cooker?
If you do not have a slow cooker, you can make this in a dutch oven in the oven, cooking the beef at 400 F degrees for 3 hours until the beef is fall apart tender. You could also use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker if you have one. Refer to the equipment instructions for a beef roast or short ribs.
What can I serve with this Birria Tacos Recipe?
These are pretty rich and indulgent, so I recommend to go with a lighter side dish. A simple side salad with tomatoes and corn and a Vinaigrette or Roasted Cumin Carrots with Avocado Crema or even a Cilantro Lime Quinoa would all be perfect. If you want more to bulk up the meal, you can also add Refried Black Beans!
ENJOY! 😍 Carrie
Have you tried this recipe? If so, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe below! I love to hear your feedback and your rating helps others to find this recipe. Thanks so much!
Easy Birria Tacos with Consomme in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
Get all of these ingredients in this shoppable link!
- 2-3 pounds Beef chuck roast, boneless
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 Yellow onions (about 2-3 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves (4 teaspoons)
- 2 Dried Ancho chiles
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Ground Smoked Paprika (or Ground Chipotle Pepper)
- ½ teaspoon Dried thyme (ground or whole)
- 1 tablespoons Dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
- 8 ounces Tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes)
- 4-5 cups Beef stock or broth
- 18 Corn Tortillas, 6 inch (assumes 3 tacos per serving)
- 20 ounces Oaxaca cheese, shredded (mozzarella is a good substitute)
Instructions
Prep-Ahead Steps
- Dice the onions, rough chop the garlic, remove/discard the stems from the dried chiles and shake out the seeds. Discard the seeds and cut the chiles into 2-3 pieces each (will get pureed once cooked, so this is just to fit into slow cooker).
Cook Beef
- SEAR BEEF. Preheat a frying pan or skillet on high heat. Season your chuck roast with salt, and pepper to coat all sides. Drizzle the olive oil in the hot pan and add the beef and sear for 2 minutes on each side to brown evenly. On the final side, pour 1 cup of the beef stock in the pan to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker and pour in the liquid from the pan.
- SLOW COOKER. To the slow cooker with the beef, add the onions, garlic, cilantro leaves, tomato sauce, chiles, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Then pour in the rest of the beef stock until it reaches the top of the beef. Set the slow cooker to Low 8 or 10 hours, depending on your schedule.
- SHRED BEEF. When the cooking time is done, transfer the beef using tongs to a platter or cutting board. Shred the beef with forks and discard any string that may have been tied around the roast. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
- BLEND SAUCE. Fish out the bay leaves and discard. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out all of the chunky bits of the sauce (onions, ancho peppers, garlic) and transfer to a blender. (alternatively, you could strain the liquid into another bowl, add then add onions and peppers to the blender.) Blend the onions and the peppers until smooth. If needed, add ½ cup of the cooking liquid to the blender to help smooth it out. Once smooth, pour it back into the liquid in the slow cooker and stir to combine. Finally, pour ½ cup of this sauce over the beef and gently stir to mix through.
Make the Birria Tacos
- Preheat the oven to 300 F degrees. Preheat a large frying pan or skillet on the stove medium-high heat. Spray the pan with olive oil and then take 1 corn tortilla and dip it lightly into the sauce, then place it in the oiled hot pan. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the entire tortilla, then top half of the tortilla with the shredded beef.
- Using a spatula, gently fold over the cheese-only side of the tortilla over the beef side. With the spatula, transfer the folded taco to a sheet pan and keep in the oven as you assemble and cook the rest of the tacos, each taco getting transferred to the oven as finished.
- Serve each taco with a small bowl of the dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
- Use the leftover beef in Birria Nachos with Birria Shredded Beef!
- What if I don’t have a slow cooker?
If you do not have a slow cooker, you can make this in a dutch oven in the oven, cooking the beef at 400 F degrees for 3 hours until the beef is fall apart tender. You could also use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker if you have one. Refer to the equipment instructions for a beef roast or short ribs. - Are there other cuts of beef I can use for the Birria Beef?
For cooking this Birria Beef in the slow cooker, a Chuck roast is best. If you cannot find Chuck Roast, sometimes labeled as blade roast, arm roast, or pot roast, you can use tri-tip, top round, bottom round, or rump roast. - What can I substitute for Ancho Chiles in this Birria recipe?
For this recipe, you really want smokey and peppery, but not spicy. If you cannot find Ancho chiles, then look for dried Guajillo peppers. If you cannot find any of these dried peppers, you could use Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, but go light, as they tend to be spicy. Then supplement with another ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground Smoked Paprika. - Is there a cheese other than Oaxaca cheese that could go in Birria Tacos?
The best cheese to use for Birria Tacos for authentic Mexican melty goodness is Oaxaca cheese. You can find Oaxaca in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store. However, if you cannot find it mozzarella works great as a melty substitute. You can also use monterey jack cheese or cheddar if you need to. - Should I use Mexican Oregano or Regular?
If you can find Mexican oregano, that’s the way to go so that you get a more authentic flavor. However, I used a regular dried oregano and it turned out delicious. - Garnishes – You can garnish the dipping sauce and the tacos with fresh cilantro, diced onions, radishes, or roasted corn.
Chef Mimi says
I’m so hungry right now! I’ve made birria but it was so good it never made it into tortillas. Now I need to make it again! I love how the tacos are cooked. So pretty.
Cathy says
on the recipe it states 8 oz tomato sauce, but in the directions you put crushed tomatoes. I was wondering which I should use?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Cathy! Great catch and apologize for the discrepancy! Tomato Sauce will be the most smooth, but either will work in this recipe. I will actually update it right now to indicate tomato sauce. Thanks so much for reaching out.
Carrie
E says
How many tacos does this recipe actually make? I can’t seem to find the correct amount. I’ve seen the numbers 6, 8, and 18.
Carrie Tyler says
Hi! The ingredients call for 18 tortillas, which I have assumed would give 6 servings (3 tacos per serving).
Depending on how much beef you fill into each tortilla, you could have some left for even more tacos!
I hope that helps and apologies for the confusion.
Aseel says
Hi Cathy
Tasty recipe . I made it and all my family was happy.
Thank you
David Tyler says
Love, Love, Love this recipe! It was easy in the slow cooker and such a great new way to taco!
April Ann says
Any side dish suggestions?
Carrie Tyler says
Yes! You can try this Mexican Pasta Salad or Roasted Carrot Fries with Avocado Crema. Or a side of rice and Refried Black Beans.
Keno says
you could use either one if you use whole roma tomatoes you can fire roast them and get a better flavor.
Aundrea says
Should specify to cook on low or high for the slow cooker I guessed low as it’s supposed to be cooked slow but clarity would be great
Carrie Tyler says
Thank you, Aundrea! I will make that clarification in the recipe right now. Appreciate the feedback!
Carrie
Darla Camp says
My family loved it!
We live in Hawaii so it’s hard to find specialty food so for the ancho chile, i used 2T of the ancho chile powder. And for the oaxaca cheese, I used mozzarella.
Bursting with flavor!!!
Kiara says
I can only find Ancho chili powder. How much do I use of that? (Cannot find any other pepper)
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Kiara, Great question! Sorry for the delayed response. You can use 2 tablespoons of the ancho chili powder.
Please let me know how it goes!
Happy Holidays,
Carrie
Sarah says
Can you cook it on high for like 4 hours? Or does it have to be on low for 8-10?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Sarah,
You can definitely cook this on high for 4 hours, but then I would recommend cutting the meat up into smaller pieces to ensure that it cooks faster. After 4 hours hours, check the meat and if it is fall apart tender, then you are good to go! However, if it’s still a bit tough to shred, then you may need to continue the cooking on high for another hour or so.
Hope that helps.
Carrie
Taylor says
So I’m new to cooking but I bought a 6lbs chuck roast (I’m hosting quite a bit of people) should I double the recipe for that much or what’s your opinion?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Taylor, Sounds fun! Yes, I would double the recipe. Please let me know how it turns out!
Nicole says
Family really enjoyed these, kids included. Great flavors!
Carrie Tyler says
Thanks so much, Nicole! This is one of my favorite recipes 🙂
Carrie
Regina says
I couldn’t find fresh chilies but I found it in powder form can I use that and how much do you think I should use
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Regina! Depending on what type of chili powder, the amount may vary. If you founch ancho chili powder or regular chili powder, you can use a tablespoon. If it’s a spicy chili powder, I would go very light, maybe a teaspoon, and supplement with smoked paprika.
Hope that helps!
Carrie
Janel says
You actually cook the cilantro?
Carrie Tyler says
Yes! It’s delicious and adds wonderful flavor!
Alyssa R says
Currently making this recipe for the second time.. I halved the cinnamon powder, last time it was too much, and I’m going to add a tad more cheese when I assemble the tacos this time. So excited, thanks for this recipe!
Carrie Tyler says
Thanks, Alyssa!! Yes, cinnamon in savory recipes can be a bit polarizing, so I’m glad you tried it again with an adjustment to meet your needs!!
And of course, more cheese is always a good thing 🙂
Happy Cooking!
Carrie
Herm II says
A great and in essence a simple recipe. I used Flank Steak instead, as it is a tougher cut of meat and by using the slow cooker it all come together with a perfect shred of beef. Other than that swap out on the meat, followed the rest of the recipe for delicious Birria Tacos that rival current advertised tacos by Del Taco and even El Pollo Loco👍🏽
Gigi says
seems like a lot of onion! can you specify in cups for me please how much I should use? and maybe in tbsp for the garlic? thank you 😊
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Gigi! Yes, it might seem like a lot of onion, but it ends up getting blended up into the most wonderful sauce. Ideally, you want 2-3 cups of onion.
As for garlic, 1 clove roughly translates to 1 teaspoon, so in this recipe, you will need 3 teaspoons of garlic.
Thank you for the questions, I have updated the recipe with those notes!!!
Carrie
Candace says
Haven’t had much luck with crockpot meals but I just made this for my boys and they gave it a 9 out of 10! Which is awesome for a crockpot meal!
Wasn’t able to find whole ancho chilis but I found it ground. How much would you have put in? I only put in 1 tablespoon but I feel like it could’ve gotten away with more.
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Candace, I’m so happy to hear that your boys liked it! You can definitely use more ground ancho chili as it adds peppery flavor without too much heat/spice. I would say 2 (or even 3) tablespoons.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe and leaving me the comment!!
Carrie
Heidi says
Delightful, easy and fun! I used my griddle and made several tacos at a time, which worked great. Delicious with pickled onions, cilantro and lime. Loved the blended consomme for dipping…amazing, thanks for sharing!
Charlene says
These were great! My family couldn’t get enough of them and ate them as fast as I made them. Making them again tonight.
Charlene says
And I made mine in the Instapot 👍
Jesse says
Hi there. So the garlic cloves do not get blended with the onions and chiles? They just stay in the slow cooker with the rest of the broth?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Jesse! Sorry for the confusion, yes you can scoop out any chunky bits left in the sauce for blending, including the onions, peppers, and garlic. The garlic may be so small you cannot get it all out unless you strain the sauce, but I find that they it has mellowed out and is so tender at this point, that it’s not a problem if left behind. Hope that helps!
Thank you for asking 🙂
Carrie
Ashley says
This recipe was great! I didn’t have ancho chilies so I used 2T of ancho chili powder as suggested. It had some spice but wasn’t too spicy. This made a lot, so with the leftover sauce, we will be making Birria Ramen and leftover tacos for another meal.
Trish says
I haven’t made this yet that’s why there’s a 4 star rating. My question is, I don’t like cilantro will it make a difference if I don’t use it? I’m also a little scared of using the cinnamon, could I leave that out too?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Trish,
You can definitely leave the cilantro out. However, it gets blended into the sauce and when cooked, takes on a much more mellow flavor than raw cilantro. I would love for you to give it a try sometime. For the cinnamon, I get your concern and you can leave it out as well.
Thanks for sending your questions! Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
Carrie
Heather Kjelsrud says
So amazing! My family loved it! We were not fans of the corn shells. We just prefer flour. So that is no fault of the recipe! I was also short on time for cooking, so I cooked it on high for 4 hours in the crockpot and the low for 3. It came out tender and juicy! Thank you so much for sharing!
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Heather! Thank you so much for sharing the changes that you made!!
So happy you loved this recipe 🙂
Carrie
Amanda Lynn Hurley says
White corn tortillas or yellow corn?
Carrie Tyler says
Hi Amanda, Either will work! I used white corn, but yellow are just fine 🙂
Pansy says
I have a pork roast I want to try and make burria with. Would it work?
Carrie Tyler says
Yes! Just follow the same instructions. Please let me know how it turns out 🙂
Carrie