Barbacoa Birria Tacos

Barbacoa Birria Tacos – 8 Servings

Suzy Lewis

This rich and delicious specialty can be enjoyed year round and you can top it with your favorite garnishes! Feel free to add dried guajillo chilis for a bit more of a spicy kick. It’s a great make ahead dish for meal prepping and freezes well too. Using chuck roast with marbling will give you a more tender meat, however, you can use other cuts as well to lower the fat content. 

*Note you can cook the meat in a Dutch oven or heavy pot for about 3 hours if you do not have a crock pot.

Ingredients:
4 lb chuck roast, cut into 4-inch chunks
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
6 ancho chilis, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
5 garlic cloves
½ C crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 C beef broth, low sodium, divided
1 onion chopped
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
Juice from 2 fresh limes, or ¼ C vinegar

Tacos:
24 soft corn tortillas
1 C mozzarella cheese
1 C fresh cilantro, chopped
½ Diced red onion

Instructions:

1. Season meat with salt and pepper and heat the oil in a large pot over med/ high heat. 
2. Sear the meat on all sides until brown. Transfer to crock pot. 
3. In a saucepan combine chiles, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, peppercorns and cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 
4. Add chile combination, broth, lime juice, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves to a blender. Bend until completely smooth. 
5. Strain blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the meat. Discard solids.
6. Stir to combine and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred meat and remove a cup of the sauce to make the tacos. 
7. To make tacos heat a skillet to medium heat. Dip a tortilla into the sauce and add to the pan. 
8. Top half the tortilla with cheese, beef, red onion, and cilantro.
9. Fold in half and cook on both sides until slightly crispy.
10. Serve tacos with remaining sauce for dipping and other garnishes.