Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Make easy, authentic Pot Birria Tacos at home for a cozy dinner. After making this many times, I’ve perfected the rich, flavorful broth and crispy tacos. The trick I discovered is using a slow cooker for tender beef and a quick sear for crispy tacos. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Sweet and Spicy Pickle Slaw Recipe for Quick Dinners and Easy Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe for Quick Meals.

What You'll Need for Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• Optional: chopped cilantro
• Optional: finely chopped white onion
• Optional: lime wedges
• Optional: sliced avocado or guacamole
• Optional: sour cream or Mexican crema
• Optional: sliced radishes
• Optional: pickled jalapeños

How to Make Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

1. Step 1: Place beef chuck roast, onion, garlic, beef broth, water, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, cloves, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper (if using) in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
2. Step 2: Remove beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Strain the broth and reserve it for later use.
3. Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil and place a tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla, then add some shredded beef on top of the cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
4. Step 4: Serve birria tacos with reserved broth for dipping, and your choice of toppings.

Storing & Reheating Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover birria tacos and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make the beef and broth up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Freezing Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

You can also freeze the cooked beef and broth separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: To reheat tacos, place them in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: To reheat broth, heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For an even richer broth, you can add a few tablespoons of lard or beef tallow to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients.
• Best substitution: If you don't have a slow cooker, you can make this recipe in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop or in the oven.
• Make-ahead: You can make the beef and broth up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. You can also make a large batch and freeze the leftovers for later use.
• Troubleshooting: If your broth is too thin, you can thicken it by mixing a slurry of cornstarch and water and adding it to the broth. Cook until the broth has thickened to your desired consistency.

Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high)

⏳

Total

8 hours 15 mins (low) or 4 hours 15 mins (high)

🍽

Serves

12 tacos

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free, Low-carb

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Seasonings

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Optional Toppings

• chopped cilantro
• finely chopped white onion
• lime wedges
• sliced avocado or guacamole
• sour cream or Mexican crema
• sliced radishes
• pickled jalapeños

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place beef chuck roast, onion, garlic, beef broth, water, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, chili powder, cloves, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper (if using) in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
2. Step 2: Remove beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Strain the broth and reserve it for later use.
3. Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil and place a tortilla in the skillet. Sprinkle some shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla, then add some shredded beef on top of the cheese. Fold the tortilla in half and cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
4. Step 4: Serve birria tacos with reserved broth for dipping, and your choice of toppings.

Notes

• Chef tip: For an even richer broth, you can add a few tablespoons of lard or beef tallow to the slow cooker along with the other ingredients.
• Best substitution: If you don't have a slow cooker, you can make this recipe in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on the stovetop or in the oven.
• Make-ahead: You can make the beef and broth up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. You can also make a large batch and freeze the leftovers for later use.
• Troubleshooting: If your broth is too thin, you can thicken it by mixing a slurry of cornstarch and water and adding it to the broth. Cook until the broth has thickened to your desired consistency.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover birria tacos and broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: You can also freeze the cooked beef and broth separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: To reheat tacos, place them in a preheated 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: To reheat broth, heat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until warmed through.
• Make ahead: You can make the beef and broth up to 2 days ahead of time. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 250
• Protein: 20g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 15g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 2g
• Sodium: 600mg
• Cholesterol: 60mg
• Sat. Fat: 5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!