Ingredients

• 4 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
• 10 guajillo chiles
• 5 ancho chilies
• 3 arbol chilies
• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 bay leaves

• Corn tortillas (or cassava flour tortillas)
• Diced white onion
• Roughly chopped cilantro
• Oaxacan cheese

Instructions

1. Soften the chiles. Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles, then rinse them. Place in a medium pot, cover with water, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 15 minutes, until pliable.
2. Char the vegetables. While the chiles cook, arrange the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a sheet pan. Broil for 4–6 minutes, until lightly blistered and charred.
3. Blend the sauce. Add the softened chiles to a blender with 1 cup of the chile soaking water. Peel the garlic and add it with the roasted tomatoes and onion, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Blend until smooth.
4. Slow cook. Place the beef chunks in a slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the meat, add the bay leaves, and gently toss. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until the beef shreds easily.
5. Shred and return. Discard bay leaves. Shred the beef and return it to the slow cooker, letting it soak up the consommé.

1. Coat the tortillas. Dip each tortilla into the consommé, focusing on the surface fat layer to help crisp them.
2. Crisp and fill. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Lay in a dipped tortilla and cook until lightly crisp, then flip. Sprinkle cheese, add birria on one half, and top with onion and cilantro. Fold and cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden and crunchy.
3. Serve. Enjoy with a small bowl of consommé for dipping.

• Tortilla swap: Use cassava flour tortillas if corn-free.
• Cheese substitute: A Mexican cheese blend works if Oaxacan isn’t available.
• Storage: Birria keeps 4–5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
• Make-ahead: Prep taco components separately to simplify weeknight assembly.
• Freezing: Freeze leftovers up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.