Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

Ingredients

• 2 ½ lb beef pot roast or chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-3 large pieces*
• 1 ½ cups yellow onion, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 4 large garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, mexican oregano if you can find it, it is more citrusy
• 1 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder blend
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, or 1 small cinnamon stick
• 3 ounces chipotle in adobo, see notes
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, fire roasted if you can find it
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 16 corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack, Oaxaca or queso chihuahua
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
• lime wedges, optional for serving
• guajillo, ancho and arbol chiles, optional in place of chipotle for a more traditional birria. See note below.

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Brown the beef on all sides in two batches. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
2. In a blender, or food processor, blend 1 cup onion, garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, chipotle in adobo, crushed tomato, beef broth, white vinegar and salt. Pour over beef.  Add bay leaves and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
3. Shred beef strain the broth. Return beef to slow cooker with ½ cup broth and keep warm. Save remaining broth for dipping tortillas and serving.

To serve:

1. Quickly dip tortilla in the consommé (broth) and add to a hot skillet or griddle.
2. Add 3 tablespoons of shredded beef and 2 tablespoons shredded cheese to the tortilla with some onion and cilantro. Fold and cook like a quesadilla until browned on each side.
3. Serve birria tacos with raw chopped onion and cilantro, plus remaining consommé in a small bowl, for dipping.