Braised Beef For Tacos

Braised beef for tacos is a typical Mexican recipe, which I have prepared with a little twist. It is an easy to cook Crispy Beef Tacos recipe; you can prepare in advance and add the beef chunks when ready to prepare beef tacos.

Barbacoa Beef Tacos is a family favorite recipe I’ve been using for years. It’s fun to make and you’ll love it more after reading the numerous health benefits of tacos below.

Braised Beef For Tacos

• Level: Easy
• Total: 7 hr 15 min

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 7 hr
• Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 pounds top round steak
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems and leaves separated
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chile powder
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can beef broth
• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions

1. In a large skillet over high heat, add the oil. Season the steak with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, put the steaks into the pan and cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
2. In the sleeve of a slow cooker, add the onion and cilantro stems. Put the steak on top and sprinkle with garlic and chile powder. Add the tomatoes with their juice (set aside 1/2 cup of the tomatoes for the salsa), broth, and 2 cups water. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until the steak is tender and shreds easily. Remove the meat and shred using 2 forks. (Strain and reserve the cooking liquid for Round 2 Recipe Crispy Steak Sandwiches.)
3. While the meat is cooking, combine the reserved 1/2 cup tomatoes with the scallions, lime juice, salt and pepper, to taste, and 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and microwave on high for about 30 seconds, or until heated through. Put 1/4 cup of the meat onto each tortilla (reserve 1 1/2 cups beef for Round 2 Recipe Crispy Steak Sandwiches.). Top with some salsa, cilantro leaves, and 1 tablespoon sour cream. (Reserve remaining 1 cup sour cream for Online Round 2 Recipe Creamy Mexican Dip with Spiced Chips.) Roll up and serve.

Crispy Beef Tacos.

Switching up the average weeknight taco with these Crispy Braised Chipotle Beef Tacos. Beef slowly braised in a spicy chipotle sauce until tender. Then shredded and stuffed into tortillas with cheese before being pan-fried. These tacos have just a touch of crispiness on the outside but are spicy and cheesy inside. The key is to pan-fry the tacos in the chipotle sauce. Serve each cheesy taco with cilantro on top, avocado crema, and of course that spicy chipotle sauce. They come together simply and are so delicious!

I know Taco Tuesday is “the thing”, but my thought is, tacos today in prep for tomorrow! Plus, I just thought they’d be a fun and delicious Monday recipe…and they are!

I’ve been wanting to make and share these tacos for the longest time now. But I wanted to wait till later in April in prep for Cinco de Mayo. We all know I love a good holiday, but Cinco de Mayo is always such a fun no-pressure day where you have an excuse to make margaritas and tacos on a weeknight.

No one can complain about that.

the inspiration?

Originally, I really wanted to make birria, a Mexican stew traditionally made from goat meat, but sometimes made from beef. The dish is commonly served for special occasions like weddings and holidays. The meat is marinated and slow-cooked in an adobo sauce made of vinegar, dried chiles, herbs, and spices. Therefore, it’s incredibly tender and flavorful meat.

The stew is often served with corn tortillas or fried up into tacos. The cheesy birria tacos have been on my “to make” list for well over a year, so I was determined to finally make them happen.

Since I have a harder time finding some of the dried chilies, I ended up adapting the recipe a bit. I created my version of cheesy birria tacos. They’re similar but different, and SO DELICIOUS.

here are the details – first braise the meat

Start with the beef. I used beef chuck, but you could also mix in some of short ribs, which would be even more delicious, but just a touch more expensive.

Sear the meat, then make the sauce. The sauce is the heart and soul of this recipe. I use a lot of chipotle peppers in adobo, some ancho chile powder, and other spices, plus garlic, onion, bay leaves, and apple cider vinegar. The vinegar is also essential, so don’t skip it. The sauce gets poured over the meat. I then add a cinnamon stick and slow cook the meat in the oven until it’s very tender. You can use the slow cooker or instant pot too!

now, make the tacos!

Once the meat is cooked, it’s time for tacos! So shred the meat and gather all your toppings. I kept it classic with cilantro and jalapeño, plus my favorite avocado crema.

Next, take the sauce and pour it into a shallow bowl. The fat should settle to the top of the sauce, this is exactly what you want. You’ll dip the tortillas into the sauce, getting that fat on the tortilla at the same time. Then, pan-fry the tortillas with the meat and cheese. Cooking the tortillas with the sauce allows them to take on incredible flavor and become a little crispy around the edges with fried cheese melting out of the top of the taco.

It. Is. So. Good.

Top each taco any way you’d like. I go heavy on the cilantro and lime. Then dip your tacos in the extra sauce. It’s really about that sauce…well, and the cheese. Beyond delicious.

If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. But you all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. Oh, and maybe add a nice margarita too. This spicy mango marg is my personal favorite.

Lastly, if you make these Crispy Braised Chipotle Beef Tacos, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Crispy Braised Chipotle Beef Tacos

• Prep Time – 30 MINUTES
• Cook Time – 3 HOURS
• Total Time – 3 HOURS 30 MINUTES
• Servings: 8
• Calories Per Serving: 498 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 3-4 pieces
• avocado oil, for cooking
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed or grated
• 1 yellow onion, quartered
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick or use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Tacos

• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• limes
• corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
• avocado cream, for serving

Instructions

• 1. Preheat the oven to 300° F.2. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef all over, 2-3 minutes per side. Turn the heat off.3. To make the sauce. In a blender, puree the chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onion, ancho chile powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, cloves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, and the apple cider vinegar. Add 1 cup water and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the beef. Add 2 cups of water and the cinnamon to the pot. Over medium heat, bring the sauce to a simmer, then cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook 3 hours, or until the meat easily shreds.4. To make the tacos. Stir together the cilantro, onion, jalapeño, a squeeze of lime juice, and a pinch of salt.5. Remove the cinnamon stick and meat from the sauce, shred the meat. Pour the sauce into a shallow bowl, allowing the fat to settle on top.6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Dip the tortillas into the sauce (the fat should be on top) and place in the skillet, sauce side facing down. On one side of the tortilla, layer cheese, then beef. Fold the tortilla over the beef and cook until slightly fried, about 1-2 minutes per side. Serve the tacos with cilantro on top and additional red sauce, plus avocado crema, if desired.

Slow cooker + Instant Pot Directions

• 1. Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef all over, 2-3 minutes per side. Add the meat to the slow cooker or instant pot.2. To make the sauce. In a blender, puree the chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onion, ancho chile powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, cloves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt, and the apple cider vinegar. Add 1 cup water and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce over the beef. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and the cinnamon.- For the slow cooker, cover and cook 6-7 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.- For the instant pot, lock the lid and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.4. Finish as directed through set 4.

Barbacoa Beef Tacos

While most meat is put on the grill raw, these intensely flavorful Mexican beef short ribs from chef Roberto Santibañez are first braised with chiles and spices until meltingly tender. The cooked meat is then crisped on the grill, shredded and served in corn tortillas with a sauce made from the braising liquid. 

Ingredients

• 4 large ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 4 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 15 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 8 bay leaves
• Six 1-lb., English-cut, bone-in beef short ribs
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• Warm corn tortillas, cilantro sprigs, finely chopped white onion and lime wedges, for serving
• Salsa Verde Cruda, for serving

Directions

Braise the Meat

• Step 1Preheat the oven to 325°. In a medium skillet, toast the ancho chiles over moderate heat, turning, until pliable and charred in spots, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly, then tear into pieces.
• Step 2In a large roasting pan, toss the ancho and chipotle chiles with the celery, carrots, onion, garlic and bay leaves. In a large bowl, toss the short ribs with the oregano, cumin and 2 tablespoons of salt. Arrange the ribs over the vegetables in the roasting pan. Add 2 cups of water to the pan, cover tightly with foil and braise in the oven for about 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is very tender.

Make the Chile Sauce

• Step 1Transfer the ribs to a baking sheet. Strain the braising liquid through a colander set over a heatproof bowl; skim off any fat. Discard the bay leaves and return the vegetables and chiles to the braising liquid. Working in batches, puree the vegetables and liquid in a blender until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Grill

• Step 1Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Working in batches if necessary, grill the ribs over high heat, turning occasionally, until charred and crisp, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and, using two forks, shred the meat; discard the bones. Serve the barbacoa in warm corn tortillas with the sauce, cilantro, chopped onion, lime wedges and Salsa Verde Cruda.

Make Ahead

The braised short ribs and sauce can be refrigerated separately for 3 days. Warm the ribs in a low oven before grilling.

Health Benefits Of Tacos

1. Provide energy

The main benefits of taco are to provide you with adequate energy. In 198g of taco, you can get about 279 calories that enough to undergo your daily activities. The calories in a taco come from the carbohydrate of tortilla and rice also from protein that contained in the beef or chicken.

2. Maintain normal heartbeat

The ingredients in a taco contain potassium which is known as the factor that controls a normal heartbeat. Having normal heartbeat can reduce the risk of heart failure that can be fatal for a person.

3. Help to repair body cell

Protein is building block of the body in almost all tissue and organs. Its not only contributes energy but help to repair the damage that occur in the body. In a single serving of taco  (198 gr) contains 13gr protein which fulfills 26% of daily intake of protein.

    4. Keeping normal metabolism

The ingredients that used to make taco contain some amount of Vitamin B complex which is important to keep normal metabolism. Metabolism occurs in the body cell to produce energy and this vitamin B are cofactors of some metabolic enzymes.

5. Strengthen bones

The cheese and the meat that you found in taco provide you with some amounts of calcium. Calcium is one of crucial rule to maintain healthy bones and prevent it from losing its mass. Adding more cheese can give you more calcium that your body need.

6. Prevent from tooth decay

Not only for bones, calcium play important role in the development of teeth and maintain healthy teeth which prevent from tooth decay or damage. In one single serving of taco (198 g) contains 19% of the daily recommended intake of calcium.

7. Prevent scurvy

Tomatoes in salsa sauce and some vegetable in taco contribute some amount of Vitamin C that is effective to prevent scurvy. Vitamin C is also provided by other vegetable ingredients in a taco. Adding more veggies to your salad will be healthier option.

8. Prevent anemia

It is true that enjoying taco during your day will make you fit, not only because you get calories from the salad but also some amount of iron. Iron is a vital mineral to keep the normal red blood cell function. Lack of iron can cause anemia and make your body feel weak.

9. Improve vision

Taco is filled with the presence of Vitamin A that acts as an antioxidant and vital substance to maintain healthy vision. It protects the eye from developing cataracts and macular degeneration

10. Promote good digestion

Taco will not taste good without the iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and other vegetables in it. Salad is known as healthy food item that can promote digestion. It contains some amount of fiber that can help bowel movement and make you feel satiety in longer timer

11. Strengthen immune system

One of the fascinating benefits of taco is its ability to boost and strengthen the immune system. By the presence of some vegetable and condiments in a taco, it provides your body with vitamin and mineral that can keep you from diseases. Vitamin C and Vitamin A in taco can improve the ability of the immune cell to fight an infection that leads to certain disease.

12. Maintain healthy brain

Taco contains protein and antioxidant that can help to maintain healthy brain function. The protein in taco can trigger the formation of brain cell and repair the damage of the nerve. While antioxidant can protect the brain from several damage which can lead to some brain disease such as Alzheimer.

13. Lowering blood pressure

Taco is high in potassium which can help to lower blood pressure. But it must be noted that adding more salt or sodium in taco also other condiments may give you risk to blood pressure. Keep the salad healthier by adding more fiber and low sodium condiment.

14. Maintain healthy muscle and nerve

Magnesium is well known in keeping nerve and muscle function. Magnesium deficiency will lead to many health problem. Consuming taco will provide you with some amount of magnesium that can prevent you from muscle and nerve problem

15. Relieve constipation

Fibers in taco come from the lettuce, tomato, jalapeno, avocado and other vegetables. The fiber content of taco can help to relieve constipation. Fiber add bulk to the stool and soften it, so it will be easier to pass the large intestine and get it out from the body.