This recipe is inspired by the delicious birria tacos. Birria tacos are incredibly tasty, but they do take a lot of work and love to make and sometimes I just don’t have time or all of the ingredients to replicate that! This is my take on a slow braised beef that will have you drooling! I wanted to keep the ingredients simple, with items that are in most pantries so you can make this when you need something comforting and easy! For a more macro friendly meal, I swap regular flour tortillas for Mission Carb Balance and I used a low-fat shredded mozzarella (I also use it sparingly but you still get the gooey, melty, cheesy goodness!). Start this dish in the morning before work and you will have a wonderful dinner ready to go at the end of the day!
For the Beef:
- 2 Lbs Skirt Steak
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tbsp Cumin
- 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 2 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Red Enchilada Sauce
- 4 oz Hatch Chiles
- 1/2 Cup Lime Juice
- 3-4 Cups Beef Broth
- 1 Tbsp Oil (or Pam)
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1 Bunch Cilantro, Chopped
- 2 Cups Shredded Mozzarella
- 12 Flour Tortillas
To Make:
- Trim any excess fat off the skirt steak. *If the steak is in one long strip, cut down to smaller pieces so it can fit into the pot (think 3 or 4 inches). Pat the steak completely dry to remove any excess moisture.
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, chili powder, salt and pepper. Give it a good stir so the seasonings are well combined.
- Using the spice rub you just made, evenly coat the steak making sure to get all sides covered with the seasoning. Set the steak aside and any excess seasoning.
- In a large dutch oven or large pot, heat over medium-high heat. Add in the oil (or spray with Pam to prevent sticking). Once hot, add a single layer of beef to the pan and sear on each side for 4 minutes. *You will want to do this in batches so the steak can get a nice sear, so make sure not to crowd the pan. Remove the steak once seared on all sides and set aside on a plate.
- Add in the beef broth to the pan and deglaze. Next, add in the enchilada sauce, lime juice, hatch chiles, and any excess seasoning. Give it a good stir and bring to a low simmer.
- Once the broth is simmering, reduce the heat to low, add the beef back to the pot. *You want to make sure the beef is fully submerged in the broth, if it is not, top it off with more beef broth.*
- Place the lid on top of the pot and cook on low for 3 hours.
- At the 3 hour mark, remove the lid and continue to cook on low for another 2 hours (this will help boil off any excess moisture).
- After 2 hours of uncovered cooking, check your beef. At this point, it should fall apart. Turn off the heat, remove the beef and gently shred. Add the beef back to the broth and stir in half of the chopped cilantro. Keep covered until ready to use.
- To assemble the tacos, add a thin layer of cheese to the tortilla. On one side of the tortilla, top with a generous helping of the beef. Fold the tortilla over. (repeat this process to assemble the desired number of tacos).
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and spray with Pam to prevent sticking. Once hot, add in a single layer of the tacos. Cover and cook for 3 minutes. Flip, cover and cook for another 3 minutes. (adjust the heat throughout this process to prevent the tacos from burning, but you want enough heat to give them a golden outside).
- Remove the taco from the pan, carefully pull apart and add in more cilantro and diced onions. Repeat this step to fill all the tacos with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and any additional desired ingredients – jalapenos, hot sauce, salsa, etc.
- Serve the tacos with your favorite salsa and enjoy!