Ambie's Corner

Renovation reality check: no kitchen, cabinets missing, dust everywhere. But dinner still happened, and it was very good. These tacos came together with a slow cooker, a blackstone.

This is a bold, garlic-forward, birria-inspired shredded beef situation. Exactly how it should be.

The Slow Cooker Base

I started with a chuck roast and seasoned it generously with:

Salt Black pepper Cumin Dried oregano

Into the slow cooker it went with:

Dried birria peppers (guajillo and ancho) One whole head of garlic (all cloves, peeled) One whole onion, quartered Leek Fresh parsley A knob of butter Beef broth

Everything cooked low for about 6 hours, until the beef was falling apart and the broth was deep, rich, and smelled like you knew dinner was going to be solid.

Once it was done, I pulled out the peppers, onion, and garlic, blended them with some of the cooking liquid, then poured that sauce back over the shredded beef. This is where the flavor really locks in.

Blackstone Finish

With the kitchen officially out of commission, the shredded beef went straight onto the Blackstone. I let it crisp slightly so the edges caramelized but the inside stayed juicy.

Corn tortillas hit the griddle next, topped with:

Shredded beef Shredded cheese

Fold, press, flip. The tortillas got crispy, the cheese melted, and the beef developed those irresistible browned bits.

Chopped white onion Fresh cilantro Lime wedges Extra cooking liquid on the side for dipping

How I Served Them

No overthinking required:

Messy, flavorful, perfect.

Final Thoughts

Salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano were all this needed to complement the peppers, garlic, and onion. Nothing fancy. Just solid flavors done right.

These tacos are proof that even mid-reno, with no real kitchen, you can still make something that feels intentional and really satisfying. Honestly, I’d make them the same way even if the remodel was done.