Slow cooker turkey birria tacos
Slow cooker turkey birria tacos approved by the one and only Graham Norton – that’s right. I was lucky enough to serve him up a plate of these babies on Saturday Kitchen and he was a fan and now I’m even more of a fan.
But anyway, SLOW COOKER SEASON has officially begun, and what a way to start with this beautiful Turkey Birria-inspired deliciousness. Tender turkey bursting with Mexican inspired flavours and one of my favourite recipes from my latest book. That’s why I absolutely had to share this recipe and not gatekeep.
You have to serve these tacos with some guacamole, salsa and hot sauce. Sometimes it’s best to keep things simple.
For more slow cooker recipes, check them out here OR you can buy my new book, Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Cookbook. You’ll find over 90 recipes, covering everything from soups to curries, stews and even a gloriously indulgent lava cake. And not to brag….but my book is now officially a Sunday Times bestseller!! I just want an excuse to keep writing that because I literally can’t get over it.
Slow cooker turkey birria tacos
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/slow-cooker-turkey-birria-tacos/
Ingredients
For the turkey
- 2 tablespoons light brown soft sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bone-in turkey thigh (about 750g)
- 190g ancho chilli paste
- 100g chipotle paste
- ½ garlic bulb, cloves separated
- 4 large tomatoes, quartered
- 2 onions, peeled and quartered
- 7cm cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 3 dried guajillo chillies (optional)
- chicken stock
- salt and black pepper
Metric
Imperial
To serve
- splash of vegetable oil
- 8–16 small corn tacos
- 200g cheddar, grated
- 200g mozzarella, grated
- 1–2 onions, finely chopped
- few handfuls of coriander leaves
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, paprika, oregano and cumin, along with a teaspoon each of salt and cracked black pepper.
- Get everything else into the bowl of your slow cooker, add enough stock to come halfway up the turkey, season well and then stir in your spice mixture. Put the lid on and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours, until the turkey is falling off the bone. Discard the bone and the skin and shred the meat left behind in the bowl.
- To make up your tacos, get a frying pan over a medium heat with a splash of oil. Then fry your first corn taco and dip it into the sauce that's in the slow cooker. Using kitchen tongs to hold it, place it in the frying pan, laying it flat. Add some shredded turkey to the centre of your taco, top with cheeses, onion and coriander, then fold your taco over and cook on both sides for a bit of charring and extra flavour. Remove to a baking tray while you repeat the process for all your tacos. You can keep them warm by putting them in the oven on a low temperature while you make up the rest. (At some point, as you use up the turkey, be sure to pick out the cinnamon stick and discard it so as not to give someone a turkey taco surprise.) I would serve at least 2 tacos per person, but if you're hungry, have more.