Step 1: Prep That Beef Like You Mean It

Take your beef out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Cold meat straight from the fridge won’t sear properly.

Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels. Like, BONE DRY. Moisture is the enemy of browning. This step is crucial even though you’re tempted to skip it. Don’t.

Cut the beef into 3-4 large chunks. This increases surface area for flavor and helps it cook more evenly. Don’t worry about trimming all the fat—some fat is good. It melts during cooking and keeps everything moist. Just cut off any gigantic fatty chunks.

Season the beef generously on all sides with salt and pepper. When I say generously, I mean be aggressive. Big meat needs big seasoning.

Step 2: Sear It (Or Don’t, But You Should)

This step is technically optional—the slow cooker will do its thing either way—but searing creates deep, caramelized flavor that you can’t get any other way. It’s worth the extra 10 minutes. Trust me.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil. When it’s shimmering hot, add your beef chunks. Don’t move them. Let them sear for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned.

You’re not cooking the beef through—you’re just creating a flavorful crust. Get nice color on at least two sides of each chunk.

Transfer the seared beef to your slow cooker. Don’t clean the skillet—all those brown bits are flavor gold.

If you’re skipping the sear: Just put the seasoned beef directly in the slow cooker. It’ll still be delicious, just not AS complex. No shame either way.

Step 3: Make the Magic Sauce

In that same skillet with all the beef drippings (or a clean one if you skipped searing), add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the smashed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. This caramelizes the tomato paste and takes away any metallic taste.

Add all the spices—chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Toast them in the pan for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. You’ll smell them wake up. That’s the good stuff.

Pour in about 1/2 cup of the beef broth and scrape up all the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing and it’s where flavor lives.

Pour this mixture into the slow cooker over the beef.

Add the remaining beef broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, bay leaves, lime juice, and apple cider vinegar to the slow cooker.

Give everything a gentle stir to distribute the spices and liquid. The beef doesn’t need to be completely submerged—it’ll release its own juices as it cooks.

Step 4: Walk Away and Let Time Do Its Thing

Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set it to LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 4-6 hours.

Now walk away. Go to work. Run errands. Take a nap. Binge-watch something. The slow cooker’s got this.

Your house is going to smell absolutely INSANE in a few hours. Prepare yourself. Also prepare for neighbors to suddenly want to be your best friend.

The beef is done when it’s fall-apart tender. You should be able to shred it easily with a fork with basically no resistance.

Step 5: Shred That Beef

Transfer the beef chunks to a large cutting board or bowl. They’ll be so tender they might fall apart on the way. That’s perfect.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces. This should be ridiculously easy. If you’re struggling, it needs more time.

Remove and discard the bay leaves from the cooking liquid. Taste the liquid—it’s basically liquid gold at this point.

Here’s the move: Skim off and discard most of the fat floating on top of the cooking liquid, then return some of that liquid to the shredded beef—maybe 1-2 cups worth. This keeps it juicy and adds back all those concentrated flavors. Don’t add too much or your tacos will be soggy. You want moist beef, not soup beef.

Taste the beef and adjust the seasoning. It might need more salt, a squeeze of lime, or a splash more vinegar for brightness. Fix it now.

Pro move: If you have time, spread the shredded beef on a baking sheet and broil it for 3-5 minutes to get crispy edges. This is next-level but totally optional.

Step 6: Crispy Cheese Taco Assembly

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. You need good temperature control here—not too hot or the cheese burns before the tortilla crisps.

Add a tiny bit of oil to the pan—just enough to barely coat it.

Sprinkle a small handful of shredded cheese (about 2-3 tablespoons) in the shape of a tortilla directly onto the hot pan. Let it start to melt and sizzle.

Place a tortilla directly on top of the melting cheese. Press down gently with a spatula.

Add a generous spoonful of shredded beef to half of the tortilla. Don’t overstuff or you won’t be able to fold it.

Sprinkle a little more cheese on top of the beef (because more cheese is always the answer).

Let it cook for 2-3 minutes. The cheese on the bottom should be getting golden and crispy. You’ll hear it sizzling. That’s the sound of deliciousness happening.

Fold the tortilla in half over the filling, creating a half-moon taco. Press down gently to seal.

Cook for another 1-2 minutes on each side until both sides are golden and crispy with that beautiful cheese skirt attached.

Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining tortillas and beef. Work in batches—don’t try to cram too many in the pan or they’ll steam instead of crisp.

Step 7: Toppings Bar Time

Set out all your toppings in little bowls like you’re running a taco stand.

Let people build their own tacos with whatever toppings they want. This prevents fights and makes everyone happy.

Squeeze fresh lime over everything at the end. This is mandatory. The acid brightens all the flavors and makes everything taste more alive.

Stand back and watch people lose their minds over your tacos.