Beef Taquitos with Cheese (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Taquitos

01 - 3 cups Mexican shredded beef
02 - 1 cup freshly shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
03 - 1 cup freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
04 - 16 quality corn tortillas (5-6 inches)
05 - vegetable oil or cooking spray for cooking
06 - toothpicks for securing taquitos

→ Beef preparation

07 - 1 3-4 lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 7-8 pieces
08 - 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
09 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
10 - 1 tablespoon ground cumin
11 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt (may substitute with 1 ½ teaspoons table salt)
12 - ½ tablespoon garlic powder
13 - ½ tablespoon onion powder
14 - ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
15 - 1 teaspoon pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
17 - ½ – 1 ½ teaspoons chipotle chili pepper
18 - 1 cup reduced sodium beef broth
19 - 1 cup mild salsa or salsa verde
20 - 1 (4 oz) can mild diced green chilies, undrained
21 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
22 - 2 tablespoons lime juice
23 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
24 - 1-3 teaspoons liquid smoke
25 - 1 tablespoon granulated beef bouillon base or crushed cubes
26 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano

→ Serving options

27 - Shredded iceberg lettuce
28 - Pico de gallo or store-bought salsa
29 - Guacamole or store-bought
30 - Sour cream, Greek yogurt, or Mexican crema

# Instructions:

01 - Whisk together all spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. Pat beef pieces dry with paper towels, season with the spice rub, and press to adhere. Reserve any leftover spices. Heat 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned.
02 - Transfer seared beef to a slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients, including leftover spices, to the slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 ½ – 4 ½ hours or LOW for 6-8 hours, until beef shreds easily. Shred beef with two forks, discarding excess fat. Return shredded beef to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 20 minutes to absorb juices. Taste and adjust seasoning.
03 - Wrap six tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds or until warm and pliable. Continue warming tortillas in batches as needed.
04 - Place about 3 tablespoons of shredded beef onto the bottom third of each tortilla. Top with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Roll tightly and secure with a toothpick along the seam.
05 - Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F. Fry taquitos seam-side down, turning as needed, until golden brown on all sides (3-4 minutes). Drain briefly on paper towels.
06 - For air frying: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Lightly brush taquitos with oil and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning halfway. For baking: Preheat oven to 425°F. Place taquitos on a greased baking rack and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
07 - Remove toothpicks and serve taquitos with toppings such as shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and crema.

# Notes:

01 - Reheat taquitos in the air fryer, oven, or skillet for optimal crispiness.

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