Go Back

Crockpot Mexican Birria

Crockpot Mexican birria delivers fall-apart beef simmered low and slow in a deep red chile consomé. Blend dried guajillo and ancho chiles into a smooth sauce, then shred the meat and fry birria tacos by griddling dipped tortillas until crispy.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and chile base
  • 3 lb beef chuck or short ribs
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste
Serving and tacos
  • 1 corn tortillas
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime
  • 1 shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and soak chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo chiles and dried ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side. When they’re fragrant, transfer them to a bowl.
  2. Soak the toasted dried guajillo chiles and dried ancho chiles in boiling water for 15 minutes until softened. Drain well before blending.
Blend chile sauce
  1. Blend the softened guajillo and ancho chiles with diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cinnamon until smooth. Add the chipotle pepper in adobo and blend again.
Slow-cook the birria
  1. Season the beef chuck or short ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Place the beef in the Crockpot and pour the chile sauce over.
  2. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. Keep the lid closed to maintain steady heat.
Shred, crisp, and serve
  1. Shred the beef in the consomé. Taste the consomé and adjust seasoning if needed using salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Dip corn tortillas in the consomé, then fill with shredded beef and shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella. Griddle until crispy, turning once for even browning.
  3. Serve with extra consomé for dipping, along with diced onion, cilantro, and lime. Keep the consomé warm so the tacos stay crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: blend until perfectly smooth so the consomé turns velvety and not grainy. Refrigerate leftovers in the consomé and shredded beef for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat. For a lighter option, use trimmed beef chuck and serve with extra onion, cilantro, and lime while using slightly less cheese in the tacos.