Birria Tacos Slow Cooker Recipe
These Slow Cooker Birria Tacos are packed with tender, flavorful shredded beef infused with a rich blend of dried chiles and aromatic spices. The beef is slow-cooked to perfection in a vibrant chile sauce until meltingly tender, then served in crispy corn tortillas with melted cheese, fresh onions, cilantro, and a side of warm consommé for dipping. This comforting Mexican dish combines deep, smoky flavors with a delightful mix of textures, making it perfect for a satisfying meal or special occasion.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours (slow cooker on low) or 4-5 hours (slow cooker on high)
- Total Time: 9 hours to 10 hours 45 minutes (including soaking and prep)
- Yield: 12-16 tacos 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Broth
- 3–4 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2–3 inch pieces
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp beef bouillon powder (or 2 cubes)
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Dried Chiles and Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 large white onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Additional Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12–16 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Chiles: Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes per side until fragrant and slightly pliable. Be careful not to burn them.
- Soak the Chiles: Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes until softened.
- Sear the Beef: Season the beef chuck roast pieces generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Set aside the seared beef.
- Blend the Chile Sauce: Drain the soaked chiles, reserving about 1 cup of the soaking liquid. In a blender, combine the softened chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, apple cider vinegar, and beef bouillon powder. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid to help blend smoothly. Blend until a smooth paste forms, adding more soaking liquid as necessary to reach desired consistency.
- Combine Ingredients in the Slow Cooker: Place the seared beef in the slow cooker. Pour the blended chile sauce evenly over the beef. Add the bay leaves and beef broth.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- Shred the Beef: Remove the cooked beef from the slow cooker and shred it finely using two forks.
- Strain the Consommé: Strain the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove solids, discarding them.
- Defat the Consommé (Optional): Let the consommé cool slightly and skim off any excess fat from the surface, or use a fat separator.
- Heat the Tortillas: Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the reserved consommé, coating both sides.
- Fill the Tacos: Place the dipped tortilla on the hot skillet. Add a generous amount of shredded birria beef and shredded cheese to one half of the tortilla.
- Cook the Tacos: Fold the tortilla in half to make a taco. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the tortilla is golden brown and crispy and the cheese is melted, pressing gently with a spatula for even cooking.
- Repeat: Repeat dipping, filling, and cooking steps with remaining tortillas, beef, and cheese.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the birria tacos garnished with chopped cilantro and chopped white onion.
- Serve with Consommé: Offer a small bowl of the reserved warm consommé for dipping the tacos.
- Add Lime: Provide lime wedges to squeeze over the tacos and into the consommé for extra brightness and flavor.
Notes
- Toast chiles carefully as burning will make the sauce bitter.
- You can substitute beef chuck roast with short ribs or brisket for variation.
- Allow the tacos to cook until crispy for the perfect contrast in texture.
- The consommé can be kept warm and used as a dipping broth to enhance every bite.
- For a spicier version, add a chipotle or fresh jalapeño to the chile sauce blend.
- Leftover birria makes excellent filling for quesadillas or burritos.
- Using vegetable oil helps with searing without imparting strong flavor.
- If you don’t have Oaxaca cheese, mozzarella is a good mild substitute.
Keywords: Birria, Slow Cooker Recipe, Mexican Tacos, Beef Tacos, Comfort Food, Slow Cooked Beef, Homemade Tacos, Chile Sauce
Find it online: https://nataliereeve.com/birria-tacos-slow-cooker-recipe/
