Slow Cooker Beef Birria (Printable)
Tender beef birria slow-cooked with aromatic spices, served in crispy corn tortillas with flavorful consommé.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1.1 lbs beef short ribs (bone-in)
→ Chiles & Aromatics
03 - 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
05 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
06 - 1 white onion, quartered
07 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled
08 - 3 Roma tomatoes, halved
→ Spices & Seasonings
09 - 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
10 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
13 - 4 whole cloves
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
→ Liquids
16 - 4 cups beef broth
17 - 2 cups water
18 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
→ For Tacos
19 - 18 small corn tortillas
20 - 1 cup diced white onion
21 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 2 limes, cut into wedges
23 - 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese (optional)
24 - Vegetable oil, for frying
# Directions:
01 - Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak for 15 minutes.
02 - In the same skillet, roast the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and halved Roma tomatoes until charred, about 8 minutes.
03 - Drain the soaked chiles and add to a blender with the charred onion, garlic, tomatoes, cumin seeds, dried oregano, ground cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until smooth.
04 - Place beef chuck roast chunks and short ribs in the slow cooker. Pour the blended chile sauce over the meat. Add bay leaves, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, remaining beef broth, and water. Stir gently to combine.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours until the beef is very tender and easily shreds.
06 - Remove beef from the slow cooker, shred using two forks, and discard bones. Skim fat from the surface of the broth and reserve some for frying tortillas. Strain the consommé if desired and keep warm.
07 - Heat reserved fat or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Briefly dip corn tortillas in the consommé, then place in the skillet. Optionally sprinkle with cheese, add shredded beef, and cook until tortillas are lightly crisped, folding in half.
08 - Serve tacos hot, topped with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Accompany with a cup of warm consommé for dipping.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The beef practically melts in your mouth after hours of gentle cooking, and you barely have to lift a finger.
- That rich consommé for dipping is pure comfort in a bowl, tasting like something that took days when it really just needed patience.
- The whole house smells incredible while it cooks, which honestly might be the best part.
02 -
- Don't skip toasting the whole spices in the dry skillet first—this step sounds optional but it's where half your flavor comes from.
- Save that fat that rises to the surface during cooking; it's not a waste product, it's what makes your tortillas taste restaurant-quality when you fry them in it.
03 -
- Make the birria a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight—the flavors actually deepen and it's easier to skim the fat when it's cold.
- When you dip the tortillas in consommé, do it quickly so they soften without falling apart; a half-second on each side is usually perfect.