Name: Crockpot Mexican Beef Birria
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 20 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks; 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded; 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded; 1 dried pasilla chile (optional), stemmed and seeded; 2 medium Roma tomatoes, quartered; 1 large white onion (half for sauce, half for serving); 6 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 4 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred); 1 cinnamon stick; 2 bay leaves; 3 whole cloves; 2 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano); 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp black pepper; 2 tsp salt (adjust to taste); 2 tbsp cooking oil; Corn tortillas, for serving (optional); Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish; Lime wedges, for serving

Crockpot Mexican Beef Birria

Print Recipe

This flavor-packed crockpot Mexican beef birria is all about bold spices, succulent beef, and a rich, drinkable broth. Authentic in taste but wildly easy thanks to the slow cooker, it’s perfect for taco night, meal prep, or impressing friends with homemade flavor.

Author: paula
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

Scale

3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 dried pasilla chile (optional), stemmed and seeded
2 medium Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 large white onion (half for sauce, half for serving)
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
3 whole cloves
2 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
2 tbsp cooking oil
Corn tortillas, for serving (optional)
Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the chiles, and toast for 2-3 minutes, flipping often until fragrant. Add 1 cup beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
In a blender, combine softened chiles, tomatoes, half the onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Pour in the chile cooking liquid and blend until completely smooth (about 2 minutes). If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more broth.
Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible.
Place beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour the strained sauce over the beef, then add the remaining beef broth, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and whole cloves.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours, or HIGH for 5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Remove the beef using tongs and shred it on a cutting board. Return shredded beef to the crockpot, stir, and taste the broth. Adjust salt if needed.
Warm corn tortillas and fill with birria beef. Top with chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with a bowl of birria broth (consomé) for dipping.

Notes

Toast the chiles for deeper flavor, and strain the sauce for a silky broth. For a spicier version, add dried arbol chiles. Let the shredded beef rest in the broth for 10 minutes before serving for maximum juiciness. Birria tastes even better the next day and freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving Size: About 1 cup beef with broth per serving
Calories: 350
Sugar: 4
Sodium: 700
Fat: 18
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 12
Fiber: 3
Protein: 32

Keywords: birria, crockpot, slow cooker, Mexican beef, tacos, authentic, easy, dinner, meal prep, gluten-free, high protein

Find it online: https://blairrecipes.com/crockpot-mexican-beef-birria-recipe-easy-authentic-dinner-tonight/