Tender Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
A flavorful and tender birria taco recipe made easy with a slow cooker, delivering authentic Mexican flavors and melt-in-your-mouth beef perfect for weeknight meals or gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours (low) or 5-6 hours (high)
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes to 10 hours 20 minutes (low) or 5 hours 20 minutes to 6 hours 20 minutes (high)
- Yield: 8 servings (about 16 tacos) 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast
- 4–5 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 1–2 chipotle chiles in adobo (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4–5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 3 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Corn tortillas, warmed
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)
- Diced white onion (for topping)
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until fragrant but not burnt.
- Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 15 minutes until softened.
- Drain chiles and add to a blender with chipotle chiles in adobo, tomato paste, minced garlic, chopped onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of beef broth if needed to get a thick but pourable sauce.
- Season the chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in a hot skillet with a little oil on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Place the seared beef in the slow cooker. Pour the chile sauce over the meat, then add the remaining beef broth. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours until beef is fork-tender.
- Remove beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return shredded meat to slow cooker to soak up more juice if desired.
- Warm corn tortillas on a skillet. Dip each tortilla lightly in the consommé (cooking liquid) before placing on the skillet to get crispy edges.
- Assemble tacos by adding shredded beef, then topping with diced onions and cilantro. Fold tortillas and serve with consommé on the side for dipping and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Notes
Toast dried chiles gently to avoid bitterness. Sear beef before slow cooking to add depth of flavor. Soak chiles properly for best sauce flavor. Adjust consommé thickness with warm water or broth. Warm tortillas gently to keep pliable. Store meat and consommé separately to prevent soggy tacos. Leftovers improve in flavor after resting overnight.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos with meat an
- Calories: 475
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 35
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