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Crockpot Mexican Beef Birria

Crockpot Mexican beef birria with tender, fall-apart shredded beef braised in a glossy red chile sauce. This slow-cooker method blends toasted guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles into a smooth consomé-style braise for easy tacos and dipping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
rest 10 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck roast, trimmed
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast
dried guajillo chiles
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles
dried ancho chiles
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
dried chipotle chiles
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles
onion, halved
  • 1 onion
garlic
  • 6 garlic cloves
beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
apple cider vinegar
  • 1 4 apple cider vinegar
cumin
  • 2 tbsp cumin
oregano
  • 2 tsp oregano
cloves
  • 1 tsp cloves
cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the chile sauce
  1. Remove stems and seeds from all dried guajillo chiles, dried ancho chiles, and dried chipotle chiles. Keep them separated by type so none are left behind.
  2. Toast the dried chiles in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, turning once, until fragrant and slightly blistered. Stop when they look toasted but not burnt.
  3. Blend the toasted chiles with beef broth, apple cider vinegar, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and tomato paste until completely smooth. Scrape the blender as needed so there are no chile bits.
Slow-cook the birria
  1. Place the beef chuck roast in the slow cooker and pour the chile mixture over it. Make sure most of the roast is covered by the red sauce.
  2. Add bay leaves, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Distribute them so they’re visible throughout the sauce.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. You should be able to pull the meat easily with tongs or forks.
Shred and finish
  1. Carefully remove the beef and shred using two forks, discarding any large fat pieces. The shredded beef should look stringy and tender, not chewy.
  2. Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Adjust seasoning as needed so the sauce tastes balanced and bold.
  3. Let the birria rest for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce should look glossy and slightly thickened around the meat.
Serve
  1. Use the birria for tacos or tortas, spooning beef and some sauce into the fillings. Keep the meat coated so each bite has red chile flavor.
  2. Serve in bowls with the rich consomé (cooking liquid) for dipping. Use a ladleful of the braising liquid alongside the shredded beef.

Notes

Pro tip: blend until completely smooth for the most consistent red chile sauce texture, and don’t over-toast the chiles or the sauce can turn bitter. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight. For a lighter option, use 2 lb chuck roast and add extra beef broth to keep the sauce flavorful without using all the meat.