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Crockpot Mexican Birria

Crockpot Mexican birria with a deep red chile consomé and fall-apart beef. Dried guajillo and ancho chiles are blended into a smooth sauce, then slow-cooked until tender for dipping.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck or short ribs
  • 3 lb beef chuck or short ribs
Dried guajillo chiles
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
Dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
Chipotle pepper in adobo
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Onion
  • 1 onion quartered
Garlic
  • 6 cloves garlic
Beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth
Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Cumin
  • 2 tsp cumin
Oregano
  • 1 tsp oregano
Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
For serving: corn tortillas
  • 1 corn tortillas
For serving: diced onion
  • 0.5 cup diced onion
For serving: cilantro
  • 0.25 cup cilantro
For serving: lime
  • 1 lime cut into wedges
For serving: shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella
  • 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and soften the chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo chiles and dried ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, until fragrant. Visual cue: the chiles darken slightly and look blistered.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in boiling water for 15 minutes until softened. Visual cue: they become pliable and rehydrate.
Blend the chile sauce
  1. Blend the softened guajillo and ancho chiles with diced tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cinnamon until smooth. Visual cue: the sauce turns a thick, uniform red.
Slow-cook the birria
  1. Season the beef chuck or short ribs with salt and pepper to taste. Visual cue: the meat looks evenly speckled.
  2. Place the seasoned beef in the Crockpot and pour the chile sauce over. Visual cue: the beef is mostly covered.
  3. Cook on Low for 7–8 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender. Visual cue: pressing a fork meets no resistance and shreds easily.
Shred, dip, and crisp the tacos
  1. Shred the beef in the consomé. Visual cue: strands mix into the red broth for a cohesive, saucy mixture.
  2. Dip corn tortillas in the consomé, then fill with shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella and the shredded beef. Visual cue: the tortilla edges take on a reddish sheen.
  3. Griddle the filled tortillas until crispy. Visual cue: the outside develops browned, blistered spots while the cheese melts.
Serve
  1. Serve with extra consomé for dipping, along with diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. Visual cue: toppings sit fresh on the side beside the steaming broth.

Notes

Pro tip: blend the chile sauce until fully smooth so the consomé tastes consistent in every bite. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave and add a splash of broth if thickened. Freezing is yes—freeze shredded birria with consomé for up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cheese for the tacos while keeping the same chile sauce.