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Mexican Birria Crockpot

This Mexican Birria Crockpot recipe makes incredibly tender, flavorful beef slow-cooked with dried guajillo and ancho chiles, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and warm Mexican spices. The rich, savory broth can be served as birria consommé, while the shredded beef is perfect for crispy birria tacos topped with melted cheese, onion, cilantro, and lime. It's an easy slow cooker birria recipe that's perfect for family dinners, meal prep, and weekend gatherings.

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Birria
  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast
  • 1 pound beef short ribs
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried árbol chiles optional
  • 1 medium yellow onion quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • For Serving
  • Corn tortillas
  • Shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
  • Diced white onion
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Lime wedges
  • Fresh jalapeños optional

Method
 

  1. Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles.
  2. Place the dried chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15 minutes, until softened.
  3. Drain the chiles and transfer them to a blender.
  4. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and black pepper.
  5. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth. Add a little additional beef broth if needed.
  6. Cut the chuck roast into large pieces and pat the beef dry.
  7. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the beef pieces for 2–3 minutes per side. This step is optional but adds extra flavor.
  8. Place the seared beef and short ribs into the crockpot.
  9. Pour the chile sauce over the beef and add the bay leaves.
  10. Cover and cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
  11. Remove the beef from the crockpot and discard the bones and large pieces of excess fat.
  12. Shred the beef using two forks.
  13. Return the shredded beef to the crockpot and stir it into the broth.
  14. Let the shredded beef sit in the broth for another 10–15 minutes.
  15. Serve the birria with warm tortillas, onion, cilantro, lime, and your favorite toppings.
  16. For birria tacos, lightly dip corn tortillas into the flavorful fat on top of the broth.
  17. Place the tortillas in a hot skillet, add cheese and shredded beef, fold, and cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until crispy and golden.
  18. Serve the crispy tacos with small bowls of the birria broth for dipping.

Notes

  • Beef chuck roast is ideal because it becomes tender during slow cooking.
  • Short ribs add extra richness and flavor but can be omitted if desired.
  • Árbol chiles add heat and can be left out for a milder birria.
  • Searing the beef is optional but recommended for deeper flavor.
  • Don't discard all of the flavorful beef fat—it is excellent for making crispy birria tacos.
  • Adjust the number of árbol chiles according to your preferred spice level.
  • Store leftover birria in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze shredded beef with some consommé for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw frozen birria overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.