Slow Cooker Beef Birria (Printable)

Tender beef slow-cooked with chiles and spices, served with crispy corn tortillas and flavorful consommé.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1.1 lbs beef short ribs, bone-in

→ Chiles & Aromatics

03 - 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
05 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
06 - 1 white onion, quartered
07 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled
08 - 3 Roma tomatoes, halved

→ Spices & Seasonings

09 - 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
10 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
13 - 4 whole cloves
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

→ Liquids

16 - 4 cups beef broth
17 - 2 cups water
18 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

→ For Tacos

19 - 18 small corn tortillas
20 - 1 cup diced white onion
21 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 2 limes, cut into wedges
23 - 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese (optional)
24 - Vegetable oil for frying

# How to Make It:

01 - Toast dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak for 15 minutes.
02 - In the same skillet, roast quartered onion, garlic cloves, and Roma tomato halves until charred, about 8 minutes.
03 - Drain chiles and combine them with charred onion, garlic, tomatoes, cumin seeds, oregano, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth in a blender. Blend until smooth.
04 - Place beef chuck chunks and short ribs in the slow cooker. Pour chile sauce over the meat. Add bay leaves, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, remaining beef broth, and water. Stir gently to combine.
05 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until beef is very tender and easily shreds.
06 - Remove beef and shred with two forks, discarding bones. Skim fat from the broth surface and reserve some for frying. Strain consommé if desired and keep warm.
07 - Heat reserved fat or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Briefly dip tortillas in consommé, then place in the skillet. Sprinkle with cheese if using, add shredded beef, and cook until tortillas are lightly crisped and folded in half.
08 - Top tacos with diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve hot with a cup of consommé for dipping.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The consommé is liquid gold—it's where all the spice and depth lives, and suddenly dipping becomes the best part of eating.
  • You're not standing at a stove; the slow cooker does the work while you live your day, and the house fills with this incredible aroma.
  • One batch feeds a crowd, and everyone becomes the person who gets to assemble their own taco exactly how they want it.
02 -
  • The consommé is not optional—it's where the soul of the dish lives, and rushing to strain it or letting it cool changes everything about how good this tastes.
  • If your beef doesn't shred easily after eight hours, either your slow cooker runs cool or your meat was too lean; next time, trust the time more than the clock and add another hour if it feels tight.
  • Dipping the tortilla in consommé before frying is the step that separates this from regular tacos; it hydrates the tortilla and lets the flavors soak in, and then the pan crisps it into something unforgettable.
03 -
  • Save every drop of that fat that rises to the surface—it's not waste, it's the medium that makes the tortillas crisp, and a little of it stirred into the consommé at the end makes it shine.
  • If you want more spice, add a dried arbol chile to the blend, but taste the sauce before you pour it into the slow cooker so you know what you're getting into.

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