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Crockpot Birria

Crockpot birria with deeply red chile consommé and fall-apart beef. Slow-cooked in a rich smoky sauce, then shredded in the pot for birria tacos meat that’s drenched and glistening.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck roast
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast Cut into large chunks.
Dried guajillo chiles
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles Stems and seeds removed.
Dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried ancho chiles Stems and seeds removed.
Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Use undrained.
Onion
  • 1 medium onion Roughly chopped (plus extra for serving if desired).
Garlic cloves
  • 6 garlic cloves
Beef broth
  • 2 cup beef broth Use for blending and cooking.
Apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
Dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
Salt
  • Salt and black pepper to taste Season to taste; include black pepper as well.
Lime wedges
  • 1 Lime wedges For serving.
Cilantro
  • 1 cilantro For serving.
Diced white onion
  • 1 diced white onion For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast, soften, and blend the chile consommé
  1. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, watching closely to avoid burning, then transfer them to a bowl.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes until pliable, then drain well so the sauce blends smoothly.
  3. Blend the soaked chiles with the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle pepper, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, and 1 cup beef broth until completely smooth, turning the blender into a vivid red chile sauce.
Slow-cook the beef until fall-apart tender
  1. Season the beef chunks generously with salt and black pepper, then place them in the crockpot so the pieces sit in an even layer.
  2. Pour the chile sauce over the beef, add the remaining beef broth, and stir to coat until every chunk looks glossy with consommé.
  3. Cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4–5 hours) until the beef is completely fall-apart tender, with the consommé deeply red and bubbling around the edges.
  4. Shred the beef directly in the consommé and serve immediately with lime wedges, cilantro, and diced white onion for bright, fresh contrast.

Notes

Pro tip: blend the chile sauce until fully smooth so the consommé stays silky instead of gritty. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge. For a lighter swap, skim off excess fat after chilling, then reheat the consommé.