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Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

Slow cooker birria tacos with a silky, fully blended chile sauce and slow-braised, fall-apart beef. Crisp corn tortillas are dipped in reserved red fat for a classic quesabirria taco texture, served with warm consommé 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
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast cut into 3-inch pieces
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
Chiles and sauce base
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 1 large onion quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp salt
Spices
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
For serving
  • Corn tortillas shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, diced white onion, and fresh cilantro for serving
  • Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese shredded and diced
  • white onion diced
  • fresh cilantro

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and soak the chiles
  1. Toast guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side until fragrant, stirring as needed to prevent scorching.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain well before blending.
Blend the birria chile sauce
  1. Blend soaked chiles, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, and salt until completely smooth.
Slow cook the beef
  1. Place the beef chuck roast pieces in the slow cooker with the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
  2. Pour the blended chile sauce over the beef, making sure it’s well covered.
  3. Cook on low for 8–10 hours until the beef is completely fall-apart tender.
Prepare the consommé and shred the beef
  1. Remove the beef and shred with two forks; discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
  2. Skim the red fat from the surface of the consommé and reserve in a bowl.
Make quesabirria-style crispy tacos
  1. Dip corn tortillas into the reserved red fat to coat.
  2. Fill tortillas with shredded beef and shredded cheese, then fold.
  3. Cook on a hot griddle until crispy on both sides, turning once for even browning.
  4. Serve with warm consommé for dipping, along with diced white onion and fresh cilantro.

Notes

For the best deep red color and flavor, blend the sauce very smooth and cook the beef on low until truly fall-apart (start checking around 8 hours). Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; freeze beef and consommé separately for up to 3 months (reheat gently). To make it dairy-free, use shredded vegan cheese or omit cheese and keep the tacos crispy using the reserved red fat.