Go Back

Crockpot Mexican Birria

Crockpot Mexican birria with deep red-mahogany consomé made from toasted dried chiles and slow-cooked beef until fall-apart tender. Serve it with crispy griddle tortillas for dipping and melty Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
soak time 15 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef for birria
  • 3 lb beef chuck or short ribs
Dried chile base
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles Stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chiles Stemmed and seeded
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
Birria sauce and seasoning
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 onion Quartered
  • 6 garlic Cloves
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
For serving
  • 1 corn tortillas
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime
  • 1 shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Toast and soak the chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, until fragrant and slightly blistered, watching closely to avoid burning.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in boiling water for 15 minutes until softened.
Blend the chile consomé base
  1. Blend the softened chiles with diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cinnamon until smooth.
Slow-cook the birria
  1. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then place it in the crockpot.
  2. Pour the chile sauce over the beef in the crockpot.
  3. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Shred, crisp, and serve
  1. Shred the beef in the consomé using forks while keeping it immersed in the liquid.
  2. Dip tortillas in the consomé, then fill with beef and shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella.
  3. Griddle the filled tortillas until crispy, turning as needed for even browning.
  4. Serve with extra consomé for dipping alongside diced onion, cilantro, and lime.

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, blend until completely silky (stop once there are no visible chile specks). Refrigerate leftovers in the consomé up to 4 days; freeze the shredded birria (with broth) up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium beef broth and choose a leaner cut like chuck with visible fat trimmed; tortillas and cheese portioning will also affect calories.