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Crockpot Birria

Crockpot birria makes deeply red, slow-braised beef that turns fall-apart tender in a smoky chile consommé. After 8 hours, the beef glistens in the sauce—perfect for birria tacos meat or spooning straight from the pot.
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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: 530
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and chile consommé
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast Cut into large chunks.
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles Stems and seeds removed.
  • 2 dried ancho chiles Stems and seeds removed.
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion Roughly chopped.
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 cup beef broth Use 1 cup for blending and 1 cup for the crockpot.
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • Salt and black pepper To taste.
Serving toppings
  • Lime wedges
  • cilantro
  • diced white onion
Liquid for soaking chiles
  • 10 cup hot water For soaking the chiles (amount varies by blender/soak depth).

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and soak the chiles
  1. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant, stirring once or twice. Transfer to a bowl and soak in hot water for 10 minutes to soften.
Blend the chile consommé
  1. Blend the soaked chiles with diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and 1 cup beef broth until completely smooth. Pause once to scrape down the blender sides for an even, glossy sauce.
Braised beef in the crockpot
  1. Season the beef chuck roast chunks generously with salt and black pepper, then place them in the crockpot. Keep the pieces in an even layer so they cook through at the same rate.
  2. Pour the chile sauce over the beef, add the remaining beef broth, and stir to coat. Make sure most of the beef is submerged in the vivid red consommé.
  3. Cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4–5 hours) until the beef is completely fall-apart tender. Look for beef that shreds with gentle pressure and sauce that looks thick and deeply red.
Shred and serve
  1. Shred the beef directly in the consommé and stir to coat. Serve hot with lime wedges, cilantro, and diced white onion for bright contrast.

Notes

For the smoothest consommé, blend until completely silky—scrape down the sides and add a splash of hot water only if needed for circulation. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; freeze the birria (with or without toppings) up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use a reduced-sodium beef broth and trim visible fat from the roast before cooking.