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Best Mexican Birria Crockpot Recipe

A hearty bowl of Mexican Birria Crockpot Recipe, garnished with lime and fresh cilantro.

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This Mexican Birria Crockpot Recipe features tender, slow-cooked beef simmered in a rich chile-infused broth, perfect for soaking tortillas, making quesabirria tacos, or enjoying as a deeply flavorful stew.

Ingredients

Scale

3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

68 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

23 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

2 dried arbol chiles (optional)

1 medium onion, quartered

5 garlic cloves, smashed

1 (14-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

4 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For serving: corn tortillas, Oaxaca cheese, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges

Instructions

1. Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear beef on all sides until deeply browned. Transfer to crockpot.

2. Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add toasted chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and bay leaves to a pot with water and boil for 10 minutes until softened.

4. Blend chile mixture with 1 cup soaking liquid, beef broth, vinegar, tomato paste, and spices until smooth.

5. Pour sauce over beef in crockpot and add cinnamon stick.

6. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5–6 hours until beef is fork-tender.

7. Remove beef and shred with forks. Blend consomé until smooth if desired.

8. Return beef to consomé. Serve as stew or use for quesabirria tacos.

Notes

Birria tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen.

Skim excess fat from the consomé if desired, or save it for frying tortillas.

Great for tacos, bowls, or freezing for later.