These Slow Cooker Birria Tacos will send your taste buds on a trip south of the border. The ingredient list may look long or even daunting, but as with any good broth, soup, or sauce base, it’s well worth the effort. This deliciously nearly authentic Mexican dish will impress your family and friends.

Birria is a Mexican stew typically made with goat meat, however in the US and elsewhere, beef is the go-to protein. The meat is slow cooked for hours in a sauce of beef broth, onions, garlic, tomatoes, various chilies, herbs, and spices. Making birria in the crock pot is the easiest cooking method!

The tender beef dripping with flavorful broth are turned into tacos by placing the juicy meat into a sauce-dipped corn tortilla, folded in half, and given a quick pan fry in oil. This gives the tacos a perfectly crisped texture. Crockpot Birria tacos are served with a side of the broth (called consummé) for dipping, much like you’d serve au jus with your French Dip sandwich.

Key Ingredients

Here is what you need to make birria taco meat in a crockpot. The full recipe is in the recipe card below the images.

• Chuck Roast: A three pound boneless beef chuck roast is best; look for marbling, as this will increase the taste and tenderness. You can use beef brisket, or any well-marbled beef roast for this recipe.
• Corn Tortillas: Use regular sized corn tortillas. However, the mini street taco size will work if you’re making these as a delicious appetizer.
• Dried Chiles: You’ll need dried Guajillo chiles and Arbol chiles. These can be found in your local grocery store in a package in the Mexican food section.
• Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Use the canned product which will be found in the Mexican or Latin section or international aisle of your grocery store.
• Tomatoes: Both fire roasted tomatoes and tomato paste are used to help add taste and texture to the sauce.
• Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, cumin, garlic, cloves, Mexican oregano, dried coriander, smoked paprika, dried thyme, dried onion, cinnamon sticks, fresh lime juice, bay leaves and fresh onion.
• Beef Broth: This velvety broth liquid is the base of the sauce.

How to Make Birria in a Crockpot

Step One – Season all sides of the chuck roast with salt and pepper and preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and sear the meat for 4-5 minutes on all sides.

Step Two – Add all the remaining ingredients (except the tortillas and oil) to the slow cooker. Stir it well to combine into a chunky sauce.

Step Three – Place the seared beef into the crock pot and cover. Cook for 9-10 hours on low.

Step Four – Remove the cooked chuck roast and place it in a large bowl.

Step Five – Shred the beef and mix in about a cup of the sauce (after step 7).

Step Six – Remove the cinnamon sticks, stems from the peppers, and bay leaf and discard.

Step Seven – Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, add everything to a food processor or regular stand blender to puree, then return to the crock pot or pour into a large bowl.)

Step Eight – Using a pair of tongs, dip each side of the tortillas in the sauce and then double them for frying.

Step Nine – Place the dipped tortillas into a frying pan flatly and fry for about two minutes. Flip and add the shredded beef, diced onion, and cilantro to one-half of the tortilla, fold it in half and fry each side of the now shaped taco for up to 2 minutes per side. Spoon a bit of birria sauce over each side of the tortilla after it’s been fried. Transfer to a serving plate and serve with a bowl of the pureed dipping sauce (consomme).

Recipe FAQs