Beef Birria

Three folded birria tacos filled with meat and melted cheese, garnished with chopped onions and cilantro, served with a lime wedge on parchment paper.

4.67 from 3 votes

Learn how to make 🌮🎉🧀 Beef Birria in a Slow Cooker that rivals a Mexican restaurant! Beef simmers in a chile-based broth which infuses it with smoky flavor and makes it incredibly tender!

Use the birria to make the BEST birria tacos or quesabirria tacos complete with juicy birra, melted cheese, onions, and cilantro. Truly magnificent!

The birria recipe makes enough to make about 18 average-sized tacos.

Prep Time25

Cook Time5

Course: Dinner, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: beef birria, birria tacos, quesabirria tacos, slow cooker beef birria

Servings:

Calories: 237cal

Equipment

kitchen scissors
6-quart slow cooker OR
7-quart slow cooker
large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron; or heavy duty)
digital thermometer
immersion blender OR
high speed blender
nonstick skillet

Ingredients

Birria

2 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
2 dried California chiles stems and seeds removed
3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can, add more peppers or sauce if you want it spicier)
3 cups beef broth (I use reduced sodium)
14 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
½ large white onion diced small
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular paprika)
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular dried oregano)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
2.5-3 pounds beef tender roast or chuck roast

Birria Tacos or Quesabirria Tacos

16 to 18 average corn tortillas (corn is traditional although in a pinch, you can sub with flour tortillas if necessary)
2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese (shredded quesadilla cheese is the closest/best substitute; but shredded mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack cheeses may be substituted)
1 cup white onion finely diced or as needed, plus more for garnishing if desired
⅔ cup fresh cilantro finely minced or as needed, plus more for garnishing if desired
lime wedges for serving
salsa, pickled red onions, radishes, avocado optional garnishing ideas

Instructions

Birria - Rinse the dried chiles under water to clean them, pat dry, and using a sharp, heavy-duty kitchen scissors (I find scissors easier than a knife but you can use a sharp knife instead), cut the stems off the chiles, cut down the middle to reveal the seeds and then shake and scape to remove the seeds. You don't have to get every last seed. Tip - If you want the birria to be a bit spicier, leave some seeds. Place all the seeded chiles into a the ceramic insert of your slow cooker.
Add all the remaining ingredients, through bay leaves, into the slow cooker, and whisk to combine. Set aside momentarily.
To a large skillet (I like cast iron or stainless steel skillets that are heavy duty), add the oil, heat over medium-high heat until it's shimmering and hot, and then add the beef.
Sear the beef on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice crust forms.
Place the seared beef roast into the slow cooker and generously spoon the sauce over the roast.
Cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours OR on LOW for 7-8 hours. Periodically, flip the roast over so that both sides absorb the liquid; I'd say flip it 3-4 times total.
Cooking Tips - If you have the time, cooking on LOW heat is slightly preferred to really render out the fat in the meat and tenderize it to the max. However, if you want to cook on HIGH, it's fine and your meat will still be tender. Beef is done when it shreds very easily with two forks, and gives no resistance. If it does, cook it for a bit longer. If measuring doneness using a thermometer, it needs to read at least 190F but going up to 200-202F will make the meat a bit more tender and easier to shred. All slow cookers vary in their heat output and so cooking time will vary, especially on a big piece of meat like this. The temperature of your kitchen, how many times you lift the lid, and other factors will also impact cooking time. Cook until it's falling-apart-tender, whatever that means on the clock.
When the beef is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker, place it on a cutting board, and shred it using two forks. Place the shredded meat in a large bowl; set aside momentarily.
Using a handheld immersion blender, blend the chiles and other ingredients that are in your slow cooker until smooth. Alternatively, you can transfer everything into the canister of a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Taste and make sure you like the flavor. If desired, add additional salt, pepper, etc., to taste.
Pour about half of the blended liquid or sauce over the shredded meat, tossing it well, and allowing it to absorb evenly. The other half is the consommé that you drink or you can dunk your tacos into it. Set the consommé aside.
If you want to eat the beef birria just like this, it's ready! Consider garnishing it with diced white onions, cilantro, and some squeezes of fresh lime juice.
Birria Tacos - Warm the tortillas lightly in a dry skillet, add a generous portion of birria to the center, and garnish as desired with onions, cilantro, lime juice, and serve with consommé on the side. Garnish your consommé con todo (onions, cilantro, lime juice) or as desired. You may also want to add additional salt to it, if desired.
Quesabirria Tacos - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the birria broth and then place on the skillet.
Add shredded beef to one side, followed by some cheese, a sprinkle of onions and cilantro.
Fold in half and allow each side to crisp up, about 2-3 minutes per side. Once you get going, you can get a few in the skillet at the same time.
Garnish as desired with onions, cilantro, lime juice, and serve with consommé on the side. Garnish your consommé con todo (onions, cilantro, lime juice) or as desired. You may also want to add additional salt to it, if desired.

Notes

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Leftover birria will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I store the extra broth/consommé separately from the meat (recommended). However, you can store them together if you want the meat to be super juicy, and more like a stew.

Freezer: Leftover birria will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. When freezing, store the meat and extra broth/consommé separately. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat as desired.

To Reheat the Meat and Extra Broth/Consommé: I use my microwave for quickness and ease and reheat leftover birria meat for about 30 seconds on high, and then heat up the broth separately, for about 1 minute.

To Make Quesabirria Tacos with Leftover Meat: I warm up the meat in a skillet on the stove, then dip a corn tortilla into the birria broth, place it in the skillet, add the warmed meat, cheese, onions, cilantro, fold, crisp it up on both sides, garnish as desired, and serve, preferably with consommé on the side.

Nutrition