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Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

Slow Cooker Birria Tacos made with a blended guajillo-ancho chile sauce and long, low braise for fall-apart beef. Dip crispy corn tortillas in reserved red consommé fat and serve with warm consommé for a rich, melty quesabirria-style bite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and aromatics
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast
  • 1 large onion quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Chiles and sauce
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Taco assembly
  • 0.5 corn tortillas shredded (use enough for 8 servings)
  • 0.5 shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese diced and for filling
  • 1 white onion diced for serving
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 1 reserved red fat from consommé for dipping tortillas

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Toast and soak the chiles
  1. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side until fragrant, then transfer to a bowl of hot water and soak for 15 minutes before draining.
  2. Return the drained chiles to the blender setup so they’re ready to blend while you prep the other ingredients.
Blend the birria sauce
  1. Blend the soaked chiles, chipotle pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and salt until completely smooth.
Braise the beef in the slow cooker
  1. Place the beef in the slow cooker with the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, then pour the chile sauce over everything to coat.
  2. Cook on low for 8–10 hours until the beef is completely fall-apart tender.
Shred and prep the consommé fat
  1. Remove the beef and shred with two forks, then discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
  2. Skim the red fat from the surface of the consommé and reserve it in a bowl.
Make crispy tacos (quesabirria style)
  1. Dip corn tortillas into the reserved red fat, then fill with shredded beef and shredded cheese and fold.
  2. Cook the filled tacos on a hot griddle until crispy on both sides.
Serve
  1. Serve the tacos with warm consommé for dipping, topping with diced white onion and fresh cilantro.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the griddle hot so the dipped tortillas crisp quickly and don’t turn soggy. Refrigerate leftover beef and consommé separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days; reheat consommé gently and re-crisp tacos in a skillet. Freezing: freeze shredded beef and consommé up to 3 months (tortillas are best fresh). For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and skim more fat during chilling before reheating.