Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe delivers tender, flavorful shredded beef cooked slowly in a rich, smoky chili sauce. Perfectly spiced with a blend of dried guajillo and ancho chilies, garlic, and oregano, the beef is slow-cooked to melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Served in crispy fried corn tortillas and accompanied by the savory broth for dipping, these tacos offer an authentic and comforting Mexican experience with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Broth
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chili Sauce
- 3 dried guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (canned)
Serving
- Corn tortillas, for frying and serving
- Vegetable oil, for frying tortillas
- Optional garnishes: chopped onions, cilantro, lime wedges, shredded cheese, radishes
Instructions
- Soften and blend chilies: Soak the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in hot water for 15 minutes until they are soft and pliable. Drain and transfer to a blender along with chopped onion, garlic cloves, and diced tomatoes. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, forming a vibrant chili sauce.
- Prepare the Crock Pot: Place the beef chuck roast chunks into the Crock Pot. Pour the blended chili sauce over the beef. Add beef broth, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to combine flavors without breaking the meat.
- Slow cook the beef: Cover the Crock Pot and set it to cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. The beef should become tender enough to shred easily with a fork, absorbing all the rich flavors of the sauce.
- Shred the meat: Once cooked, use two forks to shred the beef directly in the Crock Pot, mixing the shredded meat thoroughly into the sauce for maximum flavor distribution.
- Fry the tortillas: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry corn tortillas one at a time in the hot oil until they become crispy and slightly golden on both sides. Drain excess oil on paper towels.
- Assemble and serve: Fill the crispy tortillas with the shredded beef mixture. Serve with sides of the cooking broth for dipping and garnish with your choice of chopped onions, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, or shredded cheese for a perfect finishing touch.
Notes
- To enhance the flavor, you can toast the dried chilies lightly in a dry skillet before soaking them.
- If you prefer less spice, remove all the seeds from the chilies before blending.
- Leftover birria beef can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the sauce to keep it moist.
- For a healthier option, bake tortillas in the oven instead of frying.
- Serve with pickled red onions or a side of Mexican rice for a complete meal.
