Slow Cooker Beef Birria Tacos (Printable Version)
Tender beef braised with aromatic spices, served with crispy tortillas and rich consommé for dipping.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1.1 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
→ Chiles & Aromatics
03 - 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
05 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
06 - 1 white onion, quartered
07 - 6 garlic cloves, peeled
08 - 3 Roma tomatoes, halved
→ Spices & Seasonings
09 - 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
10 - 1 tablespoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
13 - 4 whole cloves
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional to taste
→ Liquids
16 - 4 cups beef broth
17 - 2 cups water
18 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
→ For Tacos
19 - 18 small corn tortillas
20 - 1 cup diced white onion
21 - 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 2 limes, cut into wedges
23 - 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese (optional)
24 - Vegetable oil for frying
# How to Make It:
01 - Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes.
02 - Using the same skillet, roast quartered onion, peeled garlic cloves, and halved Roma tomatoes until charred, approximately 8 minutes.
03 - Drain soaked chiles and add to a blender with charred vegetables, cumin seeds, oregano, ground cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until smooth.
04 - Place beef chunks and short ribs into the slow cooker. Pour chile sauce over beef. Add bay leaves, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, remaining beef broth, and water. Stir gently to combine.
05 - Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours, until beef is very tender and shreds easily.
06 - Remove beef from slow cooker, shred with two forks, and discard bones. Skim fat from consommé, reserving some for frying. Strain consommé if desired and keep warm.
07 - Heat reserved fat or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Briefly dip tortillas into consommé, then place on skillet. Add shredded beef and cheese if using, folding each tortilla in half. Cook until lightly crisped.
08 - Serve tacos hot, topped with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges alongside a cup of hot consommé for dipping.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The consommé is pure comfort—rich, deeply flavorful, and perfect for dunking every single bite.
- Eight hours of slow cooking means the beef becomes so tender it practically melts on your tongue.
- It's actually easier than it sounds; the slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you live your life.
- One batch feeds a crowd and tastes even better as leftovers, making it perfect for meal prep.
02 -
- Don't skip charring the onion and tomatoes; that caramelization is what separates a good birria from an unforgettable one.
- If your consommé tastes a bit flat after cooking, the apple cider vinegar is your fix—it brightens everything and makes the flavors pop.
- Save and reserve some of the fat from the top of the broth; it's liquid gold for frying your tortillas and makes them crispy in a way oil alone never will.
03 -
- If you don't have a slow cooker, braise this covered in the oven at 325°F for the same 8 hours—the results are nearly identical.
- The key to crispy-edged tacos is getting your consommé and oil hot enough; timid heat means soggy tortillas, and nobody wants that.