Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
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Slow cooker birria tacos are the kind of meal that makes any taco night feel extra special. With tender shredded beef simmered in a rich birria sauce made from dried chiles, beef broth, garlic cloves, and warm spices in your slow cooker or crock pot. I love easy throw and go recipes that require very little hands-on work.
The slow cooking process transforms a simple beef chuck roast into the most tender meat, perfect for folding into crispy tortillas with melted cheese.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Set it and forget it: The slow cooker method lets the crockpot do the work while you get on with your busy weeknight. I like to make the meat and sauce a day ahead and put the tacos together the next day.
- Delicious flavor: Chiles, chipotle in adobo, and a splash of apple cider vinegar give the braising liquid depth and tang.
- Restaurant-style at home: Birria tacos with golden brown, crispy corn tortillas taste just like what you’d find at taco trucks.
- Mexican Fiesta Ready: Corn tortillas give the most authentic birria de res experience, but flour tortillas can be used if that’s what you have from the grocery store.
Ingredients for crock pot birria tacos
- Boneless chuck roast
- Oil, for searing the roast
- Salt and pepper
- Dried guajillo chiles
- Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- Red onion, sliced thin
- Cloves of garlic, minced
- Beef stock
- Tomato sauce
- Fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Apple cider vinegar
- Ground cumin
- Dried oregano
- Smoked paprika
- Ginger paste
- Ground coriander
- Cinnamon stick
- Bay leaves
- For the tacos – corn tortillas, Mexican cheese, cilantro, if desired
Equipment and kitchen tools
- skillet (for searing and finishing the tacos
- slow cooker
- immersion blender (recommended)
- tongs
How to make this birria tacos recipe
Step 1 – In a large skillet, add some oil and set on medium heat. Add the beef roast and sear on all sides for 2-3 minutes. This will lock in the juices and add to the flavor. Add the seared roast to your crockpot
Step 2 – Take the dried chiles, cut off the stems, and remove the seeds. Add the chiles, chipotle chiles, onion,beef stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings to the crock pot. beef stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings to the crock pot and cook.
Step 3 – Remove the beef and shred it in a separate dish,
Step 4 – Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce.
Step 5 – Return the shredded beef to the sauce.
Step 6 – Let simmer and prepare to pu the tacos together,
Step 7 – Heat a small amount of oil in the skillet. Dip the tortillas into the sauce, and fry.
Step 8 – Carefully add some of the beef, and a Mexican cheese. Fold the tacos over and cook until cheese is melty.
Raquel’s Time Saving Tips
- Sear the beef first – Start with oil in a cast iron skillet or frying pan. Searing over medium-high heat locks in flavor before slow cooking.
- Don’t rush the sauce: Blend the cooking liquid with an immersion blender until smooth before adding the shredded beef back in.
- Use crock pot liners for easy clean up. Honestly these save you in clean up time.
- Double tortillas: For sturdier tacos, stack two yellow or white corn tortillas and dip the side of the tortilla in the sauce before frying.
- Go low and slow: Low heat for 7–8 hours creates succulent beef that shreds beautifully. High pressure or an instant pot can speed things up, but slow cooking brings out birria’s signature flavors.
Substitutions and Variations
- Meat options: Short ribs, chicken, or even pork can be subbed in this recipe. In Mexico, they sometimes make it with goat meat but I don’t cook with goat meat.
- Different chiles: Ancho chilies, dried chilis, or fresh tomatoes with green chiles can change up the heat and balance.
- Cheese choices: Oaxaca cheese melts beautifully, but cotija or any melty Mexican cheese works well.
- Dutch Oven or Instant Pot -You can also make this in a Dutch oven or pressure cooker.
FAQs About This Recipe
Yes, store the birria meat and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently before making tacos.
Substitute with ancho chilies or dried chilis from your grocery store. The smoky flavors will still come through.
Frying makes them crispy tortillas, which is the best thing about quesabirria tacos. If you prefer, you can use soft tortillas straight from the package.
Yes, flour tortillas are less traditional but still delicious with shredded beef and melted cheese.
Traditional birria tacos are often made with goat meat or lamb. This version, a beef birria recipe, is birria de res. It keeps the spirit of authentic birria taco recipes while using beef chuck roast, which is easier to find.
Besides tacos, try it in birria stew, birria ramen, or as a topping for nachos. The shredded beef
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Serving Suggestions
Serve your tacos with fresh pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and a cup of the sauce for dipping. This dish goes great with corn bread or homemade guacamole.
What To Make Next
If you love taco-inspired dinners, my Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing and Doritos, Chili Relleno Casserole with Ground Beef, and Easy Taco Cups for more fun family favorites.
More delicious Beef recipes
Easy Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 boneless chuck roast about 2-2 1/2 lbs
- Oil for searing the roast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 dried guajillo chiles
- 5-6 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 1 red onion sliced thin
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 32 ounces beef stock
- 4 oz. tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Add oil to a large skillet, and heat over medium heat.
- Once oil is heated, generously salt and pepper both sides of the chuck roast.
- Sear on all sides for 2-3 minutes
- Add the seared roast to your crockpot.
- Take the dried chiles, cut off the stems, and remove the seeds.
- Add the chiles, chipotle chiles, onion, and garlic to the crock pot.
- Next, add the beef stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and seasonings to the crock pot.
- Cook on low for 8 hours, preferably, or on high for 4-5. The roast should temp at about 200-210 in order for it to be tender enough to shred.
- Once ready, remove the roast from the crockpot, and shred.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the pot, and discard.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce.
- Add the meat back to the pot.
- Alternatively, you can allow the sauce to cool, and blend in a blender. You’ll return everything to the crockpot and reheat on warm.
- To make the tacos, use corn tortillas.
- Heat a small amount of oil in your skillet.
- Dip the tortillas into the sauce, and fry.
- Carefully add some of the beef, and a Mexican cheese of your choice, Oaxaca or cotija are good options.
- Fold the tacos over, until cheese is melty.
- **Tip, for sturdier tacos, you can double up the tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
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