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Crock Pot Birria Tacos Recipe

4.9 from 66 reviews

This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe offers a rich, tender, and flavorful beef stew slow-cooked with dried chilies, spices, and aromatics, then crisped up in tortillas for an authentic Mexican street food experience. Perfectly spiced and accompanied by fresh cilantro and onion, these tacos deliver a satisfying and hearty meal with the convenience of slow cooker preparation.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Broth

  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Chili Sauce

  • 3 dried guajillo chilies, stems and seeds removed
  • 2 dried ancho chilies, stems and seeds removed
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

Spices and Seasonings

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For Serving and Assembling

  • Corn tortillas
  • Oil for frying
  • Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • Diced onion, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Soak and Blend Chilies: Soak the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in hot water for 15 minutes until softened. Then, transfer them to a blender and add the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and canned diced tomatoes. Blend until the mixture becomes smooth and uniform in texture.
  2. Prepare Slow Cooker: Place the beef chuck roast chunks into the crockpot. Pour the blended chili sauce over the beef. Add beef broth, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, ground cumin, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
  3. Slow Cook the Beef: Cover and cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beef becomes very tender and easily shreds with a fork. Alternatively, you can cook on high for 5 to 6 hours if short on time.
  4. Shred the Beef: Remove the beef chunks from the crockpot and shred the meat using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the crockpot and mix well with the cooking sauce to absorb all the flavors.
  5. Prepare Tortillas: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Using tongs, dip each corn tortilla quickly into the top fat layer of the cooking broth to coat it lightly, then fry the tortilla in the hot oil until crispy and golden on both sides.
  6. Assemble and Fry Tacos: Place a portion of the shredded beef mixture onto a fried tortilla, fold the tortilla over the filling, and fry again briefly on each side until the taco is crispy and sealed.
  7. Serve: Serve the birria tacos hot with a side of the cooking broth from the crockpot for dipping. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and diced onion as desired. Enjoy your authentic and flavorful meal!

Notes

  • Cooking on Low for 8-10 hours results in more tender meat compared to cooking on High for 5-6 hours.
  • If guajillo or ancho chilies are not available, substitute with a combination of dried chipotle and New Mexico chilies for a similar smoky and mild flavor.
  • Leftover beef mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days.
  • Assembled tacos stored in the refrigerator will lose crispiness and become soft over time.

Keywords: Birria Tacos, Beef Tacos, Slow Cooker Tacos, Mexican Recipe, Crock Pot Birria, Spicy Beef Tacos