These spicy, savory, chili laden Slow Cooker Birria Tacos {Shredded Beef} have a deep, smoky flavor and are cooked until the meat is fall apart tender, and juicy. They are sure to impress and are just the perfect meal for your family or to serve at your next get together. I had my very first Birria taco is New Orleans at a restaurant called Tacos and Beer. Since then, I’ve enjoyed them all throughout Mexico as well.
What is a Birria Taco
How tacos de birria differ from a regular taco? In Birria tacos, the tortilla is filled with stewed meat, slow cooked in a pot on the stovetop, oven, or crock pot in a barrage of chiles and spices. The very name “birria” means exquisite savory dish, full of culture and tradition, and is a traditional and classic Mexican dish. It is only recently that it has exploded in popularity in the United States. Traditionally, it is made with a mixture of lamb, and pork, but in the United States, it is commonly made with beef from a cow.
Traditionally, tacos in Mexico are made with beef, pork, veal, lamb, or chicken. Carne Asada tacos are typically made with beef, cilantro, onions, freshly squeezed lime juice, plus a super spicy sauce or salsa. In the United States, ground beef is used with a Mexican seasoning made with cumin., Flour tortilla shells are filled with ground chuck beef, cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, and green lettuce. Birria Tacos are very different than typical tacos you’ll find on restaurant menus. They are very famous across social media for a reason. They are unbelievably delicious and tasty and a cross between a quesadilla and taco.
How to Make Birria Tacos
- Prepare all the peppers by cutting the tops and removing the seeds.
- Blend spices, and tomatoes together until smooth.
- Place beef chuck roast in crockpot.
- Pour in birria sauce and water.
- Add bay leaves, and vegetable oil.
- Slow cook on low for 10 hours or until fork tender.
- Shred beef in bowl.
- Pour in a little of the stewed juices.
- Dip tortilla in sauce and fry or place shredded cheese on corn tortilla, flip and fry the cheese on the skillet.
- Top with shredded beef, quesadilla cheese, cilantro, onions, and lime juice.
- Serve with a bowl of the stewed beef consommé.
Ingredients in Birria Tacos
Meat: I use beef chuck roast. Brisket or a sirloin roast may also be used. The meat will be tender after slow cooking and fall apart nicely. This recipe calls for chuck roast. I love this cut of meat because it soaks up all the simple and complex flavors. If you love heat, you will love this dish
Peppers: I use a variety of peppers such as ancho, guajillo, and arbol chile peppers. These peppers can be found at most Mexican grocery stores, or online. They are dried peppers and not fresh produce..
Spices: Whole round black peppercorns, a cinnamon stick (you’ll need a food processor for this one, or it can be shaved with a food grater) chili powder, cumin, paprika, bay leaves, and garlic bring several layers of taste to this delicious taco.
Vegetables: Roma tomatoes, and onion.
Citrus: Freshly squeezed lemon juice just at the end of cooking compliments the stew very well. In addition, I like to squeeze lime juice on my tacos before serving. The citrus flavor brightens up the flavors well and help to cut through some of the heat. I highly recommend using lime juice to top it all off.
Cheese: A variety of cheeses may be used here. First, if you can find quesadilla cheese shredded I’d stick with that. My second option is oaxaca cheese. It melts very nicely. Other cheeses to use should be soft white melting cheeses such as quesadilla queso cheese, asadero cheese, or mozzarella cheese. In addition, I like to fry the tortilla shells with cheese. Cacique brand cheese has all of these flavor cheeses available.
Tortilla: I use corn tortillas. I enjoy the fresh flavor of white or yellow corn. Typically, corn tortillas are smaller than large flour tortillas. Use either corn or flour tortillas for this recipe.
Making the Shell Crispy
Tacos de birria have a signature crispy shell. To achieve this, in a nonstick pan, oil the pan, lay down the tortilla, top it with shredded cheese, flip it, let it get nice and golden brown and crunchy. Top the upward facing side with shredded beef, cilantro, onion, and lime juice then fold it in half.
Some people like to dip the tortilla shell in the sauce and fry both sides until it’s nice and crispy then load it with shredded beef, cheese, and toppings. This is another way to do it but I had trouble with the corn tortillas sticking to the pan.
Meats to Use in Tacos
Typically, birria tacos are made with lamb or goat meat in Mexico. However, since becoming famous in the United States, they are typically made with beef brisket, beef chuck roast, or a beef sirloin roast.
I have even made it on the stove top in 2 hours with a similar amount of chicken breast. All these versions are very delicious. Use whichever meat you prefer.
Common Questions for Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
Q: What cut of meat is used for Slow Cooker Birria Tacos?
A: bone-in or boneless beef chuck roast would be the best. You could also use a leaner beef too, however it would change some of the flavor.
A: Birria sauce is typically made from a blend of dried chilies such as guajillo, ancho, and pasilla, as well as garlic, onions, vinegar, cumin, cloves, and other spices. The ingredients are blended together (typically either in a blender or a food processor) to make a rich, flavorful sauce that is perfect for slow-cooking meat like beef.
A: Yes, you can definitely drink the birria broth! In fact, it’s one of the highlights of the dish. The broth is made by simmering the beef with the birria sauce, which results in a rich, flavorful liquid that is perfect for dipping or sipping. You can serve the birria tacos with a side of broth for dipping or pour some into a cup and enjoy it as a savory soup. It’s up to you!
A: Leftover birria consome (broth) can be used in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas:
Drink it as a savory soup. The consome is rich and flavorful, and it’s perfect for sipping on its own.
Use it as a base for other soups and stews. The consome can be used as a base for other Mexican soups such as pozole, menudo or sopa de fideo.
Use it to make rice or quinoa. Instead of using water to cook your rice or quinoa, use the consome instead for an extra burst of flavor.
Freeze it for later. If you have a lot of leftover consome, you can freeze it in an airtight container for later use. Just defrost it when you’re ready to use it again.
Make birria tacos again! You can use the leftover consome to dip your birria tacos or add some extra flavor to the meat when reheating.
A: If your birria is too bitter, it could be due to a few reasons:
Overcooked chilies: If you used dried chilies to make your birria sauce, it’s possible that you overcooked them, which can result in a bitter taste. To avoid this, make sure to soak the chilies in hot water just until they are soft enough to blend, and then blend them into a smooth sauce without overcooking them.
Burnt spices: Over-toasting or burning the spices used in the birria sauce can result in a bitter flavor.
Be sure to toast the spices just enough to bring out their flavors, but not so much that they burn.
Low-quality chilies: The quality of the dried chilies you use can also affect the flavor of your birria. Low-quality chilies may have a bitter taste to begin with, so be sure to use fresh, high-quality chilies for the best flavor.
Too much cinnamon: Some birria recipes call for cinnamon, which can add a warm and spicy flavor. However, using too much cinnamon can result in a bitter taste. If you think this might be the problem, try reducing the amount of cinnamon next time you make the recipe.
To fix the bitterness, you can try adding a little bit of sweetness, such as a small amount of sugar or honey, to balance out the flavor. You can also try adding a bit of acid, such as lime juice, to cut through the bitterness. Start with small amounts until the taste is balanced to your liking.
A: Yes, you can definitely cook beef birria in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Using a pressure cooker can actually speed up the cooking process and still result in tender, flavorful meat. Here’s how you can adapt your slow cooker beef birria taco recipe for the pressure cooker:
Sear the beef on the sauté setting of the pressure cooker or in a separate skillet, as you would in the slow cooker recipe.
Add the birria sauce and beef broth to the pressure cooker, along with any additional spices and seasonings.
Close the pressure cooker lid and set the valve to “sealing.”
Cook on high pressure for about 45-60 minutes, depending on the size and cut of the beef. For example, if you’re using beef chuck roast, you may need to cook for 60-70 minutes.
Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure naturally release for about 10-15 minutes, and then manually release any remaining pressure.
Shred the beef and serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings, along with the birria consome (broth) on the side.
A: To store leftover birria tacos, follow these steps:
Remove any toppings or condiments from the tacos.
Place the tacos in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
Store the container or wrapped tacos in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat the tacos, you can either microwave them for a few seconds or reheat them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, until they are heated through.
To store leftover birria consome (broth), follow these steps:
Let the broth cool to room temperature.
Pour the broth into an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.
Store the container or bag of broth in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat the broth, heat it in a pot over medium heat on the stove until it is heated through.
When reheating both the tacos and the broth, make sure to reheat them to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are safe to eat.
Other Mexican Recipes You’ll Love
- Carne Asada Tacos
- Queso Dip
- Ranch Beef Tacos
- Guacamole
- Instant Pot Tacos
- Classic margaritas
- Mexican Street Corn
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos {Shredded Beef}
Ingredients
- 4 ancho chile peppers (dried, seeds removed)
- 4 guajillo chile peppers (dried, seeds removed)
- 2 chiles de arbol (optional for spice)
- 7 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 white onion (roughly chopped)
- 4 roma tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 20 black peppercorn
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 3½ lb beef chuck roast
- 1 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1½ lemons (juiced)
- 16 oz oaxaca cheese (see notes for other variations)
- corn tortillas
- 3 limes (juiced)
Instructions
- Cut chile tops off and remove the seeds with a knife or spoon.
- In a food processor, combine chiles, garlic cloves, white onion, roma tomatoes, cinnamon stick, peppercorn, chili powder, cumin, and paprika.
- Blend or pulse until ingredients are nearly smooth and well blended.
- Place beef chuck roast in crock pot.
- Pour in birria sauce mixture.
- Add 1 cup water to the top.
- Add in 2 bay leaves and 3 tablespoons vegetable oil.
- Slow cook on low for 10 hours or until fork tender.
- Shred meat in a bowl using two forks.
- Add 1 cup birria sauce from the slow cooker to the bowl. Save the remaining sauce for later.
- To prepare the tacos, add a corn tortilla to a medium hot skillet.
- Birria tacos have a signature crispy shell. To achieve this, in a nonstick pan, oil the pan, lay down the tortilla, top it with shredded cheese, flip it, let it get nice and golden brown and crunchy. Top the upward facing side with shredded beef, cilantro, onion, and lime juice then fold it in half.
- Pour slow cooker sauce into a bowl and serve tacos with sauce to dip it into.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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