Slow Cooker Birria Tacos {Shredded Beef}

Slow Cooker Birria Tacos served on a wooden platter with cilantro, sauce, limes, and onions.

Slow Cooker Birria Tacos are my go-to Sunday recipe! Filled with spicy shredded beef, melted cheese, cilantro, and onions in a crispy fried corn tortilla, then dipped in stewed beef consommé, these tacos are bursting with authentic Mexican flavors. I make them over and over again—they’re that good!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 10 10

Servings servings

Calories 874kcal

Author Jessica (swankyrecipes.com)

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

US Customary - Metric

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