Description
This Crock Pot Birria Tacos recipe offers a flavorful and tender Mexican-inspired dish made by slow-cooking beef chuck roast with a rich chili sauce, then serving the shredded meat in crispy fried corn tortillas garnished with fresh cilantro and diced onions. Perfect for an easy, comforting meal with authentic taste and minimal hands-on cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Marinade
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
- 3 dried guajillo chilies
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Tacos and Garnishes
- Corn tortillas, as needed
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola oil recommended)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- Diced onion, for garnish
Instructions
- Soak Chilies: Place the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a bowl with hot water and let them soak for about 15 minutes until they become soft and pliable.
- Blend Sauce: Drain the softened chilies and add them to a blender along with quartered onion, garlic cloves, and the canned diced tomatoes. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined.
- Prepare Crock Pot: Arrange the beef chuck roast chunks in the bottom of your crock pot or slow cooker. Pour the blended chili sauce evenly over the meat.
- Add Seasonings and Broth: Pour in the beef broth and stir in apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, ground cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Gently stir to combine the ingredients without displacing the meat too much.
- Slow Cook: Cover the crock pot with the lid and set it to cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours. The beef should become very tender and easy to shred.
- Shred Beef: When cooking is complete, remove the beef pieces and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the crock pot and mix it thoroughly with the remaining sauce to absorb more flavor.
- Fry Tortillas: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, fry the corn tortillas one at a time until they become crispy but still pliable, about 30 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels.
- Assemble Tacos: Spoon the shredded beef mixture onto each fried tortilla, fold them, and serve immediately topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion. Optionally, serve with extra sauce from the crock pot on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Soaking chilies helps unlock their deep flavors and softens them for blending.
- Adjust salt and spices to taste depending on your preferences.
- Using beef chuck roast ensures tender, flavorful meat after slow cooking.
- Frying the tortillas adds a crispy texture that complements the juicy beef filling.
- Leftover birria can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
