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Crockpot Mexican Birria

Crockpot Mexican birria is slow-cooked beef in a deep red chile consomé, then shredded for saucy, tortilla-dip servings. The chile base is blended smooth and cooked low until fall-apart tender, with crispy griddle tortillas and melty Oaxaca or mozzarella.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and chile consommé
  • 3 lb beef chuck or short ribs Choose chuck for rich flavor or short ribs for extra tenderness.
  • 4 dried guajillo chiles Stemmed and seeded.
  • 2 dried ancho chiles Stemmed and seeded.
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo Include adobo sauce.
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes Canned.
  • 1 onion Quartered.
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • Salt and pepper to taste Season the beef and adjust the sauce as needed.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Toast and soften chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side, until fragrant and slightly darker.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in boiling water for 15 minutes, until softened and pliable.
Blend the chile consomé base
  1. Blend the softened chiles with diced tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and cinnamon until smooth.
Slow-cook the beef
  1. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then place it in the crockpot and pour the chile sauce over.
  2. Cook on Low for 7-8 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Crisp birria tortillas and serve
  1. Shred the beef in the consomé so it stays coated in the deep red chile broth.
  2. Dip tortillas in the consomé, fill with shredded beef and Oaxaca or mozzarella, then griddle in a skillet until the tortillas are crispy.
  3. Serve with extra consomé for dipping alongside diced onion, cilantro, and lime.

Notes

For the smoothest consomé, blend until fully silky and strain only if you prefer a finer texture. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the flavors deepen overnight. Freeze for up to 3 months (freeze consomé and shredded beef separately from tortillas if possible). For a dairy-free swap, use shredded dairy-free mozzarella or omit cheese and add extra beef for richness.