These Crockpot birria tacos are made with fall-apart tender beef, crispy pan-fried tortillas, and rich consommé for dipping. This easy slow cooker birria taco recipe cooks low and slow for 8 hours, giving you restaurant-quality birria tacos with minimal hands-on work.
I created this recipe for home cooks who want authentic birria tacos without spending hours at the stove. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, and my Mexican street corn salad recipe makes the perfect side for an easy taco night.
Recipe Summary: Crockpot Birria Tacos
- ✅ Recipe Name: Crockpot Birria Tacos
- 🕒 Ready In: 8 hours, 30 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 12 (easy to scale)
- 🍽 Calories: 177 per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Beef chuck roast, dried guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, beef broth, onion
- 📖 Dietary Info: Slow cooker recipe, make-ahead friendly, freezer-friendly
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Rich, authentic flavor with tender shredded beef and crispy tacos, all with minimal hands-on work.
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My first encounter with the internet-famous birria tacos happened on an impromptu weekend trip with friends to check out the Mi Pueblito Tacos truck in Philly. When I agreed to head downtown for tacos, I never expected to wait in line for more than two hours.
But the moment I took my first bite: hunched over the hood of a Toyota Camry on a random street corner, it all made sense. The crispy tortillas, tender beef, and rich consommé were unforgettable, and I knew I had to recreate that experience at home with an easy slow cooker version. If you're as taco-obsessed as I am, my taco skillet is another weeknight favorite.
"I often hesitate to order Birria at restaurants because it has to be made just right, and I have to say this was perfect. My partner also gave it endless praise". - KP ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Why you'll love this recipe
- Rich, authentic flavor. Searing the beef before it slow cooks creates deep, caramelized flavor, while the dried chiles and spices build a rich, savory consommé.
- Easy slow cooker recipe. Once the beef is seared, the Crockpot does the rest, giving you fall-apart tender beef with minimal hands-on work.
- Customizable consommé. Blend the sauce for a thicker, richer consistency or strain it for a traditional consommé that's perfect for dipping.
What is Birria?
Birria (or birria de res) is a traditional Mexican beef stew slow-cooked with dried chiles and spices until the meat is incredibly tender. In this Crockpot Birria recipe, the flavorful consommé doubles as both the braising liquid and the dipping sauce for crispy birria tacos.
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Ingredients
- Boneless beef chuck roast. The best cut for slow cooker birria thanks to its rich marbling. It becomes fall-apart tender after hours of slow cooking, making it perfect for shredding. Boneless short ribs are another great option. If you love slow-cooked recipes, my crockpot bbq pork iis another easy way to turn a tougher cut of meat into something incredibly tender.
- Dried guajillo chiles. Mild, smoky, and full of flavor, these dried chiles create the signature rich consommé without adding much heat. Most grocery stores carry them in the international aisle, or you can order them online. For even deeper flavor, toast them in a dry skillet for 1–2 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker. No soaking is needed.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo. Add smoky heat and extra depth to the broth. You'll only use a few peppers, so freeze the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Cinnamon stick. Infuse the consommé with subtle warmth and complexity as it cooks. Remove and discard before serving. A whole cinnamon stick work much better than ground cinnamon for this recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar. Balances the richness of the beef and chile sauce with a touch of acidity, giving the consommé a brighter, more balanced flavor.
See the recipe card at the end for the full list of ingredients with the quantities.
Variations
| Make it milder. | Remove the seeds from the dried guajillo chiles and use fewer chipotle peppers in adobo for less heat. |
| Use another cut of beef. | Boneless short ribs are a great substitute for chuck roast and become just as tender. |
| Make quesabirria. | Add Oaxaca cheese before the beef for cheesy, crispy birria tacos. |
| Blend or strain the consommé. | Blend it for a thicker, richer sauce or strain it for a traditional dipping broth. |
How to make Crockpot Birria Tacos
- Step 1: Sear the beef. Season the chuck roast and brown it on all sides in a hot skillet to build deeper flavor.
- Step 2: Add everything to the slow cooker. Place the seared beef in the Crockpot with the dried chiles, onion, garlic, chipotle peppers, broth, vinegar, and spices.
- Step 3: Cook until tender. Cover and cook on Low for about 8 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender and shreds easily.
- Step 4: Shred the beef. Transfer the cooked beef to a cutting board or sheet pan, remove any large pieces of fat, and shred it with two forks. Remove the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, and discard.
- Step 5: Strain the consommé. For a more traditional dipping consommé, strain the cooking liquid instead of blending it. You can also blend half and leave half strained for a consistency somewhere in between.
- Step 6: Blend the consommé (optional). Blend the cooking liquid until smooth for a rich, flavorful sauce.
How to assemble the Crockpot Birria Tacos
- Step 7: Sauce your shredded beef. Ladle a bit of strained or blended consommé over the beef, and toss to combine.
- Step 8: Dip your tortillas. Dip the tortillas into the consommé until lightly coated.
- Step 9: Build your tacos. Layer on oaxaca cheese, sauced beef, finely diced onion, and cilantro leaves.
- Step 10: Fry the tacos. Fry your tacos over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Step 11: Gently fold over into a half-moon shape. Add a small ladle of consommé to the top of the tortilla.
- Step 12: Flip. Fry on the other side for 2-3 minutes until warm and crispy.
"Delicious! We have tried a few Birria recipes and haven’t liked any. Finally found one we love! And it was easy to prepare. I love smelling yummy food cooking in the slow cooker, and this smelled divine." - Rachael
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Expert Tips
- Sear the beef first. Browning the chuck roast before slow cooking creates a deeper, richer flavor in both the beef and the consommé.
- Blend safely. Let the cooking liquid cool slightly before blending, and work in batches. An immersion blender also works well.
- Customize the consommé. Blend the broth for a thicker, richer sauce, or strain it for a more traditional dipping consommé.
- Skim the fat (optional). If you prefer a lighter broth, skim some of the fat from the top before blending or serving.
Crockpot Birria Tacos FAQs
Beef chuck roast is my favorite cut because its marbling becomes fall-apart tender after hours in the slow cooker. Boneless beef short ribs are another excellent option, or you can use a combination of the two for even richer flavor.
Cook the birria on Low for about 8 hours or High for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is tender enough to shred easily with two forks. Cooking it low and slow creates the most flavorful consommé and the best texture for birria tacos.
Crispy birria tacos with consommé for dipping are the most popular way to enjoy it, but birria is also delicious in quesabirria, burritos, birria quesadillas, nachos, rice bowls, or simply served as a hearty stew with rice and beans. For a complete meal, serve with my Mexican street corn salad and finish with a spicy pineapple margarita.
Absolutely! Birria is a great make-ahead meal because the flavors continue to develop as it rests. Store the shredded beef and consommé together or separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Yes. If cinnamon isn't your favorite, you can omit the cinnamon sticks. I don't recommend substituting ground cinnamon, which can overpower the consommé.
If you tried these Crockpot Birria Tacos or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Crockpot Birria Tacos Recipe
Video
Equipment
- crockpot
- blender or immersion blender
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs boneless chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or neutral oil , (plus more for taco frying)
- coarse ground salt and fresh ground pepper
- 4 dried Guajillo chiles
- 5-6 Chipotle chilis in adobo (from a can)
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 whole cloves garlic, smashed
- 32 oz beef stock or beef broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 14.5 oz can Fire roasted diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup organic Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 dry bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp ground coriander
Tacos/fixings
- corn or flour tortillas
- lime wedges
- fresh cilantro leaves
- diced white onion
- shredded Oaxacan cheese (or Italian cheese/Mozzarella cheese)
Instructions
- Cooking the Beef/Consomme: 1. Heat avocado oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat for 4-5 minutes. 2. Liberally salt and pepper beef, add to hot skillet, and sear on both sides, 5-6 minutes a side. 3. Add beef to crockpot with remaining ingredients, and stir. Cook on low heat, covered, for 8 hours. 4. After 8 hours, remove beef to a rimmed baking sheet, and shred with 2 forks. 5. Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick from crockpot and discard. 6. Using a high powered blender or immersion blender, blend everything until a smooth sauce forms. ***If using a standard blender, allow liquid to cool to warm (don't blend piping hot liquid!), then carefully work in batches in the blender, being careful not to overfill. 7. Transfer sauce back to crockpot to keep warm. 8. Add 1 ½ to 2 cups of sauce to shredded beef and toss to coat. Tacos: 1. Dip doubled up tortilla into consomme, and lay flat in frying pan with a bit of avocado oil or neutral oil over medium heat. 2. To one half of the tortilla, add cheese, then meat, and top with diced onions and cilantro leaves. 3. Fry 2-3 minutes over medium heat, then flip other side to make a half moon. 4. Add a small ladle of consommé to the top of the tortilla. 5. Flip over, and fry 2-3 minutes more. **If not using cheese, 1 tortilla is fine.
Notes
- Customize the consommé. Blend the broth for a thicker, richer sauce, strain it for a traditional dipping consommé, or blend only half for a consistency somewhere in between.
- Dip, don't soak. Quickly dip each tortilla in the consommé before frying so it crisps up without becoming soggy.
- Use sturdy corn tortillas. Thicker white or yellow corn tortillas hold up best and develop the crispiest texture.
- For quesabirria. Add shredded Oaxaca cheese before the beef so it melts as the taco cooks.
- Instant Pot variation. Cut the beef into 2-inch chunks, sear, then pressure cook with the braising ingredients on High Pressure for 60 minutes followed by a natural release if time allows (or a manual release if needed). Shred the beef and prepare the consommé as directed.
Sharon says
I developed this recipe years ago after waiting hours in line for some great Birria tacos. Determined to find an easier way to make them at home, I succeeded with this ultra rich and delicious Birria that cooks itself low and low in the Crock Pot!
Jadrianna says
I dont typically leave comments on food stuff but I had to on this one. It was alot of work but let me tell you.......IT WAS WORTH EVERY ingredient. I have so much Consume left I dont know what to do with. Thank you for this recipe. Any suggestions on what to do with the leftover sauce? I over poured the bone broth LOL. thank you again.
Sharon says
I am so happy to hear this, Jadrianna- thank you for sharing! If you have a ton of consume left, you could use it to make Birria Ramen, simmer the meat and make some Birria Quesadillas, or freeze it for the next round!
Megan says
Please don't make the mistake of putting the whole can of chilies in adobo sauce, just smelling it made our throats and eyes burn. If I had only put the required amount in it would have been great, the meat was super tender and flavor was good but way too spicy because of that mistake.
Sharon says
Hey Megan! Yes, the adobos pack a serious punch! I hope you get to enjoy the recipe again with less of them! You can always err on the side of caution too and add less than the 5-6 recommended, and it will still be super tasty!
Kim says
Do I need to seat on pan first or can I throw my freezer chuck roast straight into crock pot instead?
Thank you
Sharon says
I highly recommend doing the sear for best flavor.
Jo k says
This is my fav recipe I’ve found. Making it for the third time for the superbowl today! Go birds!!!
Sharon says
So happy to hear this! Go birds!!!
Brooklyn says
Followed all the instructions this was my first time making this…. And I’ve never made anything to blend food in a blender and the instructions didn’t say let it cool down first so I put the hot sauce in my blender and it combusted and went everywhere and now I have 2nd degree burn on my arm ! Smh my advice definitely give more specific instructions for those who are doing this for the first time …
Sharon says
I am so sorry to hear this happened to you! The blog has been updated to make it clearer that you need to be careful with hot liquids in a blender. I hope you feel better soon.