Birria (Slow Cooker)

4.89 from 42 votes

Mexican birria de res is a hearty slow-cooked stew with the utmost flavor and juicy, fall-apart tender beef. You can serve it in a bowl with fresh toppings like onion, cilantro, and lime juice, or go the extra step to make birria tacos. Watch how I make both in my kitchen in the video below!

Prep Time15

Cook Time8 15

Total Time8 30

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Birra Recipe, Birria, Crockpot Birria, Slow Cooker Birria

Servings: servings

Author: Lisa Bryan

Equipment

Slow Cooker My favorite slow cooker I use for all slow-cooked Mexican meats.
Vitamix Blender The best blender to make sauces.

Ingredients

Beef Birria (Birria de Rez)

4 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 3-inch chunks

Birria Sauce

10 guajillo chiles
5 ancho chilies
3 arbol chilies
2 Roma tomatoes
1 white onion quartered
6 garlic cloves unpeeled
2 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3 bay leaves
Optional: chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges for serving.

US - Metric

Instructions

Deseed the chilies. Slice the stems off the chilies and shake out the seeds. Then, give them a quick rinse to remove any dust or dirt from the outside.
Simmer the chilies. In a medium pot, add the guajillo chilies, ancho chilies, arbol chilies. Cover completely with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the chilies have softened.
Roast the veggies. While the chilies are simmering, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves to a quarter sheet pan. Broil them for 4 to 6 minutes, until lightly charred.
Make the sauce. Transfer the chilies and 1 cup of the remaining water to a high-powered blender. Remove the garlic from it's peel and add it to the blender along with the tomatoes, onion, broth, vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth.
Slow cook the birria. Place the beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour the birria sauce on top, and add the bay leaves. Use tongs to gently mix it all together. then cover. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The beef should be tender and fall apart easily when shredded with a fork. If it doesn't shred easily, cook it a bit longer.
Shred the meat. Discard the bay leaves. Remove the beef to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it.
Combine the meat and sauce. Place the shredded beef back in the slow cooker, give it a stir, and let it absorb the liquid (aka consommé).
Serve. Serve the birria straight from the slow cooker for a variety of meals (see ideas above) or transfer to bowls with the consommé for a traditional birria stew. Garnish with chopped onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Video

Notes

If you're making this in a Dutch oven, here's what to do: Sear the chuck roast on all sides in the pot until browned, then set aside. Make the sauce as is, pour it into the pot with the meat, and toss it all together. Bring this to a boil over high heat, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3 ½ hours.
If you can't find Mexican oregano, substitute it with marjoram.
For less heat, reduce or omit the arbol chilies. They're the ones that pack in heat!
If you have a Mexican cinnamon stick, you can sub a 4-inch piece for the ground cinnamon.
To store for the week: Let the meat come to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container. It’ll stay good for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
To freeze for later: Store any leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave for a few minutes, until warmed through.

Nutrition