Slow Cooker Beef Birria
Slow Cooker Beef Birria is a comforting Mexican dish featuring tender, richly flavored beef slow-cooked with a complex blend of chilies, spices, and aromatics. This easy, hands-off recipe transforms beef chuck roast into a melt-in-your-mouth feast perfect for cozy dinners or festive occasions, with authentic flavors and minimal effort.
- Author: Elena
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 hours (low) or 4-6 hours (high)
- Total Time: 8.5-10.5 hours
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
Main Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 5–6 dried guajillo chilies
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp vinegar or lime juice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Prepare the Chilies: Lightly toast the dried guajillo chilies in a dry pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Then soak them in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
- Blend the Sauce: Drain the softened chilies and blend them together with chipotle peppers, tomato sauce, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves until smooth, creating the rich birria marinade (adobo).
- Season the Beef: Season the beef chuck roast chunks with salt and pepper. Place them in the slow cooker and pour the blended sauce over the meat. Add beef broth and bay leaves to the cooker.
- Slow Cook to Perfection: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, allowing the beef to become tender and soak up the flavors.
- Shred and Serve: After cooking, shred the beef directly in the slow cooker or transfer to a bowl. Adjust seasoning if needed, and your Slow Cooker Beef Birria is ready to enjoy.
Notes
- Toast spices lightly before blending to enhance their aroma.
- Use bone-in beef cuts for richer, gelatinous broth.
- Always soak chilies to rehydrate them for a smooth sauce.
- Let the birria rest for 15 minutes after cooking to deepen flavors.
- Save the broth (consommé) for dipping or sipping alongside.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: Beef Birria, Slow Cooker Birria, Mexican Beef Stew, Slow Cooked Beef, Birria Recipe, Mexican Cuisine, Gluten Free