Description
Birria (Slow Cooker) is an authentic Mexican stew featuring tender, slow-cooked beef simmered in a vibrant, smoky, and mildly spicy chili and tomato sauce. This set-it-and-forget-it recipe is rich in flavor, versatility, and perfect for family gatherings or meal prepping. Serve as a stew, with tacos, or alongside your favorite Mexican sides for an unforgettable meal.
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
For the Birria Sauce
- 10 guajillo chiles
- 5 ancho chilies
- 3 arbol chilies (reduce or omit for less heat)
- 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 (or marjoram as substitute)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 4-inch cinnamon stick)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
For Cooking
- 3 bay leaves
For Serving (optional)
- Chopped onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Deseed the Chilies: Slice the stems off the guajillo, ancho, and arbol chilies. Shake out and discard the seeds, then rinse thoroughly to remove any dust or dirt.
- Simmer the Chilies: Place the prepared chilies in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, until the chilies are soft and pliable.
- Roast the Vegetables: While the chilies cook, arrange the Roma tomatoes, quartered onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a quarter sheet pan. Broil for 4 to 6 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly charred and softened.
- Make the Sauce: Transfer the softened chilies and 1 cup of the chili cooking water to a high-powered blender. Peel the roasted garlic cloves and add them to the blender, along with the roasted tomatoes, onion, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Slow Cook the Birria: Add the beef chunks to your slow cooker. Pour the blended birria sauce over the beef and add the bay leaves. Use tongs to combine everything evenly. Cover and cook on low for 8–9 hours, or on high for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily.
- Shred the Beef: Discard the bay leaves. Remove the beef pieces to a cutting board and shred using two forks until all the meat is in bite-sized pieces.
- Combine and Rest: Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker, mix into the sauce (consommé), and allow it to soak up more flavor for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve: Serve the birria hot straight from the slow cooker, either as a stew in bowls with consommé or use the meat for tacos, quesadillas, or other favorite Mexican dishes. Garnish with chopped onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice if desired.
Notes
- Sear beef in a Dutch oven for more depth if making stovetop: brown all sides before simmering in sauce for 3-3.5 hours covered on low.
- No Mexican oregano? Substitute with marjoram.
- Reduce or omit arbol chilies for a milder dish.
- Use a whole Mexican cinnamon stick if preferred; remove before shredding.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Let beef come to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing leftovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main-course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/8 of recipe, approx. 7-8 ounces cooked meat and sauce)
- Calories: 514 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 902 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
- Trans Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 48 g
- Cholesterol: 156 mg
