Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

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Taco Tuesday is a weekly highlight in our home! If your family is like mine, you’re probably ready to switch it up from traditional boxed hard shells. Birria is totally trending right now, and it’s easy to see why. Even my kids absolutely love this recipe, and I love it even more beause it's a slow cooker birria tacos recipe!

The best thing about this birria recipe is that you can chuck it in the Crockpot on a busy school day to keep things quick and easy. And the fun doesn’t have to stop with tacos. Try using this recipe to make burritos, nachos, and more! I've even made birria ramen. It overall is a great easy slow cooker meal to add protein to your diet.

Why You'll Love These Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

Fun and Fresh - Tacos are great, but there is even more to love about birria. Kids and adults alike will have a blast dipping them in the tasty sauce. Plus, they are adorable and perfectly Instagrammable.
Hands Off - This dish is perfect for a busy weeknight. Cook the meat and sauce in the Crockpot all day. When dinner time rolls along, all you need is to shred the meat, blend the sauce, assemble and fry your tacos!

Base Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Birria

Olive Oil - Before adding everything to the Crockpot, you will need to do a quick sear on the meat. Have about 1 tbsp olive oil on hand for your skillet.
Beef Chuck Roast - For your meat, grab 2 - 2.5 pounds of chuck roast. Chuck roast is a great choice in slow cooker recipes because it comes out perfectly tender. I also love it because it is affordable and easy to find!
Salt & Pepper - Start with about 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper. You can always add more to taste.
Tomatoes - Pick up 2 large tomatoes for your birria sauce. If you love having a fresh juicy burst of tomatoes with your tacos you can always grab an extra tomato and prepare a little pico de gallo for serving!
Onion - You will need 2 halved yellow onions for your sauce. You may want to grab an extra onion to dice up for garnish.
Garlic - Fresh garlic is the way to go when making this tasty homemade birria. You will need 8 cloves, and all you’ll have to do is peel them!
Vinegar - ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar brings just the right kick of acidity to your birria!
Bay Leaves - Is it just me or does cooking with bay leaves automatically feel fancy? You will need 3. Don’t forget to remove them at the end of your cook time!

Seasonings

Beef Stock - The base of this sauce is beef stock. You will need 32 ounces. Pay attention to whether your beef stock has added sodium, as this may affect how much salt you want to add to your dish.
Canned Tomatoes - In addition to your fresh tomatoes, you will need 2 10 ounce cans of tomatoes for this recipe. You should get the diced tomatoes with green chiles.
Chilies - You will need 3 kinds of dried chilies for this recipe. I recommend shopping for these at an international market. They will be easier to find and likely cheaper. You will need 4 Ancho chilies, 4 Arbol chilies, and 4 Guajillo chilies. You should deseed all of your chilies before cooking.
Oregano - You will need 1 tsp dried oregano to season your birria.
Cumin - We can’t do Mexican food without cumin! Measure out 1 tsp of dried cumin.
Cinnamon - Cinnamon brings a beautiful warmth to your seasoning. Add ½ tsp!
Cloves - You will need ¼ tsp ground cloves.
Paprika - Paprika brings a smoky, zesty element to your slow cooker birria. You will need 1 tsp dried smoked paprika.
Sugar - 2 tbsp sugar helps mellow out some of the spice and acidity in this dish. However, the sugar is totally optional, so leave it out if you prefer!
Cheese - You can use your favorite cheese here. I recommend opting for 2 cups of cotija cheese for an authentic feel. However, shredded Mexican cheese and shredded mozzarella both work great too.
Tortillas - This recipe makes about 15 tacos. It is traditionally prepared using corn tortillas. Corn tortillas are traditionally gluten-free, so this is great if gluten is a concern!
Optional Garnishes - To really elevate your finished product, have some lovely garnishes on hand. I recommend fresh cilantro, extra cheese, red onions, sour cream or crema, or lime wedges.

Substitutions

• If you’re out of apple cider vinegar, try white or red wine vinegar.

• These tacos are easy to make meatless with a few simple swaps. Instead of beef stock, use veggie stock. Instead of chuck roast, you can use jackfruit, oyster mushrooms, or even a plant-based meat substitute. Note that most of these substitutes will break down and get mushy after a lot of time in the Crockpot. If you are going the meatless route, I recommend putting everything except for your faux meat into the crock pot in the morning. Then, add your mock meat for the last hour or so.

• To make your birria tacos vegan, make the meatless substitutions above, and also swap out your cheese and sour cream for dairy free versions.

How to make Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

Pat the beef dry and season liberally with salt and pepper.
In a raised edge skillet, sear the beef, onion and tomatoes in olive oil until meat has nice, caramelized edges.
Remove beef, tomatoes and onions then place into a Crockpot. Add the rest of the spices, beef stock, apple cider vinegar, garlic cloves, bay leaves, dried chilies and sugar, if using. Give the contents a gentle stir, secure the lid and cook on high for 5.5 hours or low for 7.5 hours.
When done, remove boneless beef chuck and bay leaves from the Crockpot. Shred beef and set aside.
Using a handheld immersion blender or traditional stand blender, blend the contents of the crock pot until smooth. If not fully smooth, you can strain but this step is not totally necessary.
Dip each tortilla into the smooth sauce and fill with the shredded meat and cheese. Fold into tacos.
Pan sear tacos until crispy on the edges and fillings are nice and melty. I also love adding monterey jack cheese to make it queso birria!
Serve birria tacos with extra sauce for dipping, chopped onions and fresh cilantro as desired.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, prepare your meat. Pat your beef dry and season with salt and pepper.

Prepare a large, raised edge cast iron skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Sear your beef, onion and tomatoes. The goal is to achieve caramelized edges and a little smokiness.

Next, fill your slow cooker! Empty the contents of your frying pan into the Crockpot. Then, add your beef stock, apple cider vinegar, spices, bay leaves, garlic, chilies, and sugar. You can forego the sugar if you prefer, but I like it with. Gently stir to combine. Then, place the lid on your Crockpot and cook. You can cook your birria on low for 7.5 hours, or on high for 5.5 hours.

When your birria is ready, remove and discard the bay leaves. Remove and shred the beef. Set the beef aside.

Next, blend the rest of your ingredients! If you have a handheld immersion blender, it works great for this step. But if not, don’t worry. You can also place all of your liquids and veggies into a standard blender and blend until smooth. If your liquid is not as smooth as you would like, you can strain it after blending, but it isn’t necessary.

Assemble your tacos! Dip your tortilla in the sauce, then fill with your shredded beef and cheese, and fold.

Sear your tacos in a frying pan. You want the meat and cheese to be warm and melty, and the edges of the taco to be crispy.

Serve your tacos warm with an extra side of the liquid for dipping. Garnish as desired with onions, sour cream, lime wedges, or cilantro. Enjoy!

Cook's Tips

Make sure to preheat your pan skillet over medium before attempting to sear anything. If you place your items in the pan too early, it won’t achieve your ideal texture.
One of the easiest ways to shred meat is to use two forks in opposing directions.
You can also use your instant pot, but I've personally tested my recipe using the slow cooker option to serve tacos.

Storage Instructions

Leftover birria tacos will last up to 4 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat them on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
You can keep your cooked birria tacos in the freezer in a tightly sealed ziploc bag. When you are ready to enjoy them, warm them in the slow cooker for 2 hours on high, or 4 hours on low.

Serving Suggestions

If you plan to serve your tacos with extra onions on the side, you can up the deliciousness by pickling them! After you start your slow cooker, simply small dice a red onion and prepare a brine of vinegar, olive oil, a little honey or agave, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Toss your diced red onion into the mixture and refrigerate. It will be perfectly tangy by dinner time!
Make these birria tacos the main event at your next party. Serve them alongside a nacho board, featuring tortilla chips, queso, guacamole, salsa, jalapenos, shredded lettuce, olives, beans, or green onions. People will have a blast dressing their chips and tacos to their hearts’ content.

FAQ:

What is the sauce made of for birria tacos?

Birria is a lot like a stew. The liquid serves to cook and season the meat. Once the meat finishes cooking, the broth, veggies and spices get blended up into a savory dipping sauce.

How do you make birria tacos not soggy?

When dipping your tortillas in the liquid, just give them a quick dunk. Leaving the tortilla in the sauce for too long will make it soggy. You should also make sure to turn your heat up high enough before attempting to fry your tacos. If you do accidentally make soggy birria tacos, simply throw them in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up.

How do you thicken birria taco sauce?

Keep in mind that birria dipping sauce is liquidy because of its brothy base. The consistency is part of what makes it enjoyable. If your birria sauce looks too thin, know that it will thicken as it cooks. If you have let it simmer and it is still too runny for your liking, try adding a little cornstarch slurry.

Looking for more easy lunch ideas? Try these Easy Beef Milanesa recipe or you may like this Pizza Muffin recipe.

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