Easy Slow Cooker Birria Recipe

Ash Tyrrell

Easy Slow Cooker Birria Recipe

I made this easy slow cooker birria recently and it quickly became one of my favorite dinners. The aroma that filled my kitchen while it was cooking made me excited from start to finish. When I shredded the beef after hours in the slow cooker, it was so tender it just fell apart.

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Total Time 8 30

Servings: 8

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

4 pounds beef chuck roast cut into ~3-inch chunks — this cut has fat and connective tissue that breaks down in slow cooking into super tender, juicy meat.
10 dried guajillo chiles — they give color and a mild fruity heat; toast lightly before soaking to deepen flavor.
5 ancho chiles — offer sweet + smoky tones that balance spicy chiles.
3 arbol chiles — packs the heat; use fewer if you prefer mild.
2 Roma tomatoes — roasting them adds depth and natural sweetness.
1 white onion quartered — adds savory layers; roast it to tame the sharpness.
6 garlic cloves unpeeled — roasting garlic in the peel softens the flavor and adds subtle mellow aroma.
2 cups low-sodium beef broth — helps control salt and keeps the birria rich without overpowering.
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar — brightness + helps tenderize the meat.
2 teaspoons kosher salt — better texture than fine salt easier to control.
1 teaspoon ground black pepper — warmth and bite.
1 teaspoon ground cumin — earthy classic Mexican spice.
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano — more citrus/herby than Mediterranean oregano.
½ teaspoon ground cloves — strong spice use carefully so it doesn’t dominate.
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon — adds warmth and lightly sweet undertones.
¼ teaspoon ground ginger — subtle sharp note that lifts heavy flavors.
3 bay leaves — for aromatic depth over long cooking.

Method

First, I remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles, give them a quick rinse to clean off dust. Then I simmer them in water until soft. While that’s happening, I roast tomatoes, onion, and garlic under the broiler until they have charred spots—this adds smoky sweetness and depth to the sauce.
Once the chiles are softened, I put them in the blender with about a cup of the chile-soaking water. I peel the roasted garlic and add tomatoes, onion, spices (cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, ginger), salt, pepper, beef broth, apple cider vinegar. I blend everything until very smooth—this becomes the flavorful sauce base for the birria.
Next I place chunks of beef chuck roast into the slow cooker. I pour the blended sauce all over, tuck in some bay leaves, cover, and cook low for 8-9 hours (or on high for about 4-5) until the meat falls apart. After cooking, I discard bay leaves, shred the meat with forks, then return it to the sauce in the slow cooker so it soaks up all the juices (the consommé). Then it’s ready to serve.

Notes

I sometimes sear the beef pieces before putting them in the slow cooker. This gives a deeper flavor and better crust.
I strain the sauce after blending if I want a silky texture—no bits of chile skin or pulp.
I make the sauce the night before when I’m busy—so the next day it's just meat + sauce + slow cooking, less mess at once.
I taste the sauce before slow cooking and adjust salt or vinegar so it isn't bland or too sharp.
I reduce the number of arbol chiles if serving to kids or for milder palates, because those are the spiciest.