Slow Cooker Birria-Style Shredded Beef

Slow Cooker Birria-Style Shredded Beef ingredients

• 3 lbs Beef Chuck Roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1.5 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 6 large Guajillo Chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 large Ancho Chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 peppers Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
• 1 tbsp Adobo Sauce (from chipotles)
• 3 medium Roma Tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium White Onion, quartered
• 8 cloves Garlic Cloves, peeled
• 1.5 tsp Cumin, ground
• 1 tsp Mexican Oregano, dried
• 4 Cloves, whole
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 2-inch piece Cinnamon Stick
• 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 4 cups Beef Broth
• 18 Corn Tortillas
• 2 cups Oaxaca or Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup White Onion, finely diced
• 4 Lime wedges

Watch how to make Slow Cooker Birria-Style Shredded Beef

Follow the key cooking steps, then use the full instructions below for measurements and timing.

How to make Slow Cooker Birria-Style Shredded Beef

1. Prepare Chiles: Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho chiles. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant (do not burn). Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water to rehydrate for 20-30 minutes.
2. Sear Beef: Season beef chuck roast chunks with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned, working in batches if necessary. Transfer seared beef to the slow cooker insert (or Dutch oven).
3. Make Chile Sauce: While chiles rehydrate, in the same skillet (no need to clean), add halved Roma tomatoes, quartered white onion, and garlic cloves. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until slightly softened and charred.
4. Drain rehydrated chiles (reserve some soaking liquid if needed for blending). Transfer softened tomatoes, onion, garlic, rehydrated chiles, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cumin, Mexican oregano, cloves, cinnamon stick, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of beef broth to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Add a splash of chile soaking liquid or beef broth if needed to aid blending.
5. Combine and Cook: Pour the blended chile sauce over the seared beef in the slow cooker. Add the remaining 3 cups of beef broth and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
6. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3.5-4 hours in a slow cooker, or in a Dutch oven with a lid in an oven preheated to 325°F (160°C) for 3.5-4 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
7. Shred Beef: Remove bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Take the beef out of the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the slow cooker, stirring to coat.
8. Serve: Serve the birria-style beef as a stew with rice, or use it to make quesabirria tacos. For quesabirria, dip corn tortillas in the birria broth, fill with shredded beef and shredded cheese, and cook on a griddle until cheese is melted and tortillas are crispy. Serve with a side of the rich consommé for dipping, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion, and lime wedges.

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