Description
A soulful, slow-cooked Mexican stew featuring tender beef chunks simmered in a rich, smoky chili and spice marinade. This crockpot birria delivers authentic flavors with minimal effort — perfect for family dinners or festive gatherings. The meat is juicy and falls apart easily, while the broth is savory, spicy, and perfect for dipping warm tortillas or serving alongside rice and beans.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
- 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 3 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (or chopped tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toast dried chilies in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Blend soaked chilies with onion, garlic, tomato paste, vinegar, cumin, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Season beef chunks with salt and pepper.
- Place beef in crockpot, pour marinade over, add bay leaves and beef broth until meat is mostly submerged.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours until meat is tender and shreds easily.
- Remove meat, shred with forks, discard bay leaves, and return meat to broth before serving.
Notes
- For extra richness, skim off excess fat from the consommé before serving.
- Adjust spice level by increasing or reducing dried chilies.
- Let the meat rest in the broth for 10-15 minutes after cooking to absorb more flavor.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 40g
- Cholesterol: 115mg