Description

This Crockpot Birria Tacos (Quesabirria) recipe offers a simplified, slow-cooked version of the popular Mexican street food. Tender, shredded beef chuck roast is cooked with aromatic dried chiles, spices, salsa, and beef broth in a slow cooker until meltingly soft. The cooking liquid is blended into a rich consommé that doubles as a flavorful dipping sauce. The beef is then folded with melted cheese inside toasted corn tortillas for crispy, cheesy quesabirria tacos perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat and Seasoning

1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 ½ to 3 lbs)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

Chiles and Sauce

6-10 dried red chiles, seeds removed and torn into pieces (about ½ cup packed)
1 16-ounce jar mild to medium salsa (any brand)
32 ounces beef broth
1-2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (store the rest for another use)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Tacos

Cooking spray
20-30 6-inch white corn tortillas
1-2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, shredded Oaxaca cheese, or crumbled queso fresco
½ medium white onion, diced
Chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh limes, cut into wedges

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Instructions

Season and Sear the Beef: Season the boneless beef chuck roast on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on both sides for 5 minutes per side until nicely browned.
Prepare the Chiles: Tear off the tops of each dried chile and shake out the seeds; discard the seeds and chile tops. Chop or tear the chiles into pieces until you have about ½ cup of packed chile pieces.
Slow Cook the Beef: Transfer the seared roast to a large slow cooker. Add the torn dried chiles, jarred salsa, beef broth, canned chipotle chile, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, ginger, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8 hours, until the beef is very tender.
Shred the Beef: Remove the roast from the slow cooker onto a sheet pan. Use two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Consommé Sauce: Stir the tomato paste and apple cider vinegar into the liquid remaining in the slow cooker. Use an immersion blender to blend the liquid and ingredients until smooth. If unavailable, transfer the liquid to a blender and blend until smooth.
Combine Beef and Sauce: Ladle about 1 cup of the consommé sauce over the shredded beef and toss together well.
Store if Needed: If not serving immediately, store the shredded beef and consommé separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Prepare the Tacos: Heat a tabletop griddle to high (around 400°F) or use a large griddle pan or skillet over high heat. Working in batches, lay a few tortillas flat on the griddle. Top each with 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, about 2 ounces of shredded birria beef, some diced white onion, and cilantro.
Cook the Tacos: Heat the topped tortillas for 2 minutes, then fold each taco over and heat for 3-5 minutes more. Flip the tacos and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted and the tortillas are crispy. Cook longer if a crispier texture is preferred.
Serve: Serve quesabirria tacos hot with additional cheese, diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and small dishes of consommé sauce for dipping.
Store Leftovers: Keep any leftover birria meat and consommé separately refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 5 days.

Notes

This version simplifies traditional birria by using a slow cooker and accessible ingredients like jarred salsa and dried chiles.
The cooking liquid becomes a flavorful consommé that is key to the iconic dipping sauce for quesabirria tacos.
You can adjust the number of chipotle chiles for more or less smoky heat.
Make sure to remove chile seeds to control spiciness and avoid bitterness.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, a regular blender works well for the consommé sauce.
Choose Mexican blend cheese or Oaxaca for authentic melty texture; queso fresco can be used for a milder, crumbly option.
Use white corn tortillas for the most traditional taste and texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 tacos with sauce
Calories: 440
Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 106 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 28 g
Cholesterol: 100 mg