The Ultimate Slow Cooker Birria Tacos Recipe: Your Hands-Off Taco Night Sensation!

Hello, WiseRecipes readers and fellow lovers of tacos that are rich, messy, and absolutely unforgettable! Are you ready to dive into one of the most popular and delicious taco trends to sweep the nation? Today, I’m so excited to share my Ultimate Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe! This easy recipe delivers tender beef, crispy tortillas, and rich consommé—perfect for a hands-off taco night!

Imagine succulent beef chuck roast, slow-cooked for hours in a deeply flavorful adobo sauce until it’s fall-apart tender. Then, picture corn tortillas dipped in that glorious cooking liquid (the consommé!), filled with the shredded beef and melty Oaxaca cheese, and fried until crispy. And the best part? You serve it with a side of that rich consommé for dipping. This easy homemade birria tacos with slow cooker beef is a true culinary experience. It’s the best tender shredded beef birria tacos with consommé for dipping you can make at home!

My journey with this Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe was all about making this incredible dish accessible for everyone. We’ll explore how to make authentic style birria tacos with chipotle in adobo for an easy-to-find ingredient approach, while also noting how to make it more traditional with dried chiles. This is your go-to for a quick prep crockpot birria taco recipe for taco night.

So, if you’re ready for flavorful cheesy crispy birria tacos with oaxaca cheese that will have everyone swooning, let’s get that slow cooker ready for this amazing Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe!

Why These Slow Cooker Birria Tacos Are a Flavor Bomb

If “tender beef, crispy tortillas, and rich consommé” isn’t enough, here’s why this Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe is a must-make:

• Fall-Apart Tender Beef: The slow cooker does all the work, transforming a humble pot roast into incredibly succulent, shreddable beef. This is the heart of our Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe.
• Rich, Dippable Consommé: The cooking liquid becomes a deeply savory, flavorful broth for dipping your tacos – this is the signature of birria!
• Crispy, Cheesy, & Delicious Tacos: Dipping the tortillas in the consommé before frying creates a crispy, flavorful shell filled with juicy meat and melty cheese.
• Hands-Off Cooking (Mostly!): After a quick sear and blend, the slow cooker takes over for hours, making it perfect for a low-stress, impressive meal.
• Authentic Flavors, Accessible Ingredients: This recipe provides an amazing, authentic taste using easy-to-find chipotles in adobo, with options for using traditional dried chiles.
• Perfect for a Crowd: This recipe makes a generous amount, ideal for feeding a group for a fun taco night.
• Restaurant-Quality at Home: Impress everyone with a dish that tastes like it came from the best taqueria.

Gather Your Flavorful Essentials: Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s get our rich and savory components ready for this show-stopping Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe, based on the provided list.

Key Ingredients (Yields 8 servings of 2 tacos each):

For the Beef & Consommé:

• Beef Pot Roast or Chuck Roast: 2 ½ lbs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-3 large pieces. (Start with a slightly larger roast, about 2 ¾ or 3 lbs, before trimming).
• Yellow Onion: 1 ½ cups, chopped (about 1 large onion), plus more finely chopped for garnish.
• Large Garlic Cloves: 4, smashed.
• Seasonings: 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican if possible), 2 tsp chili powder blend, ½ tsp cinnamon (or 1 small stick).
• Chipotle in Adobo: 3 ounces (about half of a standard 7-oz can), peppers and sauce. See notes for traditional dried chile substitute.
• Canned Crushed Tomatoes (Fire Roasted if possible): 1 cup.
• Beef Broth: 3 cups.
• White Vinegar: 1 tablespoon.
• Kosher Salt: 2 teaspoons.
• Bay Leaves: 2.
• Cooking Spray or Oil: For searing beef.

For Assembling the Tacos:

• Corn Tortillas: 16.
• Shredded Cheese (Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, or Queso Chihuahua): 2 cups.
• Fresh Cilantro: ½ cup chopped, for serving.
• Lime Wedges (Optional): For serving.

Crafting Your Birria Masterpiece: Step-by-Step Slow Cooker Guide

Let’s create this incredible Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe!

Step 1: Sear Beef & Prepare the Adobo Sauce

1. Sear Beef (Optional but Recommended): Pat the large pieces of beef roast dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray (or use a little oil). Brown the beef on all sides in two batches. This creates a deep, savory flavor crust. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
2. Blend the Sauce: In a blender, or food processor, blend 1 cup of the chopped onion, the smashed garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, chili powder blend, cinnamon, chipotle in adobo, crushed tomatoes, 3 cups beef broth, white vinegar and 2 teaspoons salt. Blend until mostly smooth.

Step 2: Slow Cook to Tender Perfection

1. Combine in Slow Cooker: Pour the blended sauce over the seared beef in the slow cooker. Add the 2 bay leaves.
2. Cook on Low: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8 hours. Your house will smell absolutely amazing! The beef should be incredibly tender and falling apart. This is the “hands-off” magic of this Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe.

Step 3: Shred Beef & Prepare the Consommé

1. Shred Beef: Carefully remove the cooked beef from the slow cooker and place it on a large cutting board or in a bowl. Shred the beef using two forks. It should be very easy to pull apart.
2. Strain the Broth (Consommé): Strain the cooking broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or saucepan. This beautiful, flavorful liquid is your consommé for dipping! Skim any excess fat from the top if desired.
3. Keep Beef Warm: Return the shredded beef to the slow cooker pot (with the heat on low or warm). Add ½ cup of the strained broth and keep warm. This keeps the meat moist and flavorful. Save remaining broth for dipping tortillas and serving.

Step 4: Assemble & Fry the Crispy Birria Tacos!

This is the final, fun part of making your Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe!

1. Heat Skillet: Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat.
2. Dip Tortilla: Quickly dip a tortilla in the consommé (broth), coating both sides lightly.
3. Fry Tortilla: Add the dipped tortilla to a hot skillet or griddle.
4. Add Fillings: Add 3 tablespoons of shredded beef and 2 tablespoons shredded cheese to one half of the tortilla with some fresh chopped onion and cilantro.
5. Fold and Cook: Fold the tortilla over the fillings and cook like a quesadilla until browned and crispy on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side. The cheese should be perfectly melted.
6. Repeat: Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings.

Step 5: Serve Your Authentic-Style Tacos!

1. Serve Birria Tacos: Serve the hot, crispy birria tacos immediately.
2. With Consommé for Dipping: Serve… with remaining consommé in a small bowl, for dipping. Garnish the tacos and consommé with more raw chopped onion and cilantro if desired. Add lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Enjoy your incredible Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe!

Wise Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Birria Tacos

Make your Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe truly exceptional with these hints:

• Searing the Beef: While optional, taking the time to brown the beef roast before slow cooking adds a huge layer of deep, savory flavor.
• Choose the Right Beef: A chuck roast or pot roast with good marbling is ideal as the fat will render down during the long cook time, making the beef incredibly tender.
• Straining the Consommé: Don’t skip this step! It creates a smooth, rich dipping broth free of the cooked-down solids, which is essential for an authentic birria experience.
• Dipping the Tortillas: This is the signature step! Dipping the tortillas in the fatty, flavorful consommé before frying is what gives them their iconic reddish-orange color and makes them extra delicious and crispy.
• Use Good Melting Cheese: Oaxaca or Queso Chihuahua are traditional Mexican melting cheeses that are amazing here. Monterey Jack is a great and widely available substitute for your Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe.
• Don’t Overfill Tacos: Be careful not to overstuff the tacos before frying, as this can make them difficult to flip and messy.
• Traditional Chile Option: As the notes suggest, for a more authentic, complex flavor, try swapping the chipotle in adobo for a blend of rehydrated dried guajillo, ancho, and optional árbol chiles.

Delicious Variations & Serving Ideas

This Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe is a star, but here are some ideas:

• Birria Ramen: A hugely popular trend! Use the leftover rich consommé as a base for a ramen soup, adding ramen noodles, some shredded birria beef, and toppings like a soft-boiled egg, cilantro, and onion.
• Birria Quesadillas or Mulitas: Make larger versions of the crispy tacos using larger flour tortillas.
• Birria Nachos or Fries: Pile the shredded birria beef and cheese over tortilla chips or French fries and bake until bubbly. Top with all the classic fixings.
• Add Different Toppings: Sliced radishes, pickled jalapeños, or a dollop of sour cream or guacamole would also be delicious.
• Different Meats: While beef is classic for Birria de Res, you could adapt this slow cooking method for goat (traditional Birria) or even pork shoulder.

Storing & Reheating Your Birria Fiesta

Leftovers from your Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe are fantastic!

• Storage: As noted, leftovers “will keep stored separately in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.” Store the shredded beef (with its small amount of broth) and the separate consommé in airtight containers.
• Reheating:
  • Beef & Consommé: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through.
  • Tacos: It’s best to assemble and fry tacos fresh using the reheated beef and consommé for the best crispy texture. Reheating pre-made crispy tacos can be done in a dry skillet or an air fryer to try and revive some crispness.
• Freezing: This recipe is NOT freezer friendly once assembled as tacos. However, the cooked shredded beef and the consommé freeze beautifully. Store them in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Slow Cooker Birria Tacos Recipe

Your common questions about this incredibly popular taco:

1. What is the difference between birria tacos and regular tacos?
   The signature feature of birria tacos is the process of slow-stewing meat in a rich adobo chile broth (consommé), and then dipping the tortillas in that consommé before frying them until crispy. The consommé is then served alongside for dipping. This Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe walks you through that whole process.
2. Can I make this recipe in an Instant Pot instead of a slow cooker?
   Yes! Brown the beef on the Sauté function. Prepare the sauce and add everything to the Instant Pot. Cook on High Pressure for about 60-75 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release. Proceed with shredding and assembling as directed.
3. Is this recipe very spicy?
   Using chipotle in adobo will give it a medium, smoky heat. If you use the traditional dried chiles, guajillo and ancho are mild and flavorful, while the chile de árbol is what adds significant heat – so you can control the spice by using or omitting the árbol chile.
4. What kind of corn tortillas are best?
   Good quality corn tortillas that are pliable and don’t crack easily are best. Warming them properly before filling also helps.
5. My consommé seems very fatty. Is that normal?
   Yes, a good consommé for birria should have a layer of reddish-orange fat on top. This is what you dip the tortillas in to get that amazing color and flavor when you fry them! You can skim some off if you prefer, but don’t remove it all.

This Slow Cooker Birria Tacos recipe is your key to a truly unforgettable, hands-off taco night! It’s an easy homemade birria tacos with slow cooker beef that delivers tender beef, crispy tortillas, and rich consommé every time. Learning how to make authentic style birria tacos with chipotle in adobo makes this dish accessible to everyone, and the results are truly spectacular.

I am so excited for you to try this recipe and experience the joy of dipping a crispy, cheesy taco into that rich broth! If you make these Slow Cooker Birria Tacos, please come back and share your delicious success in the comments below! Did they become your new taco night favorite? Happy cooking!