Authentic Slow Cooker Birria (Birria de Res)
This Authentic Slow Cooker Birria (Birria de Res) recipe is a flavorful Mexican dish perfect for celebrations.
Equipment
- chef's knife
- Slow Cooker
- cutting board
- blender
- Mesh strainer
- Comal (cast iron griddle)
- Freezer-Friendly Deli Containers
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 4 pounds boneless beef chuck roast or beef shank
- ½ whole onion
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 leaves bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 sprigs marjoram
- 1 sprig mint
- 2 springs thyme (optional)
Red Chile Sauce
- 8 whole guajillo chiles or California or New Mexico
- 2 whole ancho chiles (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ whole onion
- 5 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
Toppings
- chopped white onion
- chopped cilantro
- chopped radishes
- lime wedges
Tacos
- yellow corn tortillas
- Chihuahua, Oaxaca, or Monterey jack cheese shredded (optional for quesatacos)
Instructions
Birria Preparation
- In a slow cooker add water, beef chunks (cut into 4-inch cubes), onion, garlic, salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, oregano, marjoram, mint, and thyme (if using).
- Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Remove the beef and shred the meat and discard fat pieces. Season to taste. Place shredded meat back in the slow cooker with beef broth liquid.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to remove peppercorns, bay leaves, and vegetable solids from the broth. Discard the solids and reserve the smooth broth for serving.
Red Chile Sauce
- Remove stems, seeds, and veins from the chile pods. Place in a colander and rinse well with cool water.
- Add chiles, garlic, onion, and water to a large pot. Bring water to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes. After 10 minutes turn the chiles over with tongs to make sure the chiles soften evenly. Allow time to cool down before blending. Do not discard water.
- Once cooled, place the chiles, garlic, onion, and liquid in blender with salt. Blend until smooth. If necessary, season with more salt.
- Strain red chile sauce through a fine sieve into the slow cooker and stir. This broth is the 'consommé'. Discard skins and seeds.
Serving
- Serve birria (shredded beef) in a bowl with broth as a stew with diced onion, radishes, and fresh cilantro and serve with corn tortillas.
- Heat a comal (cast iron griddle) over medium-low heat.
- Dip the corn tortillas one at a time in the consommé (broth with red chile sauce). Place on the comal and top with cheese if making quesatacos (cheese birria tacos). Add shredded beef over half the tortilla and chopped cilantro and onion. Drizzle the beef with a little more consommé.
- When the cheese is melted, fold each tortilla in half. Cook, flipping halfway through, until browned and slightly crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Serve tacos garnished with additional diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges, and small bowls of warm consommé (beef broth red chile sauce mixture) for dipping.
Notes
The red chile sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 45gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 1669mgPotassium: 1030mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 3320IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 6mg
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