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Making Slow Cooker Birria de Res lets my slow cooker do all the work, and yours can too, delivering the same rich flavors and tender meat as the traditional Mexican stew from Jalisco. The combination of beef chuck roast and short ribs simmers gently with dried chiles, herbs, and spices until it’s meltingly tender and deeply savory.

A bowl of slow cooker birria stew garnished with chopped onions, sliced limes, and cilantro. The dish is set against a reddish-brown table.
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While a steaming bowl of birria is satisfying on its own, what I appreciate most is its versatility. The leftover meat and flavorful broth are the foundation for so many incredible dishes – from crispy birria tacos to hearty Birria Ramen.

Ingredients to Make Birria in a Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Birria de Res Ingredients on a white marble board.
  • Boneless Chuck Roast: I prefer boneless for easy shredding, but a bone-in roast adds great flavor too.
  • Bone-in Short Ribs: These add richness to the broth. If unavailable, you can use more chuck roast (see recipe notes).
  • Fine Sea Salt: I use fine sea salt for more precise measuring. If using kosher salt, double the amount.
  • Dried Oregano: Mexican oregano is ideal here – it has a more complex, earthy flavor than Mediterranean oregano.
  • Ground Cumin and Coriander: These warm spices are essential to authentic birria flavor.
  • Beef Broth: Use beef bone broth for extra richness, whether homemade or store-bought.
  • Dried Guajillo and Ancho Chiles: These mild dried chiles provide deep color and flavor without too much heat.
  • White Onion: I prefer white onion for its sharp, clean flavor, though yellow onion works too.
  • Garlic: Fresh whole cloves, the bigger the better!
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds brightness. White vinegar is a good substitute.
  • Bay Leaves: Fresh or dried both work well here.

For Serving

  • White Onion: Finely diced for garnish
  • Fresh Cilantro: Roughly chopped
  • Lime Wedges: A squeeze of lime brightens all the flavors

Rich or Light Broth – Your Choice

The rich flavor of birria comes from its long, gentle simmer. Over several hours, the beef and bones release their richness into the broth along with all those herbs and spices. I’ve found that the more bones you include – whether from bone-in chuck roast, short ribs, or added beef bones – the richer your broth will be.

As the bones simmer, they release collagen that gives body to the broth. Some cooks aim for a broth so rich it gels when chilled, while others prefer a lighter consistency. Think about how you’ll use the leftovers – a thicker broth is great for tacos, while a thinner one works better for ramen.

A bowl of slow cooker birria Mexican beef stew garnished with lime slices, chopped onions, and cilantro, set against a textured red background.

Why Use a Slow Cooker?

Making birria in a slow cooker isn’t just convenient – it’s also ideal for developing those deep, complex flavors. While you’re going about your day, the gentle, steady heat slowly breaks down the tough beef and coaxes richness from the bones. After 6-8 hours of hands-off cooking, you’ll have tender meat and a deeply flavorful broth that rivals any traditional method.

A Tip for Toasting Chiles

While many recipes suggest toasting dried chiles in a skillet, I’ve found that Toasting them in the oven is more reliable. A few minutes in a 350°F oven gives you evenly toasted chiles without the risk of burning them. If you prefer the stovetop method, just watch them carefully and keep them moving.

Ways to Serve Birria

Traditionally, birria is served as a hearty Mexican stew, topped with diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges, with warm corn tortillas alongside. But don’t stop there – this versatile dish has so many delicious possibilities:

  • Serve it as a simple stew with garnishes and tortillas.
  • Make Quesabirria crispy corn tortillas filled with tender meat, melty Oaxaca cheese, and the rich broth (consommé) for dipping.
  • Transform leftovers into Birra Ramen or birria tortilla soup.

How to Store

Store leftover Birria de Res in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months. You can store the meat and broth together or separately depending on how you plan to serve them.

The long, slow simmer transforms these simple ingredients into something truly remarkable – tender, richly spiced beef and a complex broth that can anchor several different meals. Whether you serve it as a traditional stew or use it as a foundation for tacos and ramen, this birria recipe will become a Sunday cooking project worth planning for.

More Great Mexican Dishes

How to Make Slow Cooker Birria de Res

Add beef chuck roast and short ribs to slow cooker and season with spices. Add broth and vinegar and set on low until fall apart tender (6 to 8 hours).

birria de res ingredients in slow cooker.

Meanwhile, clean and remove seeds and stems from dried chiles then toast in the oven. (Shake out and discard remaining seeds.) Combine with water, onion, garlic, vinegar and salt and simmer, covered, to soften. Blend until smooth. Strain this red chile sauce into slow cooker and stir (there should still be 5+ hours left of cooking time).

Let the meat cool slightly, then transfer to a large bowl and shred with two forks. If serving as a stew, skim fat from the cooking juices and ladle into bowls. Top with shredded beef and toppings as desired. (See post and recipe notes for other serving ideas.)

Slow Cooker Birria de Res

5 from 3 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Total: 8 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 439
Servings: 8 people
A few minutes of preparation and several hours of slow simmering with herbs and spices renders the beef fall-apart tender and creates a hearty, flavorful broth that can be eaten as a stew or used as a base for any number of dishes.

Video

Ingredients  

  • 3 pounds boneless chuck roast cut into 8-10 large chunks
  • 1 pound bone-in beef short ribs (recipe note #2)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano ideally Mexican oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt divided, plus more to taste
  • 4 cups beef broth or beef bone broth (see recipe note #2)
  • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, divided
  • 6 Guajillo chiles
  • 2 Ancho chiles
  • 1 medium white onion coarsely chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Optional Garnishes

  • finely diced white onion
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F. (for toasting chiles, see recipe note #1)
  • Place chuck roast and short ribs in a large slow cooker and season evenly with pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Pour beef broth and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar over meat. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until beef is pull apart tender. While the beef begins to cook, move on to the next step (you'll be adding this mixture to the slow cooker as soon as possible).
  • Clean Guajillo and Ancho chiles with a clean, damp cloth or damp paper towel. With kitchen scissors, cut off and discard the stems and shake out and discard any loose seeds. Arrange chiles on a baking sheet in a single layer and place in preheated oven. Toast chiles until puffed and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. With kitchen scissors, cut each chile lengthwise and remove and discard remaining seeds. (It's okay if the chiles break into small pieces – you'll be blending them anyway.)
  • Transfer toasted chiles to a medium saucepan. Add onion, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoon of vinegar, remaining teaspoon of salt and enough water to cover (about 3 cups). Bring mixture to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cover; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
  • To make red chile sauce, transfer saucepan contents (including liquid) to blender and cover with a folded kitchen cloth (instead of the lid because the contents will be quite warm or use an immersion blender). Start to blend on the lowest setting and gradually increase the speed; blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if desired.
  • Remove slow cooker lid and pour red chile sauce through a fine mash strainer over beef, use wooden spoon to stir and press against strainer to extract as much liquid from mixture as possible. Discard solids left in strainer. Add bay leaves and stir well to combine. Cover slow cooker and continue cooking beef until fall apart tender. (5 hours or more should remain.) Discard bay leaves and allow to cool slightly.
  • When the meat has cooled slightly, carefully transfer from the braising liquid to a large bowl. Shred the meat using two forks, discarding any large chunks of fat.
  • Skim fat off of the slow cooker juices.
  • To serve as a stew, serve shredded meat with broth in bowls. Garnish with finely chopped white onion, chopped cilantro and lime wedges if desired. (See recipe notes and post above for other serving suggestions.)

Notes

  1. You can toast your chiles in a skillet on the stove top, but know that it’s easy to burn them which can make the chiles and your whole dish bitter. I’ve found that toasting them in the oven is easier and more reliable.
  2. Bone-in short ribs create a richer broth, but you can also use a larger (4 to 5 pound) boneless chuck roast, bone-in chuck roast OR add 1 pound of beef bones OR use commercial beef bone broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 439kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 1048mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3067IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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10 Comments

  1. Angelica says:

    5 stars
    Hi, I’ve made this recipe a few times and I love it. I notcied you have the nutrition facts but it doesn’t say what the serving size is…

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      I’m so glad you’re enjoying this, Angelica! The total volume of the recipe is about 13 1/2 cups for 8 servings, so each serving is a bit more than 1 1/2 cups.

  2. Grant Pierson says:

    This recipe calls for vinegar twice but doesn’t list the vinegar as divided in the ingredients list. Are you supposed to put in a 1/4 cup of vinegar at each point, or is it 1/8 cup at each point?

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      Hi Grant! Thanks so much for catching that – I’ve updated it in the recipe. The amount is divided and you’ll add half of the vinegar at each point (2 tablespoons / 1/8 cup).

  3. Mimi Rippee says:

    Fabulous! Such great flavors.

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      Thank you Mimi!

  4. David @ Spiced says:

    5 stars
    I’ve been thinking it would be fun to make birria at home – this looks easy and delicious! Tacos would never be the same after filling ’em with leftover birria meat. I love that this is a slow cooker recipe, too!

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      I’m so excited for you and your family to taste this, David!

  5. Ben | Havocinthekitchen says:

    5 stars
    I’m not too familiar with Mexican cuisine, but this hearty stew makes me think I should explore it more. Juicy and flaky, it looks terrific!

    1. Marissa Stevens says:

      I hope you’ll give it a try, Ben! I know you love dishes with big flavor and this one definitely qualifies.