A guajillo-forward beef birria with rich consomé, perfect for quesabirria tacos or a bowl with dipping broth.

Ingredients

Meat

3–4 lb beef chuck roast (or mix with short ribs), cut into large chunks

Salt and black pepper to season

Chiles

10–12 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed

Skip ancho/pasilla if you don’t have them — add extra guajillo instead and keep the spices warm but light

Skip chiles de árbol if you don’t have them — they’re only for heat. Add ¼–½ tsp cayenne, crushed red pepper, or hot sauce later only if you want it spicier.

Aromatics

1 large onion, quartered

2–2½ tsp garlic powder, divided (use in place of 6–8 garlic cloves)

3–4 Roma tomatoes, 1 can crushed tomatoes, or 6oz tomato sauce

Spices

¼ tsp ground cinnamon to start (add another tiny pinch later only if needed)

1 tsp ground cumin (or whole cumin seeds)

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

4–6 whole peppercorns (or ½ tsp ground black pepper)

2 bay leaves, kept whole — do not blend

Optional: 1–2 whole cloves max, blended into the sauce

Liquid

2–3 cups boiling water (for soaking chiles)

4–6 cups beef broth (or water + beef bouillon)

2–3 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

2–3 tbsp neutral oil (for searing)

For Tacos (Quesabirria)

Corn tortillas

Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese

Chopped white onion

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Directions

Step 1 – Season and sear the meat

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Pat beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.

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Heat 2–3 tbsp oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high until shimmering.

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Sear beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides (5–8 min per batch). Remove and set aside.

Step 2 – Toast and soak the chiles

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In a dry skillet or comal, toast guajillo (and any other chiles) 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened — not burned.

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Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 2–3 cups boiling water. Soak 15–20 minutes until soft and pliable.

Step 3 – Cook aromatics and blend the sauce

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In the same pot you seared the meat, cook onion over medium heat until softened and lightly charred, 10–15 min.

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If using fresh tomatoes, add them and cook another 5–10 min to reduce slightly. If using canned tomato sauce, skip cooking it and add it straight to the blender.

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Transfer the cooked onion and tomatoes/tomato sauce to a blender.

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Add the softened guajillo chiles + 1–2 cups of the chile soaking liquid.

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Add vinegar, cumin, oregano, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, peppercorns or black pepper, 1–2 whole cloves max if using, and 1½–2 tsp garlic powder.

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Do not blend the bay leaves. Keep them whole for the braise.

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Blend until completely smooth, adding more soaking liquid as needed for a thick pourable consistency.

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Taste the sauce before braising; if it tastes flat, add another ½ tsp garlic powder and/or a small splash of vinegar.

Step 4 – Braise into birria

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Pour blended sauce back into the pot. Add 4–6 cups beef broth to make a loose braising liquid.

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Add the 2 whole bay leaves to the pot.

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Taste and adjust salt and acid now.

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Return seared beef and any juices to the pot, mostly submerged.

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Bring to a simmer, then reduce to low. Cover and cook 2½–3½ hours until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.

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Remove meat to a bowl and shred with two forks, discarding large fat chunks.

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Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer — that's your consomé.

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Taste consomé and adjust salt, add a splash of vinegar or pinch of sugar if needed.

Step 5 – Make quesabirria tacos

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Skim red fat from top of consomé into a small bowl (for frying tortillas).

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Heat a skillet or comal over medium.

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Dip corn tortillas briefly in the warm consomé, then lay in the skillet with a little birria fat.

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Add shredded birria meat + cheese on one half.

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Fold and cook until golden and crispy on both sides.

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Serve with cups of hot consomé for dipping, plus onion, cilantro, and lime.

Crockpot Directions

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Sear the meat first in a skillet on the stove — season beef with salt and pepper, sear in batches over medium-high heat until deeply browned on all sides (5–8 min per batch). Worth the extra step for depth of flavor.

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Toast and soak chiles exactly as in Step 2 above.

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Cook aromatics and blend the sauce exactly as in Step 3 above.

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Add everything to the crockpot — seared beef, blended chile sauce, and 3–4 cups beef broth (less than the stovetop version since the crockpot traps moisture).

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Cook on Low 8–10 hours or High 4–5 hours until the beef shreds easily. Low and slow gives more tender, fall-apart results.

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Shred the meat, strain the braising liquid into consomé, and make quesabirria tacos exactly as in Step 5 above.

Notes

Chuck roast is a great choice: It’s well-marbled and collagen-rich, which makes it ideal for a low-and-slow braise. Cook it until it shreds easily, not just until it reaches a safe internal temperature.

Cut it into large chunks: For a 3–4 lb roast, cut into 3–4 inch pieces before seasoning and searing. This gives more browned surface area while keeping the meat large enough to stay juicy during the long cook.

Sear for best flavor: Pat the chuck dry, season generously, and sear hard in batches until deeply browned. Don’t crowd the pot; browning adds a lot of depth to the consomé.

Cook until truly fork-tender: Chuck roast usually needs 2½–3½ hours stovetop/oven, 8–10 hours on Low in a crockpot, or 60–70 minutes high pressure + natural release in an Instant Pot. If it resists shredding, keep cooking.

Low is better than high for slow cooker: Low for 8–10 hours gives the most tender, fall-apart texture. High for 4–5 hours works, but low is preferred for chuck roast.

Keep the meat moist after shredding: Shred the beef, then toss it with a ladle or two of consomé so it stays juicy before building tacos.

No ancho or chiles de árbol today: Totally fine — make it guajillo-only. The birria will be flavorful and mild-to-medium rather than spicy. Use 10–12 guajillos, keep cinnamon/clove light, and consider adding a tiny pinch of smoked paprika, chili powder, or cocoa powder only if you want a little extra depth. Add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or hot sauce at the end only if you want more heat.

Garlic powder swap: Use about ¼ tsp garlic powder per clove. For this recipe, start with 1½–2 tsp in the blended sauce, then adjust up to 2½ tsp total after tasting.

Guajillo-forward tip: Use more guajillo than ancho (e.g., 10–12 guajillo and no ancho) and keep cinnamon/clove light so the bright, tangy guajillo flavor leads.

No beef broth? Use water + 1–2 tsp beef bouillon or Better Than Bouillon paste.

Skip the sear if needed: Crockpot birria still comes out great without searing — just slightly less depth of flavor.

Don't overfill with liquid: The crockpot traps moisture, so 3–4 cups broth is plenty vs. 4–6 cups on the stovetop.

Instant Pot version: Sear on sauté mode, add blended sauce + 3 cups broth, pressure cook on High for 60–70 min, natural release 15 min.