Crockpot Birria Beef Quesatacos with Consommé

This Crockpot birria recipe turns a chuck roast into the most flavorful, fall-apart beef you can imagine. The slow cooker does all the work, simmering the meat in a smoky guajillo and ancho chili sauce for eight hours.

Then you dip corn tortillas in the red oil, fill them with cheese and beef, and crisp them into quesatacos. The consommé is the perfect dunking broth. It's a hands-off dinner that feels like a celebration.

Birria is a Mexican stew traditionally made with goat or beef, simmered for hours until the meat is tender and the broth is rich with chiles. This version uses a Crockpot to keep things easy, letting the beef cook low and slow while you go about your day.

The result is a deep, brick-red consommé with a glossy layer of chili oil that flavors everything it touches. The quesatacos are crispy, cheesy, and made for dipping. It's a meal that brings people to the table.

Ingredients

Why this recipe works

The slow cooker is the secret here. Cooking the beef on LOW for eight hours breaks down the collagen in the chuck roast, turning it buttery and tender.

The low heat also lets the chiles, tomatoes, and spices meld into a complex, layered sauce that coats every shred of meat. The long simmer concentrates the flavors without any effort from you.

The red oil that rises to the top of the consommé is pure gold. Dipping the tortillas in it before griddling gives them a crisp, reddish-brown crust and infuses them with the same smoky, spicy flavor as the beef.

The Oaxaca cheese melts into a stretchy, gooey layer that holds the filling together. Every bite is crunchy, juicy, and rich.

Notes and substitutions

Choose a well-marbled beef chuck roast; the fat keeps the meat moist during the long cook. Dried guajillo and ancho chiles are available in most supermarkets; they provide a mild, fruity heat that builds slowly. If you can't find them, use a combination of New Mexico and pasilla chiles for a similar flavor profile.

The Oaxaca cheese is traditional for quesatacos because it melts beautifully, but Monterey Jack or mozzarella are easy substitutes. Corn tortillas are essential; flour tortillas will become soggy. The consommé is a key part of the dish, so don't skip it. You can also use the leftover consommé as a base for soup or rice.

• Oaxaca cheese: Monterey Jack or mozzarella, both melt well and give a similar stretch.
• Beef chuck roast: Beef brisket or short ribs, which also become tender after long slow cooking.
• Dried guajillo and ancho chiles: 3 cups of prepared red chili sauce, though the flavor will be less smoky.

Equipment

• 6-quart Crockpot or slow cooker
• Blender
• Cast-iron comal or large skillet
• Tongs
• Two forks for shredding
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board and knife