Slow Cooker Birria Adobo Marinade and Beef

Name: Slow Cooker Birria Adobo Marinade and Beef
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 55 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of thick hard fat, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks; 2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; 6 whole (about 1¼ oz) (35 g) dried guajillo chilies, stemmed, slit open, seeds and veins removed; 2 whole (about 1 oz) (30 g) dried ancho chilies, stemmed, slit open, seeds and veins removed; 2 whole (2 g) dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (seeds left in for heat) (optional); 2 cups (480 ml) boiling water, for soaking the chilies; ⅓ cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar; 2 whole (about 7 oz) (200 g) Roma tomatoes, quartered; 1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) white onion, peeled and roughly chopped; 6 cloves (25 g) garlic cloves, peeled; 1 3-inch (7.5 cm) stick (3 g) Mexican cinnamon stick (canela), broken into 3 or 4 pieces; 1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds; ½ tsp (1 g) black peppercorns; 4 whole (1 g) whole cloves; 1 tsp (1 g) dried Mexican oregano; 2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt; 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth; 2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves; 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime, plus more to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A deep red, tangy-smoky guajillo and ancho adobo with vinegar and cinnamon that marinates beef chuck overnight, then slow cooks it into fork-tender birria with a rich juice for dipping.

Prep: 55 min
Cook: 8 hr
Wait: 16 hr 30 min
Total: 1.1 days
Makes: About 6 cups shredded beef with 3 cups juices (8 servings), plus the adobo marinade (about 3 cups)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the beef
3 lb (1360 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of thick hard fat, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks
2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
For the adobo marinade
6 whole (about 1¼ oz) (35 g) dried guajillo chilies, stemmed, slit open, seeds and veins removed
2 whole (about 1 oz) (30 g) dried ancho chilies, stemmed, slit open, seeds and veins removed
2 whole (2 g) dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (seeds left in for heat) (optional)
2 cups (480 ml) boiling water, for soaking the chilies
⅓ cup (80 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 whole (about 7 oz) (200 g) Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 medium (about 5 oz) (150 g) white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cloves (25 g) garlic cloves, peeled
1 3-inch (7.5 cm) stick (3 g) Mexican cinnamon stick (canela), broken into 3 or 4 pieces
1 tsp (2 g) cumin seeds
½ tsp (1 g) black peppercorns
4 whole (1 g) whole cloves
1 tsp (1 g) dried Mexican oregano
2 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
For the slow cooker
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth
2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves
To finish
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime, plus more to taste

Equipment (8)

6-quart (5.7 L) or larger slow cooker
Blender (high-speed preferred)
Fine-mesh sieve
Large dry skillet or cast-iron pan, 10–12 inch (25–30 cm)
Large bowl or 2-gallon (7.5 L) zip-top bag for marinating
Rubber spatula
Two forks or tongs for shredding
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Plan ahead: the beef marinates at least 4 hours (8 hours or overnight is best) and then cooks 8 hours on low. For dinner, marinate the night before and start the slow cooker in the morning.
Open a window or turn on the vent fan. Toasting dried chilies and spices makes pungent fumes.
Wear gloves when seeding the chilies if you have sensitive skin, and don't touch your eyes.
You need a blender and a fine-mesh sieve. A high-speed blender gives the smoothest adobo, but straining handles the rest.
Salt amounts are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt or table salt, use about half.

1
Toast chilies and spices
- Set a large dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Add the guajillo, ancho and árbol chilies in a single layer (work in two batches if needed) and press each flat with a spatula for 10–15 seconds per side.
- Move them to a heatproof bowl.
- In the same skillet, toast the cinnamon pieces, cumin seeds, peppercorns and cloves for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the pan, then tip onto a plate.
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Ready when: Chilies turn slightly more pliable and smell fruity and smoky; spices smell fragrant. Chilies should not blacken.
Tip: Scorched chilies turn bitter. If any spot goes black or smells acrid, discard that chili and toast a fresh one.
2
Soak the chilies
- Pour the 2 cups (480 ml) boiling water over the toasted chilies.
- Weigh them down with a small plate so they stay submerged.
- Let them soak for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Chilies are fully soft and bend without cracking.
3
Blend the adobo
- Use tongs to lift the chilies into a blender.
- Add 1 cup (240 ml) of the soaking liquid (save the rest), the vinegar, tomatoes, onion, garlic, toasted spices, oregano and 2 tsp salt.
- Blend on high for 2 full minutes, scraping down once.
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Ready when: The sauce is deep brick red and pourable, like thin tomato sauce, with no visible chunks of skin.
Tip: Start the blender on low and vent the lid slightly. Hot liquid can push the lid off.
4
Strain the adobo
- Set a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl and pour in the adobo.
- Press with a spatula to push the liquid through, leaving the tough skins and cinnamon bits behind.
- Scrape the underside of the sieve into the bowl.
- You should have about 3 cups (720 ml).
- Taste: it should be tangy, earthy and salty, not harsh.
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Ready when: Strained adobo is smooth and glossy with no grit when rubbed between your fingers.
Tip: Straining is what makes the juices silky. Don't skip it if your blender is not high-speed.
5
Cut and season beef
- Pat the beef chunks dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle all sides with 2 tsp kosher salt.
- Place in a large bowl or zip-top bag.
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Ready when: Chunks are roughly equal in size, about 3 inches (7.5 cm), so they cook evenly.
Tip: Leave some thin fat on the beef for flavor; remove only the thick, hard pieces.
6
Marinate the beef
- Pour about 2 cups (480 ml) of the strained adobo over the beef (keep the remaining adobo covered in the fridge).
- Turn and massage so every piece is coated.
- Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally 8 hours or overnight, up to 24 hours.
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Ready when: Beef is evenly stained deep red all over.
Tip: Don't marinate longer than 24 hours; the vinegar can make the surface of the meat mushy.
7
Load the slow cooker
- Tip the beef and all its marinade into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the remaining adobo, the beef broth, the reserved soaking liquid (about 1 cup / 240 ml) and the bay leaves.
- Stir once.
- The liquid should come about halfway up the beef.
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Tip: Don't add extra liquid. The beef releases juices as it cooks.
8
Slow cook until tender
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours without lifting the lid.
- Check the beef at 7½ hours: a fork should twist into a chunk with almost no resistance and the meat should pull apart easily.
- If it still feels firm, cook 30–60 minutes more.
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Ready when: Beef reaches 195–205°F (90–96°C) in the center and shreds easily with a fork.
Tip: Every lid lift adds 15–20 minutes of cooking time, so resist peeking before the 7½-hour check.
9
Shred the beef
- Turn off the cooker and let it rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves.
- Lift the beef onto a rimmed plate or board and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle.
- Skim the red fat from the top of the juices with a wide spoon; save it for crisping tortillas, if desired.
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Ready when: Beef falls into thick, moist shreds rather than dry strings.
10
Finish the juices
- Stir the lime juice into the cooking liquid.
- Taste and add salt, a splash more vinegar or more lime juice until bright and well seasoned.
- Return the shredded beef to the juices and toss gently.
- Keep on the WARM setting until serving, up to 2 hours.
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Ready when: The juices taste rich, tangy and balanced, with no sharp vinegar edge.
Tip: Season at the end; the juices taste saltier when hot than after they sit.

Good to know

Tips

Use chuck with good marbling. Lean cuts like round turn dry and stringy in this long cook.
Keep the chilies moving while toasting. A few seconds too long makes the whole batch bitter.
For birria tacos, dip tortillas in the skimmed red fat, griddle with the beef and cheese, and serve with a cup of the juices for dipping.
The adobo works as a marinade for other cuts too: use it on goat, lamb shoulder or chicken thighs (cook chicken to 165°F / 74°C).

Make ahead

"The strained adobo keeps in a covered jar in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen up to 3 months, so you can make it ahead. The finished birria tastes even better the next day; cool and refrigerate in its juices.

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store beef in its juices in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze with juices for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), adding a splash of water or broth if needed."

Substitutions

boneless beef chuck roast → bone-in beef short ribs or beef shank. Use the same weight (bone-in short ribs about 4 lb / 1.8 kg). Cook time is the same; remove bones before shredding.
dried guajillo chilies → additional ancho chilies. Use 3 anchos in place of 6 guajillos for a sweeter, darker, less tangy flavor.
apple cider vinegar → white vinegar or 3 tbsp lime juice plus 2 tbsp water. White vinegar is sharper, so use 3 tbsp (45 ml) and taste at the end.
Mexican cinnamon stick (canela) → ½ tsp ground cinnamon. Add it to the blender; skip toasting. Regular cassia cinnamon is stronger than canela.