Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos 🌮 are made with tender, shredded chuck roast simmered in a homemade guajillo chile sauce. The dried chiles add a mild, smoky, slightly fruity flavor that makes these tacos delicious without being too spicy.
Serve with warm corn tortillas, diced onion, and fresh cilantro for an easy dinner with minimal hands-on work.
If you love tacos, also try my Instant Pot Birria Tacos.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️
- Easy slow cooker dinner. Prep the guajillo sauce, add the beef, and let the slow cooker do the work.
- Tender, juicy beef. Chuck roast becomes fork-tender and easy to shred after cooking low and slow.
- Mild, smoky flavor. Guajillo chiles give the beef a rich flavor without making the tacos overly spicy.
- Great for a crowd. This recipe uses 4 pounds of beef, making it a good option for family dinners or gatherings.
-Maggie
🌶️ Dried Guajillo Peppers
- Look for them in the dried chile section of the store or order them online.
- They should be shiny and bright ruby red.
- When you smell them, they will be slightly sweet, fruity, tangy, and smoky.
How to rehydrate guajillo peppers: Remove the stem by tearing it off, or use kitchen scissors. Cut lengthwise exposing the interior. Then, remove the seeds and veins.
How to Make the Guajillo Sauce
- Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a stock pot and cover with water.
- Bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat. Add the guajillo chile.
- Place the lid on and let them steep for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water and place all the sauce ingredients in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
We’re making a basic Guajillo Sauce, but we’re adding tomatoes to reduce the heat. I highly recommend doing this especially if you are serving this for a big crowd. If you like your sauce a little spicier, omit the tomatoes.
🥩 Best Cut of Beef for Tacos
Chuck roast is the best cut of beef to use when making shredded beef. This is the same type of beef used to make Slow Cooker Birria. It has a rich flavor and good fat marbling. It breaks down in the slow cooker, making it soft, tender, and falls apart. Alternatively, you can also use brisket.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If it does not fit in your slow cooker, chop into smaller pieces.
- Make the sauce ahead of time to save time on cooking. It lasts in the fridge up to 5 days and in the freezer up to 5 months.
- Sear the beef before adding it to the slow cooker. This step is completely optional, but it helps create another layer of flavor.
How to Cook in the Slow Cooker
- Place the beef and the guajillo sauce in a slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and easy to shred.
- When ready, shred and serve on warm tortillas.
🫙 Storing and Reheating Instructions
- Storing: Place any leftovers in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, place in a sealable, plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Reheating: Thaw in the fridge overnight, if frozen. Place meat in a microwavable container. Cover so it won’t splatter. Reheat on high for 2 ½ to 3 minutes. Or, place the contents in a stock pot and reheat on medium for 4-5 minutes.
🙋🏻♀️ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Chuck roast is the best choice because its marbling helps the beef become tender and juicy as it cooks. Beef brisket or shoulder can also work.
Guajillo chiles are generally mild, with a slightly sweet, fruity, and earthy flavor. The tomatoes in this recipe also help mellow the chile sauce, making these tacos a good option for people who prefer less heat.
Yes! Cook and shred the beef ahead of time, then refrigerate it with some of the sauce for up to 4 days. The flavors develop as it sits, making it easy to reheat for another meal.
Yes. Homemade guajillo sauce gives you control over the flavor and consistency, but a prepared sauce can save time. Taste it first and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Yes! You can cook the beef on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. See the recipe notes for alternative cooking instructions.
🌮 More Taco Recipes
- Tacos Arabes
- Carne Asada Street Tacos
- Ensenada Fish Tacos
- Tacos de Camaron
- Tacos Al Pastor
- Tacos de Bistec
- Tacos Gobernador
These Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos are an easy way to enjoy tender Mexican shredded beef with a rich, mild chile flavor. Pile the beef into warm corn tortillas, add onion and cilantro, and finish with a squeeze of lime.
Slow Cooker Guajillo Beef Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 lbs chuck roast
- 8 guajillo chiles
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon cumin ground or whole
- 2 cups water to rehydrate the chile
- 2 cups water to make the sauce
- 12 corn tortillas
Toppings:
- chopped cilantro
- diced onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a stock pot and cover with 2 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, prepare the guajillo chiles. Remove the stems.
- Cut lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Once the water boils, add the chiles.
- Then turn off the heat.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, or until chile is pliable.
- Discard the water.
- Place the rehydrated chiles, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, and 2 cups of water in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Place beef in the slow cooker.
- Strain the guajillo sauce into the slow cooker, over the beef.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and easy to shred.
- Remove the beef and shred.
- Heat tortillas and add shredded beef.
- Top with onions and cilantro.
- Serve with salsa and enjoy.
I made this recipe yesterday in my crock pot and added Monterey Jack cheese along with the onion and cilantro in the taco, along with a side of pinto beans. It was absolutely delicious! I did cut the recipe in half, having a family of 3, it was perfect. I think I will make oven Taquitos with the leftovers. Thank you for sharing your cooking.
That’s wonderful to hear! We are only 3 at our house too, and I love having leftovers. Taquitos sound like a great way to use up leftovers. 🙂 Thanks for your comment!