Beef Birria

Cut beef chuck into 2-inch chunks and pat dry with paper towels. Halve onions and smash garlic cloves. Remove stems from dried chiles if using whole; crush canned tomatoes by hand.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef chunks on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Add onion halves, garlic, canned tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, beef broth, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and black pepper.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours (or high for 1.5–2 hours) until beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork.

Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a cutting board. Shred with two forks or a fork and knife. Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a pot, discarding solids. Return shredded meat to broth.

Warm tortillas over a gas flame or in a dry skillet. Arrange diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges on a plate. Ladle birria into bowls, top with shredded meat, and serve with warm tortillas for dipping and wrapping. Squeeze lime over each bowl.