Description
Birria Tacos are a bold, flavor-packed street food classic made with tender shredded beef stewed in a rich chili broth, folded into crispy cheese-filled corn tortillas, and served with a side of savory consommé for dipping. A satisfying and festive dish, these tacos are perfect for weekend cooking or crowd-pleasing meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chilies de árbol (optional for heat)
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 2 tomatoes, halved
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 whole cloves
- 6 cups beef broth, divided
- 2 tablespoons oil (grapeseed or olive oil)
- 1 ½ cups shredded Oaxacan cheese (or mozzarella)
- 12 corn tortillas
- Chopped fresh cilantro and diced onion for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Cut the beef into large chunks and season with salt. Bring to room temperature for even searing and tender texture after braising.
- Sear the Meat: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef pieces on all sides until deeply browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- Soften the Chilies and Aromatics: In the same pot, add guajillo, ancho, and chilies de árbol along with onion, tomato, garlic, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, oregano, bay leaves, and cloves. Cover with water and simmer for 20 minutes until the chilies are soft.
- Blend the Sauce: Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Transfer the remaining solids to a blender with 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until smooth, then strain the sauce back into the pot for a silky texture.
- Simmer the Meat: Return the seared beef to the pot and pour the chili sauce over it. Add 2 more cups of beef broth or enough to mostly cover the meat. Simmer covered on low heat for 3 to 3.5 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Shred and Reserve: Remove the beef and shred with forks. Skim the top layer of oil from the consommé for tortilla dipping and reserve the broth for serving.
- Assemble the Tacos: Dip a corn tortilla into the top of the consommé and place it in a hot skillet. Flip quickly and add a spoonful of shredded beef and cheese.
- Crisp the Tacos: Fold the tortilla and press gently. Cook on both sides until crisp and golden, and the cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve tacos hot, topped with chopped cilantro and diced onion, and accompanied by a small bowl of hot consommé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
- Adjust spice levels by controlling the amount of chilies de árbol. Use mozzarella or Monterey Jack if Oaxacan cheese isn’t available. To reheat, toast tacos in a dry skillet to revive their crispiness. For convenience, cook the beef in a slow cooker or Instant Pot if preferred.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising and Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 21g
- Cholesterol: 65mg