Description
Birria Tacos Recipe: Delicious, spicy tacos made with tender beef, rich broth, and warm tortillas – a crowd-pleasing comfort food favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 pound beef shank or short ribs (for added flavor and richness)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 1 whole head of garlic, halved crosswise
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried chipotle chiles (optional, for extra smoky heat)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt to taste
- 16–20 corn tortillas (small size)
- 2 cups Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 2–3 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Chile Sauce Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat. Add the dried guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles and toast for 30-45 seconds per side until they become aromatic and slightly pliable. Be careful not to burn them as this will create bitterness. Remove the chiles and place them in a bowl. Pour 2 cups of hot water over them and let soak for 20-30 minutes until soft. Once softened, transfer the chiles and 1 cup of the soaking liquid to a blender. Add the apple cider vinegar and blend until completely smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
- Step 2: Brown the Meat Season the beef chunks generously with salt on all sides. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the meat on all sides until deeply browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and continue until all pieces are seared.
- Step 3: Build the Braise Return all the meat to the pot. Add the quartered onion, halved garlic head, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, oregano, cloves, and bay leaves. Pour in the strained chile sauce and beef broth, making sure the meat is fully submerged. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender and nearly falling apart.
- Step 4: Prepare the Meat and Consommé Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the broth and let cool slightly. Shred the meat using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or connective tissue. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean container, pressing on the solids to extract all the flavor. This strained liquid is your consommé. Return the shredded meat to the consommé, reserving about 2 cups of the liquid for dipping. Skim the bright red fat from the top of the consommé and set aside for dipping tortillas.
- Step 5: Assemble and Cook the Tacos Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Dip one side of a corn tortilla quickly into the reserved fat, then place it fat-side down on the hot griddle. Immediately add a small handful of shredded cheese and some of the shredded birria meat to one half of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over to create a half-moon shape. Cook until crispy on both sides, about 1-2 minutes per side, until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Step 6: Serve Serve the hot Birria Tacos immediately, garnished with diced onion and fresh cilantro. Accompany each serving with a small bowl of the reserved consommé for dipping, along with lime wedges for squeezing over the tacos. The combination of crispy taco, succulent meat, and rich broth creates the ultimate Birria Tacos experience that’s absolutely worth the effort.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 90mg