Description
Birria Tacos are a flavorful and juicy Mexican dish made with slow-cooked beef in a rich, spiced consommé. The tender meat is shredded, stuffed into corn tortillas with melted cheese, and then fried to crispy perfection. Served with a side of the delicious consommé for dipping, these tacos are irresistible!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Birria (Stewed Meat)
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast (or short ribs, brisket)
- 1 white onion (quartered)
- 6 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 3 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 2 dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 2 dried pasilla chiles (optional, for extra depth)
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 roma tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 cloves (or ¼ tsp ground cloves)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt & pepper (to taste)
For the Tacos
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 ½ cups Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella, shredded)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 1 lime (cut into wedges)
- ½ white onion (finely chopped)
- Oil (for frying)
Instructions
-
Prepare the Chiles:
- In a dry skillet, toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for 30 seconds per side until fragrant.
- Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes until soft.
-
Make the Birria Sauce:
- Blend soaked chiles with tomatoes, chipotle peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, and 1 cup of broth until smooth. Strain for a silky sauce.
-
Cook the Meat:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, sear beef on all sides until browned.
- Add onion, bay leaves, and the blended sauce. Pour in the remaining broth.
- Simmer covered on low for 3-4 hours (or pressure cook for 1 hour) until tender.
- Shred the beef and return to the pot.
-
Prepare the Tacos:
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Dip each tortilla into the birria consommé to coat.
- Place the tortilla on the pan, add cheese and shredded beef, then fold.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown.
-
Serve & Enjoy:
- Garnish tacos with chopped cilantro, onion, and lime wedges.
- Serve with a bowl of consommé for dipping.
Notes
- For a richer broth, add a cinnamon stick and a splash of orange juice while simmering.
- You can use goat or lamb instead of beef for an authentic touch.
- To make this in a slow cooker, cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow-Cooked, Pan-Fried
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: ~450 kcal
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: Birria, Birria Tacos, Beef Birria, Tacos de Birria