Description
Discover what the sauce is made of for birria tacos—a rich blend of smoky guajillo chiles, aromatic spices, and tender beef chuck slow-cooked to perfection. Serve these crispy, juicy tacos with a side of savory consommé for dipping! Authentic, budget-friendly, and guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Birria Sauce:
- 4 dried guajillo chiles (stems/seeds removed)
- 2 dried ancho chiles (stems/seeds removed)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 6 garlic cloves
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp cloves
For the Tacos:
- 3 lbs beef chuck (cut into chunks)
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1 white onion (diced)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 2 limes (quartered)
- Salt to taste
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Toast the Chiles: Dry-roast guajillo and ancho chiles in a skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Soak Chiles: Submerge toasted chiles in hot water for 15 minutes to soften.
- Blend Sauce: Drain chiles, then blend with garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth until smooth. Strain.
- Cook Beef: Brown beef chunks in a Dutch oven, then pour sauce and remaining broth over meat. Simmer covered for 3 hours until tender.
- Shred Meat: Remove beef, shred with forks, and mix back into the sauce.
- Fry Tacos: Dip tortillas in the sauce’s fat layer, fill with meat, fold, and pan-fry until crispy (2–3 mins per side).
- Serve: Top tacos with onion, cilantro, and lime. Serve with consommé (strained cooking broth) for dipping.
Notes
- Substitutions: Use chicken thighs (1.5 hrs cook time) or jackfruit (vegetarian).
- Spice Level: Reduce guajillo chiles for milder heat; add honey to balance.
- Storage: Meat/sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen.
- Pro Tip: Double-fry tacos for extra crispiness!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 3 hrs
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: birria tacos recipe, birria sauce, Mexican beef tacos, homemade consommé, crispy birria