Birria Tacos Recipe

Five assembled birria tacos on parchment paper on the counter.

Beef birria tacos are made with corn tortillas dipped in a flavorful broth, filled with tender braised beef and melty cheese then pan fried and served with consomé on the side.

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 3 30

Total Time: 3 50

Servings:

Ingredients

Birria Meat and Sauce

2 pounds chuck roast , cut into 4 pieces
1 pounds bone-in short ribs or bone-in back ribs
½ large white onion , peeled and halved
1 whole garlic bulb , unpeeled and top cut off
3 bay leaves
4 dried guajillo chiles , stems and seeds removed
5 cups hot water
1 ½ Tablespoons chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon Kosher salt , or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 teaspoons chili powder , or to taste
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Tacos

Olive oil , for the pan
12-16 white or yellow corn tortillas
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella , Monterey Jack, or Oaxaca cheese

Topping

1 medium onion , diced
1 bunch cilantro , chopped
1-2 limes , some cut into wedges
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Birria Meat and Sauce

In large Dutch oven or large stockpot, add 2 pounds chuck roast, 1 pound short ribs, 1/2 large onion, 1 whole garlic bulb, 3 bay leaves and 4 dried peppers. Cover with 5 cups water. Stir in 1 1/2 Tablespoons bouillon, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 30 minutes. Skim any impurities from the bone from the top of the broth.
When the peppers are softened, transfer the sauce to a blender. Blend until smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup broth if needed. Strain the pepper mixture if any peel remains.
Stir the pepper puree and 1-2 teaspoons chili powder into the birria stew. Cover and simmer, stirring every 40 minutes or so, for 3 hours, or until the beef is tender and shreds easily. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Skim any grease from the top of the broth and reserve in a shallow bowl for dipping the tortillas. Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Transfer the beef to a cutting a board and shred into small pieces, discarding any bones. Save a cup of broth for dipping.

Tacos

Mix together the 1 medium diced onion, 1 bunch cilantro, juice from 1 lime and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil. Dip 1 tortilla into the skimmed broth and place in the skillet. Flip after about 15-20 seconds before it crisps and then quickly top one half of the tortilla with a spoonful of shredded beef and about 2 Tablespoons of cheese. You can add the topping now if preferred.
Fold tortilla in half and press down with a spatula. Fry until both sides are crisp, about 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate for serving. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef, cheese, onion, and cilantro.
Serve with topping, lime wedge and a cup of warm broth for dipping.

Notes

Note: Traditional birria is made with goat or lamb.

Bone in: I find this is an important ingredient to give the broth a rich and deep flavor. If you can't find bone-in short ribs, use bone-in back ribs or beef bones.

Guajillo peppers: These are a mild pepper typically sold dried in the Mexican section of your grocery store. You can adjust the heat level by starting with the guajillo and adding chili powder as the broth simmers.

Make Ahead: The meat and sauce can be cooked up to 5 days in advance, and stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Freeze: You can freeze the leftover meat in an airtight container in the freezer up to 3 months.

Nutrition