Description
Birria Tacos are a traditional Mexican dish featuring slow-cooked, tender beef (or goat) in a spiced broth, served in warm tortillas with cheese and garnished with onions and cilantro. These tacos are accompanied by consommé for dipping, making them indulgent and full of rich, complex flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast (or beef short ribs)
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried pasilla chiles (optional, for extra depth)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 4 cups beef broth (or water)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for browning the meat)
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges (for serving)
- 1 cup consommé (from the birria broth) for dipping
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, dry toast the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for about 1-2 minutes, just until they become aromatic. Once toasted, add the chiles to a bowl of hot water and soak for about 15-20 minutes until softened.
- Once softened, drain the chiles and transfer them to a blender. Add the garlic, onion, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves. Blend until smooth, adding a bit of beef broth or water to help blend if needed. This will be your birria sauce.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then brown the meat on all sides for 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Pour the prepared birria sauce over the browned beef and add the bay leaves, apple cider vinegar, and the remaining beef broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours until the meat is tender and easily shreds. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker for 1 hour or in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low.
- Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and shred with two forks. Set aside. Reserve about 2 cups of the cooking liquid for consommé.
- In a separate skillet, heat the tortillas until warm. If you prefer crispy tacos, fry them slightly in oil until golden and crispy.
- Add a generous amount of shredded beef to each tortilla. Sprinkle Oaxaca cheese on top of the beef, allowing it to melt slightly.
- If desired, crisp the tacos in the skillet over medium heat until golden, flipping halfway through.
- Garnish the tacos with chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
Notes
- For a richer dipping sauce, melt some cheese into the consommé.
- If you prefer a vegetarian option, replace the beef with mushrooms or jackfruit and follow the same steps.
- Add more chilies for extra heat or reduce the amount for a milder flavor.
- If you don’t have Oaxaca cheese, mozzarella works well as a substitute.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: undefined
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking, Frying
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
