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Birria Tacos Recipe

  • Author: Touba
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 tacos 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Description

Authentic Birria Tacos feature tender, slow-cooked beef chuck roast stewed in a rich, smoky consomme made from a blend of dried chilies, spices, and tomatoes. Served on warm corn tortillas with melted Oaxaca cheese, fresh cilantro, minced onions, and a squeeze of lime, these tacos offer a deliciously layered flavor experience perfect for a comforting meal.


Ingredients

Scale

Birria de Rez

  • 2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
  • 1 tbsp grapeseed oil
  • 7 dried ancho chilies, trimmed and de-seeded
  • 5 dried guajillo chilies, trimmed and de-seeded
  • 4 dried chilies de arbol, trimmed and de-seeded
  • 1 onion, peeled and halved
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 4 tomatoes on the vine
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 2 tbsp Bayou City Garlic Pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Tacos

  • Cilantro for garnish
  • Minced onion for topping
  • Lime wedges for topping
  • Corn tortillas
  • Oaxaca cheese or your favorite cheese

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chili sauce: Toast the dried ancho, guajillo, and arbol chilies in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes to soften.
  2. Blend the sauce ingredients: In a blender, combine the soaked chilies (drained), onion halves, garlic cloves, tomatoes, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, Mexican oregano, and a splash of beef stock. Blend until you achieve a smooth, rich sauce.
  3. Sear the beef: Heat grapeseed oil in a large pot or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef chuck roast chunks with salt, pepper, and Bayou City Garlic Pepper. Sear the beef on all sides until nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
  4. Simmer the birria: Pour the blended chili sauce and the remaining beef stock over the seared beef in the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is extremely tender and shreds easily.
  5. Prepare the tacos: Once the beef is cooked, shred it using two forks. Warm the corn tortillas on a skillet or griddle. Place some shredded beef on each tortilla, top with Oaxaca cheese, and cook until the cheese melts and the tortilla edges are slightly crisp.
  6. Serve: Garnish the tacos with minced onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve the consomme on the side for dipping.

Notes

  • Soaking the chilies properly ensures a smooth and flavorful sauce without bitterness.
  • For extra smoky flavor, you can char the tomatoes and onion slightly before blending.
  • If you prefer a spicier birria, leave some seeds in the chilies or add extra arbol chilies.
  • Leftover birria and consomme can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
  • Use grapeseed oil or another neutral oil with a high smoke point for searing.

Keywords: Birria Tacos, Mexican Beef Tacos, Slow Cooked Beef, Spicy Mexican Stew, Consomme, Oaxaca Cheese Tacos