Description
Birria Tacos are a flavorful Mexican dish featuring tender, slow-simmered beef marinated in a rich blend of dried chilies and spices. The beef is cooked until meltingly tender, then shredded and served inside crispy corn tortillas, accompanied by fresh onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and a rich consommé for dipping. This comforting recipe offers a perfect blend of smoky, spicy, and savory notes that make it a beloved street food classic.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast
- 2 pounds beef short ribs
Marinade and Broth
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeds removed
- 2 dried pasilla chilies, stemmed and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeds removed
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
To Serve
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 1/2 cup consommé from the birria stew
Instructions
- Heat oil: In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Sear the meat: Once the oil is hot, add the beef chuck roast and beef short ribs to the pot. Sear the meat on all sides until browned, about 8-10 minutes total.
- Remove meat: Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside on a plate.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, add the quartered onion and garlic cloves. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to soften.
- Toast chilies: Add the dried guajillo, pasilla, and ancho chilies to the pot with the onion and garlic. Toast the chilies for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add spices: Add the ground cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and salt to the pot with the chilies. Stir everything together for another minute to bloom the spices.
- Add broth and deglaze: Pour in the beef broth and bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return meat to pot: Add the seared beef back into the pot along with any juices from the plate.
- Add additional ingredients: Add the apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and soy sauce to the pot. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
- Simmer stew: Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the stew simmer for about 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is very tender and shreds easily.
- Remove beef: Once the beef is done, remove it from the pot and set it aside to cool slightly.
- Strain consommé: Strain the cooking liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a separate bowl or large measuring cup, discarding the solids. Reserve the consommé for serving and dipping.
- Assemble tacos: Shred the beef and fill the small corn tortillas with the meat, then top with chopped cilantro and diced onion. Serve with lime wedges and the warm consommé for dipping.
Notes
- For best flavor, remove seeds and stems from dried chilies before toasting to avoid bitterness.
- This recipe requires slow simmering to achieve tender, shreddable meat; using a slow cooker alternative is possible but adjust timing accordingly.
- Use fresh corn tortillas for authentic taste and texture; crisp them lightly on a hot skillet before filling for the classic birria taco experience.
- Reserve the consommé for dipping to enhance flavor with each bite.
- Adjust chili quantities to control spice level according to personal preference.
