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Birria Tacos
4.9 from 813 votes

Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos feature slow-braised chuck roast and oxtail cooked with a rich sauce of toasted ancho, guajillo, and chile de árbol peppers blended with garlic, onions, tomatoes, and warming spices. The meat is seared before simmering, resulting in tender, flavorful shredded beef. The tacos are traditionally served with diced onions, cilantro, lime, and melty Oaxacan cheese on warm corn tortillas, providing a fragrant, savory experience enhanced by the complex chili sauce.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs 30 mins
Assembly Time
15 mins
Total Time
4 hrs
Servings: 10
Calories: 250 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Mexican

Ingredients

Birria de Rez:
  • 2 pounds chuck roast boneless
  • 1 pound Oxtail or bone-in short ribs
  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil (avocado or vegetable oil)
Sauce:
  • 7 ancho chiles (ends trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 7 guajillo chiles (ends trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 3 chiles de árbol (ends trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 1 white onion (peeled and halved)
  • 6 garlic peeled, cloves
  • 4 Roma tomato
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried, Mexican
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves ground
  • 1/2 cassia cinnamon See note if not using Mexican cinnamon, Mexican, stick form
  • 3 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups beef broth divided, or water
Tacos:
  • 1/4 cup cilantro minced
  • 1/4 white onion (minced)
  • lime juice from 1
  • kosher salt
  • corn tortillas
  • 3 ounces Oaxacan cheese (or mozzarella)

Instructions

To Sear the Meat:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring the meat to room temperature, about 30 minutes and then sprinkle liberally on all sides with kosher salt. In a large Dutch oven (or a pot with an oven-proof lid), set over medium-high heat, add the neutral oil. When hot, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. I like to do a hard sear. You’ll have to do this in batches. Transfer to a bowl.
To Make the Sauce:
  1. Meanwhile, in another medium pot, add the dried chiles, halved white onion, garlic cloves, tomatoes, spices, bay leaves and add cold water until it covers everything. Place over medium heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer and transfer the solids (including the whole spices) to a blender. If your blender is small you may need to do this in batches.
  2. Add the apple cider vinegar and about 1 cup of beef broth or water and blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add salt to taste (I added about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt).
  3. *Note: I have a high-powered blender and it resulted in a super smooth sauce. If you have a blender that is meh, you may want to run the sauce through a strainer to discard any big bits the blender didn’t puree. Very optional!
To Braise the Meat:
  1. Preheat the oven to 300F. Add the meat back to the pot and pour the sauce over it. To the blender, add the remaining 2 cups of broth or water and swish it around to pick up any leftover sauce and pour it into the pot. Place over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer and then immediately cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for about 3 hours, until the meat is tender.
To Assemble the Tacos:
  1. Mix together the cilantro, white onion, lime and salt.
  2. Remove the meat from the sauce and shred using two forks. Ladle the broth into a bowl and add a handful of diced cilantro.
  3. Add a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dip the tortilla into the top of the broth (this should be fat) and add it to the skillet. Pan fry on one side for about 30 seconds and then flip over. Add a some of the shredded meat and the shredded cheese. Fold over and cook until pan fried on both sides, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and serve alongside the broth.

Notes

  • Substitute meats like goat or lamb if preferred; oxtail or short ribs add gelatinous texture to the birria.
  • The birria sauce may be made ahead and refrigerated; the fat will solidify on top and can be used to crisp the tortillas when serving.
  • If Mexican cinnamon is unavailable, omit and discard the cinnamon stick after simmering to protect your blender from damage.
  • Alternative cooking methods include slow cooker (braise 6-7 hours on high) or Instant Pot (pressure cook for about 50 minutes with natural release).
  • Most dried peppers and spices can be found at Latin markets; proper trimming and de-seeding of chiles is recommended before cooking.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 250kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 39g (13%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g (29%) Cholesterol 3mg (1%) Sodium 46mg (2%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 250

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 250kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 39g 13%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 46mg 2%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.