Birria Tacos
User Reviews
5
10 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
45 mins
-
Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 45 mins
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Servings
16 tacos
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Calories
306 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Birria Tacos
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Birria Tacos feature tender beef cooked slowly in a spicy, rich chile-based broth made from ancho and guajillo peppers, tomatoes, and aromatic spices. The beef is seared and simmered until shreddable, then combined with the flavorful sauce. The meat is served on corn tortillas with melted mozzarella or Oaxacan cheese, garnished with chopped onions, cilantro, and lime for freshness. This recipe requires a soaking and blending step for the chiles, creating a thick sauce that infuses the beef with bold savory and mildly spicy notes.
Description
Birria Tacos start with dried ancho and guajillo chiles soaked in boiling water, then pureed into a thick sauce. The chuck roast and beef short ribs are seasoned and seared to develop flavor through the Maillard reaction before simmering with vegetables, spices, and the chile puree in chicken broth. Aromatics like onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick deepen the broth's complexity. Simmer until the beef is tender enough to shred easily.
The resulting meat is juicy, rich, and well seasoned. Tender beef is layered into warm corn tortillas with melted mozzarella or Oaxacan cheese, then topped with fresh onion, cilantro, and lime wedges that add brightness and texture. The tacos balance smoky, spicy, and savory flavors with fresh herbal notes from the garnishes.
Careful soaking keeps chiles fully submerged for thorough softening. Searing the beef adds depth, and skimming fat after simmering yields a cleaner broth. Adjust chile seeds for desired spice level. The recipe allows using a stand mixer paddle attachment to shred tougher meat efficiently. These tacos are hearty and work as a main dish served with lime wedges.
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Ingredients
For the Birria:
- 4 ancho chile stems removed, dried
- 3 guajillo chile stems removed, dried
- 4 cups water boiling
- 2 pounds chuck roast cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 pound beef short ribs (about 2 ribs)
- 1 tablespoon salt divided, plus 1 teaspoon
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion diced
- 2 large carrot diced
- 8 Roma tomato halved lengthwise
- 6 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 teaspoons cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
For the Tacos:
- vegetable oil
- 16 corn tortillas
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese 225g, shredded; or Oaxacan cheese
- ½ cup onion finely chopped; white onion
- 1 cup cilantro chopped, leaves
- lime to serve, wedges
Instructions
For the Birria:
- In a large heat-proof bowl, add ancho and guajillo chiles. Pour the boiling water over the chiles. Soak for 45 minutes. Remove the chiles and place in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding some of the soaking water as needed to blend into a smooth but thick sauce. Set aside.
- Sprinkle the chuck roast and short ribs with 1 tablespoon of salt.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the meat until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and carrot to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes more, using the spoon to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot. Stir in the chicken broth and pureed chiles. Add the meat, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick, and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cook until the meat is fork-tender or reaches 205°F to 210°F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thickest portion of the meat, about 3 to 3 ½ hours. Remove from the heat.
- Remove the meat, and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Shred the meat with two forks, and discard the bones.
- Skim the fat off the top of the birria broth and reserve in a heat-proof bowl. Reserve the broth in the pot for serving.
For the Tacos:
- When ready to eat, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet.
- Working in batches, place a tortilla on the surface of reserved broth in the pot and flip to coat. Place into the preheated skillet. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or just until starting to brown. Flip the tortilla. Sprinkle each tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cheese then top half with about ¼ cup of shredded meat. Fold the other half of the tortilla in half, covering the meat.
- Cook until bottoms start to get crispy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the tacos and fry the other side until they start to crisp, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the pan and repeat, adding additional oil as needed. Serve with onion, cilantro, limes wedges, and warm reserved birria broth for dipping.
Notes
- If Mexican oregano is unavailable, dried marjoram is a suitable substitute; avoid Italian or Mediterranean oregano as they lack similar citrus notes.
- Weight down chiles during soaking to keep them submerged for even softening.
- Skim excess fat from the broth once simmering ceases to improve clarity and flavor.
- Searing beef before simmering activates flavor-building Maillard reactions essential for rich taste.
- Cooking time varies with beef cut and pot type; a Dutch oven cooks faster and retains heat well.
- To shred beef faster, remove bones and mix meat in a stand mixer with paddle attachment on low speed.
- Remove chile seeds before blending to reduce taco spiciness if desired.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
306kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
23g
(8%)
Protein
22g
(44%)
Fat
15g
(23%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
64mg
(21%)
Sodium
832mg
(35%)
Potassium
652mg
(14%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
4435IU
(89%)
Vitamin C
11mg
(12%)
Calcium
131mg
(13%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16tacos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 306 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 306kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 23g | 8% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 15g | 23% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 64mg | 21% |
| Sodium | 832mg | 35% |
| Potassium | 652mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 4435IU | 89% |
| Vitamin C | 11mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 131mg | 13% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
10 reviews
Excellent
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