Description
Sizzling birria tacos bring Mexican street flavor right to home kitchens, celebrating tender braised beef and rich traditional spices. Crispy tortillas filled with juicy meat and melted cheese promise a delicious journey through authentic Mexican culinary traditions you’ll savor with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) beef chuck roast (or a mix of beef short ribs & shank for extra richness)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon oil (for searing)
Spices and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed & seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed & seeded
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional, adds umami)
Liquids and Additional Ingredients:
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Carefully toast dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry skillet for half a minute on each side until their aromatic oils release and they become fragrant.
- Submerge the toasted chilies in hot water, allowing them to hydrate and soften for approximately 10 minutes.
- Transfer softened chilies into a blender with chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, vinegar, and soy sauce, processing until achieving a silky smooth consistency.
- Strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate any remaining chili skin fragments, creating a refined adobo mixture.
- Generously season the beef with salt and pepper, ensuring even coverage.
- Preheat a large Dutch oven with oil over medium-high heat, then meticulously sear the meat until developing a rich, caramelized exterior on all sides.
- Introduce diced onions, bay leaves, prepared adobo sauce, broth, and water into the pot, creating a flavorful braising liquid.
- Cover and reduce heat, allowing the meat to simmer gently for 3-4 hours (or utilize a slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours) until the beef becomes incredibly tender and easily pulls apart.
- Delicately shred the cooked meat and reintegrate it into the concentrated consomme.
- Warm a skillet to medium heat and quickly dip corn tortillas into the birria consomme, ensuring complete coating.
- Place the saturated tortillas onto the pan, sprinkle with cheese, and layer with succulent shredded birria meat.
- Carefully fold the tortilla and fry until achieving a crisp, golden-brown exterior, flipping once to ensure even cooking.
- Plate the tacos immediately, garnishing with freshly chopped cilantro, diced onions, and a vibrant lime wedge.
- Serve alongside the rich consomme for an immersive dipping experience that elevates the entire dish.
Notes
- Choose chilies carefully, as they determine the depth and complexity of flavor in your birria tacos.
- Toast dried chilies gently to release their essential oils without burning, which can create a bitter taste.
- Strain blended sauce thoroughly to ensure a silky-smooth texture without tough chili skin fragments.
- Low and slow cooking is crucial for transforming tough beef cuts into meltingly tender meat that shreds effortlessly.
- For a leaner option, swap beef chuck with brisket or use chicken thighs, which maintain similar rich flavor profiles.
- Make extra consomme and freeze for future quick meals or as a dipping sauce for other dishes.
- Corn tortillas work best for authentic texture, but flour tortillas can be substituted if needed.
- Prep ingredients ahead of time to streamline the cooking process and reduce day-of kitchen stress.
- For vegetarian adaptation, replace beef with jackfruit or mushrooms, maintaining similar braising techniques.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg