⏤ The Recipe
Beef Birria Tacos.
If you’ve never hadbeef birria tacos, prepare to fall in love. This recipe features slow-braised, fall-apart tender beef, a smoky, chile-spiced broth, and corn tortillas. Crisped in a skillet with melty cheese, the tacos are served warm with a side of consomé for dipping.
Prep
30m
Cook
4h
Total
4h
Serves
12
⏤ The Story
If you’ve never hadbeef birria tacos, prepare to fall in love. This recipe features slow-braised, fall-apart tender beef, a smoky, chile-spiced broth, and corn tortillas. Crisped in a skillet with melty cheese, the tacos are served warm with a side of consomé for dipping.
If you’re unfamiliar, birria is a traditional Mexican dish that originated in the state of Jalisco. It’s typically made with goat or beef that is slow-cooked in a flavorful broth of dried chiles, spices, and aromatics until incredibly tender. The result is a savory, slightly spicy stew that’s often served with tortillas and a ladle of the broth (known as consomé) on the side.
The meat is used in a variety of dishes, the most popular being birria tacos and quesabirria tacos, which are birria tacos lined with cheese. My beef birria tacos recipe comes together with authentic ingredients and a slow cooking method that brings the flavors of this popular Mexican food right to your kitchen.
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.
⏤ The Method
Step by step.
For the Beef Birria
- 1
Add the chiles to a large skillet over low heat. Toast the chiles for three to four minutes, tossing often, until the outside of the chiles are lightly toasted. With 30 seconds left, add the chile de árbol and toast until fragrant. Add one cup of beef stock, and bring the liquid to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from the heat, and cover with a lid. Allow to steep for 15-20 minutes.
- 2
While the mixture is steeping, preheat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil. Then, season the beef with salt and, working in batches, sear on each side until golden brown. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside while you make the chili mixture.
- 3
Optionally, char the onion over an open stove flame, or place it on a small sheet tray and broil for a few minutes, or until lightly charred. Set aside.
- 4
Once the chiles have softened, use a spider to transfer to a high-powered blender, reserving the liquid. Add the cumin seeds, garlic, oregano, onion, and one and a half cups of reserved chili liquid. Blend until fully pureed, about one to two minutes.
- 5
Pour the mixture over a fine mesh sieve set over the Dutch oven. Add the tomato puree, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorns, and white vinegar to the pot, as well as the remaining beef stock, if more liquid is needed. The beef should not be covered, but it should come up at least ¾ of the way. Cover and braise for three and a half to four hours, or until the beef is falling apart and tender.
- 6
Remove the beef from the pot and strain the cooking liquid. Add half of the strained liquid into a serving bowl and add chopped cilantro and onion, this will be the consomé. Then, shred the beef, and add it back to the other half of the reserved liquid, without the onion and cilantro.
For Assembly
- 1
Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat.
- 2
Dip one tortilla at a time into the consomé.
- 3
Add Oaxacan cheese to the corn tortilla. Top with a portion of the shredded beef, followed by a bit more cheese. Fold the tortilla in half.
- 4
Add the quesabirria to the preheated skillet and cook for three minutes, or until golden brown. Drizzle a spoonful of the consomé onto the uncooked side before turning over. Then flip and repeat on the other side.
- 5
Transfer to a plate, and let it cool slightly. Repeat as needed.
- 6
Serve the quesabirria with consomé, lime, cilantro, and onion.
⏤ Chef's Notes
Storage:Store the meat and broth separately in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months.
⏤ Cook Next
