Description
These homemade birria tacos feature juicy, slow-cooked beef, a rich chile sauce, and crispy, cheesy corn tortillas. Perfect for taco night or gatherings, they’re deeply flavorful, comforting, and fun to eat—especially when dunked in the savory consommé.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1 lb beef short ribs or oxtail
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed and seeded (optional, for heat)
- 1 large white onion, peeled and quartered
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
- 16–20 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
- Chopped white onion, for topping
- Fresh cilantro, for topping
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Toast the guajillo, ancho, and chiles de arbol in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, turning often, until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes to soften.
- Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear beef chunks in batches until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Drain chiles and add to the pot along with oregano, cumin, paprika, cloves, cinnamon stick, and apple cider vinegar. Sauté 1 minute more. Pour in 1 cup beef broth, scraping up browned bits. Transfer everything (including cinnamon stick) to a blender and blend until completely smooth, adding more broth as needed.
- Return beef to the pot. Pour in sauce and remaining beef broth. Add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 2.5-3 hours, until meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove beef to a plate (discard bones and excess fat). Shred with two forks. Skim extra fat from the top of the sauce (save some for frying tacos).
- Strain the sauce for a smoother consommé, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm for serving.
- Dip a tortilla in the top layer of birria fat (or sauce), then lay it in a hot skillet. Sprinkle cheese over half, add shredded beef, and fold over. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Top tacos with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and small bowls of hot consommé for dipping.
Notes
For best results, don’t rush the braising step—low and slow yields the most tender beef. Toasting the dried chiles is essential for deep flavor. Use the skimmed birria fat to fry tortillas for extra crispiness. Warm tortillas until pliable to prevent tearing. Leftover meat and consommé taste even better the next day and freeze well.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco with cheese and toppings
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 24
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 15
Keywords: birria tacos, Mexican tacos, beef birria, cheesy tacos, taco night, homemade birria, easy birria tacos, authentic birria, crispy tacos, birria recipe