Birria Tacos (or Quesatacos) are made with tender beef, a rich adobo sauce, gooey cheese, and earthy corn tortillas! Once pan-fried to cheesy crisp perfection, these tacos are repeatedly dipped into broth for a flavorful, texturally exciting experience!
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My love for Mexican food is endless and eternal. On a 100-degree day, all I can think about are spicy margaritas, a bowl of ceviche, and carne asada. The bold flavors and the refreshing sips keep me coming back for more!
Living in Dallas, Iโm basically in what they call Tex Mex food heaven, and lately my knowledge and love for South of the Border cuisine has gone above and beyond what I thought possible. If youโre not on the same band wagon, youโre about to be.
This Winter, Iโve struck gold in the form of Birria Tacos. On a chilly day, thereโs nothing like a plate of Birria Tacos with a side of warm, saucy broth for Taco Tuesday or any weeknight dinner!
Quesatacos (also known as quesabirria) are a cross between a taco and a quesadilla, filled with melted cheese and flavor-packed shredded meat. These out-of-this-world tacos are then dipped into a homemade broth and pan-fried to crispy perfection. Serve them up with a side of Mexican Rice or Mexican Grilled Corn!
These are not authentic but they are truly my ode to the amazing Mexican food that I know and love. I truly hope I did it justice.
Today, Iโm walking you through how to make wonderful homemade birria, and then weโre turning it into some epic quesatacos. Pay close attention, this is about to get GOOD.
What are Birria Tacos?
Birria is an addictivally sweet, sour, slightly spicy, and deliciously savory Mexican beef stew. Simmered to tender, fall-apart juicy goodness, this traditionally prepared beef is irresistible.
Someone (bless their soul) had the bright idea to stuff this saucy, meaty goodness into a tortilla, and then dip the whole mess into the soup and pan fry it. The result of this ingenuity is an indescribably unique, flavorful dish so good that youโll find yourself making them again and again!
Birria Tacos Ingredients
There might be a few ingredients in todayโs recipe that youโre unfamiliar with, so letโs break down the most important ones.
- Beef or Lamb- Birria is traditionally made with either meat (itโs usually up to budget or availability). I highly recommend using a beef shank cut; I just find that the meat has an incredible texture and value for the price.
- Dried Guajillo Peppers- These sun-dried peppers offer up an authentic Mexican flavor that simply canโt be omitted. Guajillo is a mild-medium pepper, so it wonโt add any heat. These smoky peppers can be found in the Mexican or international aisle of your local grocery store. If you canโt find them, sub any other dried Mexican or Southwestern pepper you can find such as new mexico, california or pasilla.
- Dried Ancho Chiles- Similar to guajillo peppers, sun-dried ancho chiles introduce a smoky, slightly fruity taste to the stew. I find that ancho has a subtle mild to medium heat that I really enjoy.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo- These come in cans (varying in size) that you can find in Mexican aisles at the grocery store. These saucy, sweet-spicy peppers serve as the base for many Mexican stews, soups, and marinades. I like to keep multiple cans of this stuff on hand at all times, theyโre that good.
TIP: Use Mexican Oregano! This recipe calls for the use of oregano, but did you know there are multiple varieties of the herb? Mexican Oregano has lemon and citrus flavors that pair beautifully with spicy chili peppers. I also find that this variety is cheaper and fresher than the one youโll find in the regular spice aisle. Give it a try!
How to Make Beef Birria
If youโre a bit intimidated by this recipe, donโt be. There’s some prep and a good amount of waiting, but minimal active work. In a few short hours (they breeze by), your house will smell glorious and youโll be munching on God-sent tacos.
Hereโs what weโre gonna do to make it happen:
- Soak the Peppers- We basically want to reanimate the peppers to get their full flavor. Rehydrated peppers will also blend more smoothly.
- Season and Sear the Meat- This step is crucial! Seasoning will help to flavor and tenderize the meat. Searing creates a seal that retains moisture during cooking.
- Make the Stew- the broth is the BEST part of this recipe; itโs flavorful and succulent. The stew is actually made using a chile paste (made from the chiles we discussed earlier), beef stock, and the slow-simmered juices that are released from the meat and onions. Yummmmm!
- Shred the Meat- Once fully cooked, and removed from the broth, use two forks to finely shred the meat, then add it back to the broth.
How to Make Quesabirria Tacos
- Dip and Fill!- Okay, this is the fun part yโall! Dip your tortillas (one at a time) in the broth, then top them with beef, onions, cheese, and cilantro.
- Fold and Fry- Youโre almost at the finish line, I promise. Pan fry your tacos in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until they crisp up, about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with a side of broth for dipping!
TIP: Warm up the tortillas! I like to work with softer, more pliable tortillas, so I choose to warm them up a bit before dipping. To do so, wrap them in a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds (or use a tortilla warmer).
What to Serve With Birria Tacos With Consomme
Iโm gonna be honest, these Birria Tacos are good enough to eat about a dozen of all on their own. But, if youโre feeding a crowd or looking to build a spread, you can serve them with these:
- Mexican Cornbread
- Pollo Asado
- Guacamole
- Salsa Verde
- Pozole
- Elotes
- Lemon Cupcakes with Mojito Frosting
Expert Tips
- Use beef shank cut, It’s a budget-friendly option that cooks up perfectly tender to make succulent and juicy birria tacos.
- Don’t skimp on the chilies! For best flavor, use real Mexican dried chilies listed in the ingredient list!
- Make plenty! You won’t be able to eat just one or two! And you will love having leftovers!
- Heat the tortillas before filling them! This makes them more pliable so they’re less likely to break.
- Use Mexican oregano for its hints of citrus that work so well with this recipe.
FAQs
Yes, return the shredded meat to a skillet or saucepan to reheat. Add some of the consomme to the pan and heat over medium heat until it’s heated through. If you prefer to heat it in the oven, place the beef and broth in a roasting pan and cover with foil. Heat at 350ยฐย F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Birria is made with a variety of chilies. In this recipe, the one that gives the most heat is the chipotles. You can reduce the number of chipotles added to the sauce.
Drain as much of the broth off the meat when assembling the quesatacos so you don’t transfer so much juice which may cause sogginess. My method of crisping up the tortillas in a pan also helps keep them from being soggy.
More Mexican Recipes
- Mexican Crab Cake Recipe
- Salmon Tacos
- Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup
- Mexican Pizza Recipe
- Blackened Chicken Enchiladas
- Carne Asada
- Taco Soup
- Blackened Shrimp Nachos
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!
Birria Tacos
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Ingredients
For the Chili Paste
- 4 dried ancho chiles
- 2 dried guajillo chiles
- 4 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp whole oregano
- 1 tsp ground ginger or fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp paprika
For the Meat and Dipping Sauce (Consomme)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 1/2 lbs beef or lamb chopped in chucks, see notes below
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1 bouillon cube
- 32 oz beef stock or broth
- 2 cups water
For QuesoTaco Assembly
- 18 corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 cup chopped white onion
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
- Shredded oaxaca or monterey jack cheese
Instructions
For the Chili Paste
- Start by removing stems and seeds from all of the dried ancho and guajillo chiles.
- Add about 2 cups of water to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Add chiles to a large pot then cover and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes.
- When peppers are done, add them to a heavy duty blender or food processor along with all of the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and thick.
For the Meat
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Add oil to a large pot over medium high heat. Season the meat with salt and light pepper and then add to hot pot to sear. Remove the meat working in batches and set to the side on paper towels to drain. Remove pot from heat.
- Next saute the onion until it gets some color (about 3-4 minutes).
- Add the beef back to the pot along with the onion and pour paste over the top. Next add beef stock, bouillon cube and water to the pot and stir everything together.
- Bring temperature down to medium heat and bring to a simmer then add to the oven and braise for about 2 ยฝ hours or until beef is incredibly tender and falling apart.
- Remove meat from the broth and place on a cutting board.
- Taking two forks, shred beef in the broth. Taste the broth and season to taste with salt then add beef back into broth.
For Taco Assembly
- Remove 1 ยฝ cups of broth from the beef and add to a small bowl.ย Add some cilantro and onion to the top of the dipping sauce and set aside.
- Add a pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil or butter.
- Carefully dip a tortilla into the top part of the broth and place in the hot pan. Fry for a few seconds then flip over.
- Top with meat, onion, cilantro and cheese allowing the cheese to melt and get nice and gooey then fold in half and remove from the pan. Repeat with all tortillas. Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy the heck out of this!
Video
Notes
- Use beef shank cut, It’s a budget-friendly option that cooks up perfectly tender to make succulent and juicy birria tacos.
- Don’t skimp on the chilies! For best flavor, use real Mexican dried chilies listed in the ingredient list!
- Make plenty! You won’t be able to eat just one or two! And you will love having leftovers!
- Heat the tortillas before filling them! This makes them more pliable so they’re less likely to break.
- Use Mexican oregano for its hints of citrus that work so well with this recipe.
I am just amazed by the variety of foods you are adept at making. When I first was introduced to your blog, I saw lots of baking recipes. But the amount of savory/meal recipes you have is pretty incredible!
Jocelyn, I made your birria and the Cazadores raspberry cocktails yesterday. Shared the day and meal with 3 of our close neighbor friends. It was absolutely amazing. We have an outdoor oven here on the beach in Mexico. Which was perfect for the birria and Mexican zucchini chocolate cake . Thanks so much for your inspiration and sharing your recipes
Am I reading the nutrition facts correctly and 1 taco is almost 1,000 calories?
Oh no not at all!
My mouth is salivating just reading through the recipe! Thanks for sharing! There’s a local taqueria near my old high school that does Birria taco specials on Fridays, but they’ve been closed off and on through this pandemic due to positive exposures. Can’t wait to try this at home!
Absolutely and insanely delicious!
I’ve been making this style a few times. Yours is definitely our favorite recipe. THANK YOU!!
Looks amazing! I can’t wait to try these.
Umm, yes please! I will be making these again and again!
I love the sound of these – the tender beef, the rich sauce! These sound like a real taste sensation.
Oh yum! How delicious are these tacos? I cannot wait to try them!
We LOVE Mexican food in this house. Your photo’s make me want to dive into the page. I’ll be giving these taco’s a go soon for sure!
I’m going to try this recipe this weekend. Love street tacos but this recipe may be my new fav.