I make my authentic Birria Tacos recipe by simmering the meat for hours building a chili filled flavorful broth. Fill fill tortillas with shredded meat, melted cheese and pan fry them before dipping in that broth.
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Birria Tacos Ingredient Notes
For the Chili Paste
- Dried Ancho Chiles: Mulato chiles work too, but they’ll be a little sweeter.
- Dried Guajillo Peppers: Guajillo is a mild-medium pepper, so it won’t add any heat. Look for them in the Mexican or international aisle. You can sub any other dried Mexican pepper like new mexico, california or pasilla.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: These come in cans (varying in size) that you can find in Mexican aisles at the grocery store.
- Garlic Cloves: You can use 1 teaspoon garlic powder per clove.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Fire-roasted gives extra flavor, but regular works fine too. You can also use diced and blend it up.
- Red Wine Vinegar: ACV works too.
- Thyme: Dried works fine here as well.
- Whole Oregano: If you only have regular oregano, use it.
- Ginger: You can use ground or fresh.
- Allspice: If you don’t have allspice, a teeny pinch of cloves and nutmeg can get you close.
For the Meat and Dipping Sauce (Consomme)
- Olive Oil: Vegetable or canola also works.
- Beef or Lamb: Beef shank is my go-to, but chuck roast, short ribs, or even lamb work too.
- Beef Stock or Broth: You can also use chicken stock.
For Taco Assembly
- Corn Tortillas: The smaller, the better! Flour tortillas won’t crisp up the same way.
- Shredded Oaxaca: Oaxaca is the real deal, but Monterey Jack melts just as well. If you don’t have Jack, mozzarella will do.
How to Make Beef Birria
Step 1: Remove the stems and seeds from the dried ancho and guajillo chiles, then soak them in hot water. Once softened, blend the chiles with the remaining ingredients until smooth and thick.
Step 2: Season the meat, sear it in batches until browned, then set aside to drain. Sauté the onion until lightly browned, then return the beef to the pot with the onions. Pour in the paste, add beef stock, a bouillon cube, and water, then stir everything together. Bring to a simmer, then transfer to the oven and braise until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Step 3: 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.
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Birria Tacos
A traditional Mexican taco recipe, Birria Tacos (or Quesatacos) are made with tender beef, a rich adobo sauce, and earthy corn tortillas!
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Servings: 18 servings
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 ½ 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 ½ cups of broth from the beef and add to a small bowl. 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
Blend the chili paste until silky smooth. No one wants chunks of dried pepper floating around. Run it through a fine-mesh strainer if needed.
Try to use beef shank cut, boos. I’s a budget-friendly option that cooks up perfectly tender to make succulent and juicy birria tacos. Also, let it braise low and slow. Rushing birria is a no-no, boos. That long cook time is what makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Remember to skim the fat, but not all of it. Some of that top layer of fat in the broth is liquid gold y’all! Use it to dip the tortillas before frying for extra flavor.
How to Store & Reheat Birria Tacos
Store the birria beef and broth separately from the tortillas. Nobody wants soggy tacos, boos! Keep the meat and consomé in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, 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 350° F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.How long will Birria Tacos last in the fridge?
The meat and consomé will last for about 4 days in the fridge.Can I freeze the beef birria recipe?
You can absolutely freeze the beef, boos! Just let it cool completely, then pack it up in a freezer-safe bag or container with some of that rich broth to keep it moist. It’ll stay good for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it in the fridge overnight, then warm it up.Nutrition
Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 638mg | Potassium: 595mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2457IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 3mg
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How to Make Quesabirria Tacos
- Dip and Fill: Dip your tortillas (one at a time) in the broth, then top them with beef, onions, cheese, and cilantro.
- Fold and Fry: Pan fry your tacos in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until they crisp up. Serve the broth on the side.
TIP: Warm up the tortillas! I like to work with softer, more pliable tortillas, so I warm them by wrapping them in a paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds (or use a tortilla warmer).
Recipe Tips
- Blend the chili paste until silky smooth. To avoid dried pepper chunks floating around, run it through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Use beef shank cut. It’s a budget-friendly option that cooks up tender to make juicy birria.
- Let it braise low and slow. Rushing birria is a no-no, boos. That long cook time is what makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Skim the fat, but not all of it. Some of that top layer of fat in the broth is liquid gold y’all! Use it to dip the tortillas before frying for extra flavor.
What to Serve With Beef Birria Tacos
- Taco Night: Pair these birria tacos with a side of Pollo Asado, fresh Salsa Verde, and Mexican Rice to round it all out.
- Comfort Meal: Make a pot of Pozole, add a plate of Baked Beans, and whip up some classic Cornbread or Honey Cornbread.
- Dips: Set out some tortilla chips with Guac, Cowboy Caviar, or a 7 Layer Dip to snack on before (or with) your tacos.
Recipe Help
How do you cut the spice in birria?
The heat comes mostly from the chipotles. Just use fewer, or skip them altogether.
How do you make birria tacos not soggy?
Drain the meat well before stuffing your tacos, and crisp them up in the pan. Keeps ’em sturdy and golden!
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yup! Sear the meat first, then toss everything in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours until it’s fall-apart tender.
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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.