Description
This birria tacos recipe brings the bold, authentic flavors of Mexican street food to your kitchen with tender, slow-cooked beef, a rich chile consommé, and crispy, cheesy corn tortillas. Perfect for parties or cozy nights in, these tacos are juicy, dunkable, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1 lb beef shank or bone-in short ribs
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 3 dried ancho chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, seeds and stems removed (optional)
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 medium tomatoes, halved (Roma or plum)
- 1 cinnamon stick (preferably Mexican canela)
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (plus more to taste)
- 6 cups beef broth (or water)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons oil (for browning beef)
- 20 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella
- 1/2 cup chopped white onion (for garnish)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Pickled red onions (optional)
- Jalapeño slices (optional)
- Radish slices (optional)
Instructions
- Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Do not burn. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 15 minutes until softened.
- Drain the soaked chiles. Add them to a blender with onion, garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, cloves, oregano, cumin, peppercorns, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until completely smooth (about 2-3 minutes). Work in batches if needed.
- Pour the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear beef chunks until browned on all sides (about 2 minutes per side).
- Return all browned beef to the pot. Add bay leaves, strained chile sauce, remaining beef broth, salt, and vinegar. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2.5-3 hours, until beef shreds easily with a fork. Skim off excess fat and reserve for frying tacos.
- Remove beef from the pot and let cool slightly. Shred with two forks, discarding bones and large pieces of fat. Adjust salt to taste.
- Skim any fat from the surface of the broth and reserve in a bowl. Keep consommé hot for dipping and serving.
- Warm corn tortillas until pliable. Dip each tortilla in reserved birria oil, then lay in a hot skillet. Sprinkle with cheese, top with shredded beef, and fold in half. Fry 1-2 minutes per side until crispy and golden brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, and beef.
- Serve tacos hot, topped with chopped onion and cilantro. Pour consommé into small bowls for dipping. Add lime wedges, pickled onions, or jalapeños as desired.
Notes
For best flavor, make the birria stew a day ahead and assemble tacos fresh. Skim and save the birria oil for frying—it’s key for crispy, flavorful tacos. If you can’t find all three types of dried chiles, substitute with extra guajillo or ancho. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based cheese or omit cheese. Keep tacos warm in a 200°F oven on a wire rack after frying. Adjust spice level by adding dried arbol chiles or hot salsa.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco with cheese and consommé
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 480
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 14
Keywords: birria tacos, Mexican street food, beef birria, authentic tacos, cheesy tacos, consommé, Jalisco, easy birria, party food, comfort food