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–+ servings
Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos – the legendary crispy red tacos stuffed with cheesy shredded beef dunked in rich consommé.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Mains
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 25 tacos

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • heavy based pot
  • stick blender
  • Non-stick pan

Ingredients
  

Birria adobo (paste)

  • 25 g guajillo chillies, dried (~4 pieces, heaped ¾ cup once chopped)
  • 45 g ancho chillies, dried (~2-3 pieces, 1 cup once chopped)
  • 6 g chillies de arbol, dried (~6 pieces, 2 tablespoon once chopped)
  • ½ cup chilli soaking water (reserve after simmering)
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 small onion roughly sliced (~tennis ball size)
  • 1 medium tomato roughly sliced (180g)
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Birria braising

  • 5 tablespoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
  • 1.3 kg chuck beef cut into 6 large pieces (or boneless beef short ribs – 1.8kg/3.6 lb bone-in)
  • 2 cups beef stock / broth low sodium
  • 1 stick cinnamon (substitute ¼ teaspoon powder, but it’s not quite the same)
  • 3 bay leaves preferably fresh else dried
  • 2.5 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or regular white vinegar, red or white wine vinegar)
  • 2.5 teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +30% for flakes)

Beef seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt

Birria Tacos

  • 20 - 25 corn tortillas (14.5cm/6" wide)
  • 1 white onion diced
  • ½ cup finely chopped coriander / cilantro leaves
  • 3.5 cups shredded cheese (Colby, Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese)
  • Lime wedges optional
  • Your favorite salsa or hot sauce optional

Instructions
 

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

  • Simmer chopped chillies 10 min. Strain, blitz Adobo paste. Brown beef, cook off adobo paste, slow-cook beef 2 ½ hrs (lid on). Remove meat, shred, skim fat off braising liquid. Toss beef in skillet with 1 cup braising liquid. Heat 1 teaspoon Birria oil over low heat, wipe pan with tortilla, remove, repeat. Top tortilla with cheese, beef, onion, coriander, fold over, pan fry until crisp. Serve with Birria Consomme for dunking!

FULL RECIPE

  • Prepare chillis: Use gloves if you're sensitive to working with chilli! Deseed, simmer, and reserve chilli soaking water.
  • Birria Adobo (paste) – Blitz cooked chillies, reserved chilli water, and remaining Adobo ingredients until smooth.
  • Sear beef – Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Sear each side until dark golden brown.
  • Cook off Adobo – Add the paste to the same pan and stir for 2 minutes in oil.
  • Slow cook 2 ½ hours – Add all Birria braising ingredients, then the beef. Cook covered for 2 ½ hours.
  • Shred – Remove the beef and shred well. Add salt and toss meat to distribute.
  • Birria oil – Skim off red oil floating on braising liquid surface.
  • Soak beef – Pour 1 cup of the braising liquid into a pan, add beef, toss in the sauce.
  • Birria Consommé – Taste and check for salt, keep warm for dipping.
  • Crispy Cheesy Birria Tacos – Heat Birria Oil, prepare tortillas as per steps, stuff tacos and pan-fry until golden-red and crispy.
  • Serve while hot with the Birria Consommé for dunking!

Notes

Yield – Makes 22 – 25 tacos (900g shredded beef once sauced). Best to pan fry fresh so they’re crispy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1taco
Keyword Birria Tacos, consommé, crispy tacos, quesabirria, shredded beef, Tacos
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