Birria Tacos Mexican Street Food (Printable)
Tender beef, melted cheese, and crispy tortillas served with warm, flavorful dipping broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat & Marinade
01 - 3.3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 lb beef short ribs
03 - 2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
06 - 2 cups beef broth
07 - 4 cloves garlic
08 - 1 medium white onion, quartered
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
10 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tbsp dried oregano
12 - 1 tsp ground cumin
13 - 1 tsp paprika
14 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
15 - 3 whole cloves
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - 1 1/2 tsp salt
18 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
→ For Frying & Assembly
19 - 18 corn tortillas
20 - 10 oz shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
21 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
22 - 1/2 cup diced white onion
23 - Oil for frying (vegetable or canola, as needed)
24 - Lime wedges, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes until soft, then drain well.
02 - Combine softened chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, oregano, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until completely smooth to create the birria sauce.
03 - Place beef chunks and short ribs in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. Pour blended sauce over the meat. Add beef broth and bay leaf. Mix thoroughly to ensure all meat is evenly coated in the marinade.
04 - Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 to 3.5 hours until meat is fork-tender and easily shreds. Skim excess fat from the top and reserve for frying tortillas.
05 - Remove beef from the pot and shred using two forks. Discard bones and bay leaf. Return shredded meat to the pot and stir thoroughly to coat in the consommé.
06 - Arrange chopped cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges in separate bowls for easy assembly and serving.
07 - Heat a skillet over medium heat with reserved fat or oil. Dip a tortilla into the top layer of birria consommé to coat in flavored fat. Place on skillet, sprinkle cheese over half, top with meat, then fold tortilla closed. Cook 2-3 minutes per side, pressing gently, until crispy and golden. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
08 - Ladle consommé into small bowls for dipping. Serve tacos garnished with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges alongside the consommé.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of three different dried chiles creates this incredible depth that you just cannot fake with shortcuts
- Dipping crispy, cheesy tacos into that savory consommé might be one of the most satisfying eating experiences I have ever had
02 -
- Skimming the fat from the top of the consommé seems tedious but that fat is liquid gold for frying your tortillas, so do not even think about dumping it
- The meat needs to be genuinely fork-tender before you shred it, because nothing ruins the experience like tough, chewy beef in a crispy taco
03 -
- If your chiles are particularly brittle or old, toast them for an extra minute to really wake up their oils before soaking
- Adding a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce to the blender creates this incredible smoky heat that takes everything to the next level