Description
Sizzling birria tacos bring Mexican culinary magic to home kitchens with tender, spice-infused beef. Crispy tortillas and rich consommé create an irresistible dining experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) beef chuck roast (or mix of beef short ribs & shank)
- 2 cups Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups beef broth
- 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed & seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed & seeded
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp oil (for searing)
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Chili Preparation: Lightly toast guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry skillet until aromatic, then submerge in hot water for 10 minutes to hydrate.
- Sauce Creation: Blend softened chilies with chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, vinegar, and soy sauce until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to refine the adobo mixture.
- Meat Preparation: Season beef with salt and pepper, then sear in a preheated Dutch oven until caramelized on all sides. Add diced onions, bay leaves, prepared adobo sauce, broth, and water.
- Slow Cooking: Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours (or use a slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours) until beef becomes incredibly tender and easily shreds.
- Taco Assembly: Shred cooked meat and mix with consomme. Dip corn tortillas into the birria liquid, then place on a heated skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and top with shredded meat.
- Crispy Finish: Fold tortillas and fry until golden-brown and crisp, flipping once to ensure even cooking.
- Serving: Plate tacos immediately, garnish with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and lime wedges. Serve with rich consomme for dipping.
Notes
- Select Quality Chilies: Choose fresh, pliable dried guajillo and ancho chilies without cracks or dusty surfaces for maximum flavor intensity.
- Control Chili Toasting: Toast chilies quickly and carefully to prevent burning, which can introduce bitter notes and ruin the sauce’s delicate profile.
- Optimize Meat Tenderness: Allow sufficient braising time – minimum 3 hours – to guarantee meat becomes meltingly soft, easily shredded with minimal effort.
- Master Tortilla Technique: Quickly dip tortillas in consomme before frying to create authentic crispy texture while infusing deep, rich flavor throughout the taco.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg