Birria Tacos

These tacos are everything. Slow-braised beef in a deeply spiced chile sauce, stuffed into crispy, cheese-lined tortillas, and served with a bowl of rich consomme for dipping. Once you make them at home, you’ll never order them out again.

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
  • 5 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 Roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 white onion, quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cloves
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • Salt to taste
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
  • Fresh cilantro, diced onion, and lime for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Toast and Soak the Chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles for about 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant and slightly puffed. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let them soak for 15 minutes until soft.

Step 2: Make the Chile Sauce

Drain the chiles and add them to a blender with the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, black pepper, cloves, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until completely smooth. Add a splash of the soaking liquid if needed.

Step 3: Braise the Beef

Preheat your oven to 325F. Season the beef chunks generously with salt and place them in a Dutch oven. Pour the chile sauce and beef broth over the meat. Give it a stir, cover with the lid, and braise for 3 hours.

Step 4: Shred and Prep

When the beef is fork-tender and falling apart, pull it out and shred it with two forks. Strain the braising liquid into a separate pot. This is your consomme. Skim the fat off the top and reserve it separately.

Step 5: Assemble the Tacos

Dip each corn tortilla briefly in the warm consomme. Place it in a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a small spoonful of the reserved fat. Add a handful of cheese on one half, pile on the shredded beef, then fold it over. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the tortilla is deeply crispy and the cheese is melted.

Step 6: Serve

Plate the tacos and ladle the warm consomme into small bowls alongside. Top the tacos with fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with pickled red onions and sliced radishes on the side
  • A simple Mexican rice rounds out the meal nicely
  • The leftover consomme makes an incredible soup base the next day

Tips

  • Don’t skip toasting the chiles. It unlocks a smoky depth that raw chiles just can’t match.
  • Beef short ribs work great here too if you want even richer flavor.
  • Make the braise a day ahead. The flavors get even better overnight in the fridge, and the fat solidifies on top for easy removal.
  • Use a heavy Dutch oven for even heat distribution during the long braise.