Brisket Birria Tacos Recipe

Toast chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove and set aside.

Soak chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit 15 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.

Char aromatics

On the same hot skillet or under a broiler, char the quartered tomato and onion and roast the garlic cloves until lightly blackened and softened, about 6–8 minutes total. Let cool slightly.

Make sauce

In a blender, combine the softened chiles (remove any remaining stems and seeds), charred tomato, charred onion, roasted garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, and 1/2 cup reserved chile soaking liquid or a splash of beef broth. Blend until very smooth. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed. Strain if you prefer a smoother consomé.

Sear brisket

Pat brisket chunks dry and season with 2 tsp kosher salt. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tbs vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear brisket pieces in batches until browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer seared beef to a plate.

Assemble and braise

Reduce heat to medium. Pour the blended chile-tomato sauce into the pot, scraping up browned bits. Add beef broth, apple cider vinegar (if desired extra), bay leaves, and the seared brisket. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat; add more broth or water if needed. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven, or reduce to low and simmer on the stovetop. Cook until fork-tender, about 3–4 hours.

Shred brisket

Remove brisket from the pot and let rest 10 minutes. Shred using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim fat from top of cooking liquid and reserve at least 2 cups of strained consomé for dipping/drizzling. If consomé is extremely thin, reduce on the stovetop over medium heat to concentrate flavors, about 10–15 minutes.

Finish brisket

Return shredded brisket to a portion of the reduced consomé to keep it moist and spicy. Taste and adjust salt. Keep warm for assembling tacos.

Take 2 cups of strained reserved cooking liquid. Whisk in 1 tsp minced chipotle/adobo if you want extra heat and 1 tbs butter for shine and mouthfeel. Warm gently over low heat until butter melts. Keep hot in a small pot for serving so guests can dip tacos.

If using extra tortillas as tostadas: heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet to 350°F (medium-high). Fry tortillas one at a time for 30–45 seconds per side until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels and while still warm, sprinkle 1 tsp Tajín over the six tostadas (evenly). Alternatively, brush tortillas with oil and bake at 425°F (220°C) 6–8 minutes until crisp, then dust with Tajín.

Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with oil or butter. For each taco: place one corn tortilla on the hot griddle, sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese over the center, top with another tortilla and press gently. Cook 1–2 minutes per side until cheese melts and tortillas are crisp and golden. Repeat for all tortillas (makes 6 cheesy folded tacos).

Optional double-cheese crisp: after assembling and cooking, fold each tortilla in half and press with a spatula for a minute to get a crisp edged quesadilla-style taco.

Heat the warm consomé pot next to the griddle. Pull a cheesy tortilla open slightly, load with 2–3 generous tablespoons of shredded brisket (drain excess consomé from meat so it’s moist but not soggy).

Top with a spoonful of chopped white onion and cilantro. If you want extra crunch, serve a Tajín tostada alongside or slide the taco onto a crisp tostada base.

Serve immediately with a small bowl of hot consomé for dipping and a side of salsa roja and lime wedges. Drizzle a little consomé over the taco for extra flavor and to create the signature 'drippins'.

Garnish with extra cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and an extra sprinkle of Tajín if desired.