Birria Tacos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles. Toast lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned.

Soak chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak 20 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid.

Char vegetables

In the same dry skillet or over a gas flame, char the halved tomato and quartered onion until blackened in spots, about 6–8 minutes total. Briefly char the garlic (whole cloves) until softened, about 2–3 minutes.

Make adobo/marinade

In a blender, combine soaked chiles, reserved soaking liquid (start with 1/4 cup and add more if needed), charred tomato, charred onion, garlic, chipotle in adobo, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Blend until very smooth, adding a splash of beef broth if needed to achieve a pourable sauce.

Sear beef

Cut beef into large chunks (3–4 inch). Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef pieces with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Sear in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Combine and braise

Return all seared beef to the pot. Pour the blended chile marinade over the meat. Add bay leaves and remaining beef broth to just cover the meat (about 4 cups total). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover and braise gently for 2.5–3 hours until meat is fork-tender and shreds easily. Alternatively, cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time or use a slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours.

Shred and adjust

Remove beef to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Skim fat from the braising liquid and taste; adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Reserve 1 to 1.5 cups of the braising liquid (consommé) to dip the tacos and to moisten meat when assembling.

Prepare tortillas

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add 1–2 tablespoons cooking oil. Briefly warm tortillas in a dry pan 10–15 seconds per side to make pliable. For more authentic birria tacos (quesabirria), dip each tortilla in reserved consommé to coat both sides, then place on the hot oiled skillet.

Assemble and cook quesabirria

If making quesabirria, sprinkle a little shredded cheese on one half of the dipped tortilla, add a generous spoonful of shredded meat, then fold tortilla over to form a half-moon. Cook 1–2 minutes per side until cheese melts and tortilla is crisp and slightly browned. For plain birria tacos, fill warmed tortillas with meat, then briefly sear in the skillet to slightly crisp edges.

Serve

Transfer tacos to a plate, garnish with chopped onion and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and a small bowl of warm consommé for dipping. Serve 3–4 tacos per person depending on appetite.