Birria Tacos Recipe

Prepare and toast chiles

Wipe chiles with a dry cloth, remove stems and shake out seeds. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water to soak for 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid.

Roast aromatics

While chiles soak, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add quartered onion, halved tomato, and whole garlic cloves. Roast, turning as needed, until charred in spots and softened (6–8 minutes). Remove and let cool slightly.

Make chile paste

Drain softened chiles, reserving the soaking liquid. In a blender, combine drained chiles, roasted onion, tomato, garlic, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid (add more to reach a smooth, thick sauce). Blend until very smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.

Brown the meat

Pat beef chunks dry and season lightly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Brown meat in batches on all sides until nicely seared (3–4 minutes per side). Transfer browned meat to a plate.

Cook birria

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chile puree to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring to remove raw chile flavor. Return seared meat to the pot, add bay leaf and pour in beef broth (about 3 cups) so meat is mostly submerged. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 2.5–3 hours until meat is fork-tender and shreds easily. Alternatively, cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours or pressure-cook for ~60 minutes.

Shred and reduce consommé

Remove meat from pot and let rest briefly. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a saucepan, pressing solids to extract flavor. Skim excess fat from the surface if desired. Simmer the strained liquid over medium heat until reduced and concentrated to a rich consommé (about 10–15 minutes). Reserve 2 cups of consommé for dipping; keep remaining for storage or other uses.

Adjust seasoning

Taste shredded meat and consommé, and adjust salt and lime to taste (add up to 1/2 teaspoon more salt or additional lime juice if needed). Keep warm until ready to assemble tacos.

Prepare tortillas

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush each corn tortilla on both sides with a little vegetable oil (about 1 teaspoon per tortilla). Warm tortillas 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and slightly crisp at the edges. For quesabirria, sprinkle shredded cheese on one half of each tortilla while on the griddle and allow it to melt slightly.

Assemble tacos

Dip one side of a tortilla into the warm consommé to coat it lightly (optional but traditional). Place the tortilla on the griddle, meaty side up; add about 2–3 tablespoons shredded birria meat (about 2 cups total will make 12 tacos), top with a pinch of chopped onion and cilantro (and melted cheese if using). Fold the tortilla over to form a taco and press gently to seal.

Crisp tacos

Cook assembled tacos for 1–2 minutes per side until tortilla is browned and crisp and cheese (if used) is fully melted. Use a spatula to press down occasionally for even crisping. Transfer finished tacos to a plate lined with paper towel to drain briefly.

Serve

Serve tacos hot with a small bowl of warm consommé for dipping, lime wedges, and extra chopped onion and cilantro on the side. To eat, dip each taco into the consommé, squeeze lime over, and enjoy.

Make-ahead and storage

Store leftover shredded birria and strained consommé separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (consommé can be frozen for 2–3 months). Reheat meat in a saucepan with some consommé to keep it moist.