Birria Tacos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and shake out seeds from the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Wipe them with a damp towel to remove dust.

Toast chiles lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 20–30 seconds per side, just until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak 15–20 minutes until softened, reserving 1 cup of soaking liquid.

Make chile purée

Drain chiles (reserve soaking liquid). In a blender add softened chiles, reserved soaking liquid as needed (about 1/2–1 cup), crushed tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, half the quartered onion, white vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, ground cloves and a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend to a smooth purée. Strain purée through a fine mesh sieve if desired to remove skins and seeds for a smoother sauce.

Brown the meat

Season beef pieces with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef on all sides until deeply caramelized, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to a plate.

Sauté aromatics

In the same pot reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining quartered onion and remaining 4 garlic cloves (whole) and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened and browned edges form, scraping up browned bits from bottom.

Combine and braise

Return the beef to the pot. Pour the chile purée over the meat and add beef stock (or enough to just cover meat), bay leaves, remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. 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, braise in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours.

Finish

When done, remove beef pieces to a cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any excess fat and bay leaves. Skim fat from the surface of the braising liquid to yield a flavorful consommé. Taste and adjust salt. Reserve 2 cups of consommé for dipping and keep warm. Mix a few tablespoons of the consommé into shredded meat to keep it moist and flavorful.

Warm tortillas: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Lightly brush each tortilla with a bit of vegetable oil or lard on one side. Fry tortillas oil-side down 20–30 seconds until edges are pliable and slightly crisp; flip and warm the other side briefly. Keep tortillas warm wrapped in a towel. (Alternatively, warm tortillas dry on a hot comal.)

Assemble tacos: Spoon a couple tablespoons of shredded birria onto the center of a warm tortilla. If using cheese, sprinkle a little shredded queso fresco or Oaxaca on top of the meat. Fold tortilla in half and press gently (you can crisp the folded taco in the skillet for 30–60 seconds per side to melt cheese and create a lightly crisp exterior).

Serve: Arrange tacos on a platter with a bowl of warm consommé for dipping. Garnish with finely chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve immediately so tortillas remain crisp and dip in consommé for a classic birria taco experience.

Leftovers & storage: Refrigerate leftover shredded meat and consommé separately in airtight containers up to 4 days. Reheat gently: warm consommé and add to shredded meat to keep moist. Tortillas are best used fresh.