Birria Tacos Recipe
Make Birria Tacos Recipe in just 3h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Birria (stewed meat and broth)
Taco assembly
Method
Birria (stewed meat and broth)
- 1
Toast chiles
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles 15–20 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove and set aside.
- 2
Rehydrate chiles
Place toasted chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with 1 cup of hot water. Let sit 15 minutes until pliable. Reserve soaking liquid.
- 3
Char aromatics
In the same dry skillet or on a grill pan over medium-high heat, char the quartered tomato and onion and roast garlic cloves (in their skins if preferred) until blackened in spots, about 6–8 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
- 4
Make chile sauce
Remove stems and any large seeds from rehydrated chiles. In a blender combine rehydrated chiles, charred tomato, charred onion, peeled garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid (add more as needed for blending). Blend until smooth to create a thick paste. If very thick, add up to 1/4 cup additional soaking liquid or water to reach a saucy consistency.
- 5
Sear meat
Pat the beef dry and season with remaining 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. In a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven heat 2 tbs vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until well browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove meat and set aside.
- 6
Combine and braise
Lower heat to medium. Add the blended chile sauce to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes to remove raw flavor, stirring to prevent sticking. Add seared beef back to the pot, pour in beef broth (4 cups), bay leaves, and the reserved chile soaking liquid (strain any large particles). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until the meat is fork-tender, about 2.5–3 hours. Alternatively, cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time or use a slow cooker on low for 6–8 hours.
- 7
Shred meat and strain consommé
When meat is tender, remove it to a cutting board and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to collect the consommé. Skim off excess fat if desired. Reserve about 1 to 2 cups consommé for dipping/serving with tacos and return 1 cup if you want to moisten shredded meat.
Taco assembly
- 8
Heat consommé and prepare pan
Keep the consommé warm in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add 1–2 tbs vegetable oil or a spoonful of reserved birria fat to lightly grease the surface.
- 9
Assemble tacos
Working one at a time, warm 2 corn tortillas briefly on a griddle to make them pliable. Dip one side of each tortilla into the warm consommé (about 1–2 seconds) to lightly coat. Place the dipped side down in the preheated skillet. On the undipped side, sprinkle a thin layer (about 2 tbs) of shredded cheese, then top with about 1/3 cup shredded birria meat, and another small sprinkle of cheese to help seal. Fold tortilla over to form a taco. Repeat to make remaining tacos.
- 10
Crisp tacos
Cook tacos 2–3 minutes per side until the tortillas are crisp and golden and the cheese is melted. Press gently with a spatula to ensure even contact. If desired, dip the edge of the taco in consommé before placing it in the skillet to deepen color and flavor.
- 11
Serve
Transfer tacos to a plate. Serve immediately with warm consommé on the side for dipping, and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. Offer extra consommé for dunking.