Tacos De Birria Recipe

Prep chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Toast chiles lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned.

Rehydrate chiles

Place toasted chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving the soaking liquid.

Make chile puree

In a blender, add rehydrated chiles, reserved soaking liquid (about 1/2–1 cup), garlic cloves, quartered onion, crushed tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, ground cloves, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Blend until very smooth. If needed add up to 1/2 cup more soaking water or broth to reach a pourable sauce consistency.

Season and sear meat

Pat beef chuck (and short ribs if using) dry and season with remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until well-browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Work in batches if necessary. Remove meat and set aside.

Combine and braise

Lower heat to medium. Pour the blended chile-tomato sauce into the pot and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, to deepen flavors. Return seared meat to the pot. Add beef broth to mostly cover the meat (about 3–4 cups), add bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and braise on low on the stovetop or in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours, or until meat is fork-tender and shreds easily.

Shred meat

Remove meat from the pot to a cutting board. Let rest 10 minutes, then shred with two forks, discarding excess fat and bones. Skim fat from top of cooking liquid and reserve the liquid (consomé) for serving. If liquid seems thin, reduce it by simmering until slightly concentrated, or skim and reserve separately for dipping.

Adjust seasoning

Taste shredded meat and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Mix some of the strained reduced braising liquid into the shredded meat to keep it moist and richly flavored (about 1/2–1 cup, add to taste).

Strain the reserved cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan. Skim excess fat if desired. Bring to a gentle simmer and taste for salt; add salt if necessary. Keep warm over low heat until serving. Optionally stir in 1–2 tablespoons chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime to brighten before serving.

Prepare tortillas

Warm a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. Brush both sides of each corn tortilla lightly with melted butter or oil.

Assemble and melt cheese

Place a tortilla on the hot griddle. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons shredded cheese over half the tortilla, top with about 2–3 tablespoons shredded birria meat (with a little of the braising sauce if desired). Fold the tortilla over to make a quesadilla-style taco. Press gently with a spatula and cook 1–2 minutes per side until the tortilla is crisp and cheese is melted and golden in places. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Crisping option

For extra crispness, after folding, you can pan-fry the outside in a tablespoon of oil for 30–60 seconds per side to get a deep golden, slightly blistered exterior.

Garnish and serve

Transfer tacos to a platter. Top with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve immediately with warm consomé in small bowls for dipping, plus lime wedges on the side.