Tacos De Birria Recipe

Prepare beef

Trim large excess fat from the beef chuck and cut into 3–4 large chunks (about 3–4 cm pieces) so it fits in your pot. Pat dry and set aside.

Toast chiles and aromatics

Remove stems and seeds from the guajillo, pasilla/ancho and arbol chiles. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Toast the tomato and half the onion (cut-side down) until charred spots appear, about 3–4 minutes per side. Toast the garlic cloves briefly until lightly browned.

Soak chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 250 ml very hot (not boiling) water. Let soak 15 minutes until softened. Reserve the soaking liquid (do not discard).

Blend sauce

In a blender add the softened chiles (drained but keep 50–75 ml soaking liquid), charred tomato, charred onion, toasted garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp vegetable oil. Blend on high adding small amounts of the reserved soaking liquid as needed to reach a smooth, thick sauce (about 100–120 ml total liquid). Taste and adjust salt.

Sear beef

Heat a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 1 tbs neutral oil. Sear beef chunks on all sides until well-browned, 3–4 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. Remove beef and set aside.

Combine and braise

Reduce heat to medium. Add the blended chile sauce to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes to remove raw brightness. Return seared beef to the pot, add beef broth (about 700 ml), bay leaves, remaining 0.5 tsp salt and the reserved chile soaking liquid if there is extra (but keep total liquid around 700–800 ml). Bring to a simmer, then cover and braise gently on the stovetop over low heat for 2.5–3 hours, or transfer to a 160°C (325°F) oven for 2.5–3 hours, until meat is fork-tender and shreds easily.

Shred meat and adjust consommé

Remove beef to a cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a bowl and reserve the clear consommé. Shred the beef finely with two forks or chop and taste for seasoning; add salt if needed. Optionally reduce some consommé in a saucepan over medium-high heat to concentrate flavor (about 10–15 minutes) and keep warm for dipping.

Prepare tortillas

Warm tortillas on a comal or skillet for 30–45 seconds per side to make them pliable. Keep covered to stay warm.

Dip and fill

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil or a small amount of lard in a skillet over medium heat. Have the warm consommé in a shallow bowl. Working one tortilla at a time, dip each tortilla briefly into the consommé to coat both sides (about 1–2 seconds) then place on the hot skillet.

Assemble and crisp

Place about 40–50 g (roughly 2–3 tbs) of shredded birria meat on one half of the tortilla. Fold tortilla over to make a taco. Press gently and fry until the tortilla is crisp and slightly blistered, about 1–2 minutes per side. Repeat to make 2 or 4 tacos depending on desired serving (8 tortillas yields 4 tacos if using double-stack folded; adjust). If you prefer more cheese-style birria quesataco, add a sprinkle of Oaxaca or mozzarella between meat and tortilla before folding.

Serve

Transfer tacos to a plate. Top with finely diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve immediately with warm consommé on the side for dipping and lime wedges. Offer crema, radishes and hot sauce as desired.

Arrange crema, sliced radishes and hot sauce in small bowls. Guests may spoon crema into tacos and dip tacos into consommé for authentic birria experience.