Birria Taco Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust.

Toast chiles

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl.

Soak chiles

Pour 2 cups of just-boiled water over the toasted chiles. Let soak 15 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid.

Sear aromatics

Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the quartered onion, tomato and whole garlic cloves until lightly charred (3–5 minutes).

Make chile puree

In a blender, combine soaked chiles (drained but keep 1/2 cup soaking liquid), charred onion, tomato, garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, thyme (or bay leaf), black pepper and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until smooth, adding up to 1/2 cup additional soaking liquid or broth to reach a thick sauce consistency.

Season sauce

Taste the puree and add 1–1.5 tsp salt as needed. The sauce should be flavorful and slightly tangy—remember it will cook with the beef.

Sear beef

Cut beef chuck into 3–4 large chunks. Pat dry and season lightly with salt. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side, to develop color.

Braise

Add the chile puree to the pot with the seared beef. Pour in remaining beef broth (about 3 cups) to just barely cover the meat. 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, cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time or use a pressure cooker for 45–60 minutes.

Shred meat

Remove beef to a cutting board, reserve braising liquid. Shred beef with two forks into bite-sized shreds.

Adjust seasoning

Taste shredded beef and braising liquid; add salt if needed. If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce and concentrate flavors.

Strain reserved braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract flavor. Discard solids. Skim excess fat from the top or refrigerate briefly and remove solidified fat. You should have about 2–3 cups. Taste and season with 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste). Keep warm for serving and for dipping tacos.

Prepare tortillas

Warm a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush each corn tortilla with a little cooking oil on both sides (or dip quickly into shallow oil). Heat tortillas 30–45 seconds per side until pliable and lightly crisp but not hard.

Assemble tacos

Dip one side of a warm tortilla into the hot consommé (or spoon a thin layer of the red sauce on the tortilla). Place the tortilla on the hot skillet, chile-dipped side down. Sprinkle a thin layer (about 2 tbsp) of shredded cheese on the tortilla, top with 1/2 cup shredded birria beef, then a little more cheese. Fold tortilla in half to form a taco. Repeat to make remaining tacos.

Crisp tacos

Cook folded tacos 1–2 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until cheese melts and edges are golden and crisp. If needed, add a teaspoon of oil to the skillet to aid crisping.

Serve

Serve tacos hot with a small bowl of warm consommé for dipping. Garnish with chopped onion, cilantro and lime wedges. Encourage diners to dip each bite into the consommé for full birria experience.