Go Back
–+ servings
Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos

Deliciously rich Birria Tacos made with tender shredded beef and spicy adobo paste, served with fresh toppings and consommé for dipping.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course main dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 25 tacos
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • blender
  • Heavy-based pot
  • Non-stick pan

Ingredients
  

Birria adobo (paste)

  • 25 g guajillo chillies, dried (~4 pieces, heaped ¾ cup once chopped)
  • 45 g ancho chillies, dried (~2-3 pieces, 1 cup once chopped)
  • 6 g chillies de arbol, dried (~6 pieces, 2 tablespoon once chopped)
  • ½ cup chilli soaking water (reserve after simmering)
  • 5 cloves garlic (peeled)
  • 1 small onion (roughly sliced, ~tennis ball size)
  • 1 medium tomato (roughly sliced, 180g)
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Birria braising

  • 5 tablespoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
  • 1.3 kg chuck beef (cut into 6 large pieces or boneless beef short ribs – 1.8kg/3.6 lb bone-in)
  • 2 cups beef stock / broth (low sodium)
  • 1 stick cinnamon (substitute ¼ teaspoon powder, but it’s not quite the same)
  • 3 leaf bay leaves (preferably fresh else dried)
  • 2 ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or regular white vinegar, red or white wine vinegar)
  • 2 ½ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +30% for flakes)

Beef seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt

Birria Tacos

  • 20 – 25 pieces corn tortillas (14.5cm/6" wide)
  • 1 white onion (diced)
  • ½ cup finely chopped coriander / cilantro leaves
  • 3 ½ cups shredded cheese (350g Colby, Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese)
  • Lime wedges (optional)
  • Your favorite salsa or hot sauce (optional)

Instructions
 

ABBREVIATED RECIPE

  • Simmer chopped chillies for 10 minutes. Strain, blitz adobo paste. Brown beef, cook off adobo paste, slow-cook beef for 2 ½ hours with lid on. Remove meat, shred, skim fat off braising liquid (aka Birria Oil). Toss beef in skillet with 1 cup braising liquid (aka Consommé). Heat 1 teaspoon Birria oil over low heat, wipe pan with tortilla, remove, repeat twice more with ½ teaspoon oil each. Top tortilla with cheese, beef, onion, coriander, fold over, pan fry until crisp. Serve with Birria Consommé for dunking!

FULL RECIPE

  • Prepare chillis: Use gloves if you're sensitive to working with chilli! Deseed, trim and discard stems. Cut lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds. Roughly chop into 1 – 1.5cm / ¼" pieces. Simmer chillis in boiling water for 10 minutes to soften, reserving ½ cup of the simmering water.
  • Birria Adobo: Blitz cooked chillies, reserved chilli water and remaining Adobo ingredients until as smooth as possible. Sear beef in hot oil until golden brown on all sides.
  • Cook off adobo paste in the same pan, then add all braising ingredients and beef. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 2 ½ hours.
  • Remove beef, shred and mix with ½ teaspoon of salt. Skim off red oil from braising liquid for 'Birria Oil'.
  • Soak beef in 1 cup of braising liquid in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
  • Heat 1 teaspoon Birria Oil, wipe red side of tortilla, add cheese, beef, onion, and cilantro. Fold and pan-fry until crispy. Serve hot.

Notes

Best eaten fresh, can be kept warm in an oven but avoid holding for too long. Leftover beef can be reheated and prepared on-demand.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tacoCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 15gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 500mgPotassium: 250mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Beef, Birria Tacos, Comfort Food, Mexican cuisine, spicy, tacos
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!