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Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos

Juicy, cheesy Birria Tacos made from braised birria de rez and served with a rich consomé.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Assembly Time 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 10 tacos
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • pair of tongs
  • blender

Ingredients
  

Birria de Rez

  • 2 pounds boneless chuck
  • 1 pound oxtail or bone-in short ribs
  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil (avocado or vegetable oil)

Sauce

  • 7 ancho chiles (ends trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 7 guajillo chiles (ends trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 3 chiles de arbol (ends trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 1 white onion (peeled and halved)
  • 6 garlic cloves (peeled)
  • 4 roma tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups beef broth or water (divided)

Tacos

  • ¼ cup minced cilantro
  • ¼ white onion minced
  • 1 lime (juice from)
  • Kosher salt
  • Corn tortillas
  • 3 ounces Oaxacan cheese (or mozzarella)

Instructions
 

Sear the Meat

  • Bring the meat to room temperature, about 30 minutes and then sprinkle liberally on all sides with kosher salt. In a large Dutch oven, set over medium-high heat, add the neutral oil. When hot, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to a bowl.

Make the Sauce

  • In another medium pot, add the dried chiles, halved white onion, garlic cloves, tomatoes, spices, bay leaves and add cold water until it covers everything. Place over medium heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Pour through a strainer and transfer the solids to a blender. Add the apple cider vinegar and about 1 cup of beef broth or water and blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Braise the Meat

  • Preheat the oven to 300F. Add the meat back to the pot and pour the sauce over it. Add the remaining 2 cups of broth or water into the pot. Place over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer and then cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook for about 3 hours, until the meat is tender.

Assemble the Tacos

  • Mix together the cilantro, white onion, lime and salt. Remove the meat from the sauce and shred using two forks. Ladle the broth into a bowl and add a handful of diced cilantro. Dip the tortilla into the top of the broth and add it to a skillet. Pan fry, add the shredded meat and cheese. Fold and cook until pan fried on both sides.

Notes

You can substitute oxtail for short ribs; great make-ahead meal. Use Latin supermarkets for ingredients like Mexican cinnamon and dried chiles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tacoCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 46mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1g
Keyword Birria tacos, braised meat, dinner recipe, Mexican Cuisine, tacos
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