Birria Tacos (with Step by Step Video)

March 23, 2025

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Should you haven’t tried Birria Tacos but, get able to LIVE! These slow-braised, flavorful beef birria tacos are served with a wealthy consommé for dipping, making them among the best tacos you’ll ever have. Whether or not you’re making them for Taco Tuesdays or an important day, this birria recipe is a must-try.

What Are Birria Tacos?

Birria Tacos are primarily based off of Birria, a Mexican stew that’s slow-cooked in a flavorful savory and barely spicy sauce. When you can take pleasure in this recipe simply as a stew, I wish to take it to the following stage and switch it into crispy tacos by frying corn tortillas in a pan with Oaxaca cheese and the birria beef.

High it with some white onion and contemporary cilantro, then dip away within the cooking leftover consomé it braised. Really heaven in a crispy tortilla.

Components Wanted For Birria Tacos

There’s a cause this recipe is tremendous in style proper now….it’s a scrumptious, decadent taco that’s flavor-city. Constructing that taste takes time and the correct Birria Tacos components, however it’s SO price it. These scrumptious tacos don’t disappoint. Right here’s what you’ll want:

Dried guajillo chiles – These add smoky taste and delicate warmth. Ancho chiles can be utilized in its place.
Chiles de Arbol (non-compulsory) – For many who like further warmth, these will spice issues up.
Olive oil – used for searing the meat and including further taste.
Beef chuck roast & brief ribs – A mixture of these cuts makes the birria meat tender and flavorful.
White onion – Provides depth to the broth and makes an excellent topping.
Garlic cloves – Important for that wealthy, savory taste.
Jalapeño peppers – Provides a gentle kick.
Smoked paprika, Mexican oregano, cumin, cinnamon, floor clove – These spices convey out the very best within the beef.
Beef inventory – The bottom of the flavorful broth.
White distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar – Helps tenderize the meat and pull out collagen and vitamins from the bones.
Hearth-roasted tomatoes – Provides richness and depth to the adobo sauce.
Bay leaves – Infuse the birria stew with further taste.
Corn tortillas – One of the best ways to take pleasure in these crispy tacos.
Oaxaca cheese – Melty cheese makes these quesabirria tacos irresistible.
Recent cilantro, diced white onion, lime wedges – For serving and including contemporary taste.

Variations

Wish to change issues up? Listed here are just a few nice choices:

Use goat meat if you will discover it, that is the normal birria meat to make use of.
Strive flour tortillas if you happen to favor softer taco shells.
Make it in a gradual cooker as an alternative of a giant Dutch oven.
Use an On the spot Pot for a quicker cooking methodology with excessive strain. Right here’s my On the spot Pot Birria Tacos recipe.
Add chipotle peppers for further smoky taste.
Use common oregano if you happen to can’t discover Mexican oregano.
Add floor clove to the sauce for an absolute taste delight.

What Peppers to Use for Beef Birria

Dried Guajillo Peppers – these are sweeter peppers and are added for taste and never spice. You could find it in a Mexican grocery retailer or on-line. Should you can’t discover Guajillo peppers, attempt dried ancho chiles. However be warned that ancho chiles do have a bit of extra warmth than the Guajillos.
Dried Chiles de Arbol – chili peppers are added for taste, however primarily for warmth. A little bit goes a great distance! These dried Mexican peppers are about 6 occasions spicier than jalapeños. I marked these as non-compulsory on the Birria Tacos recipe card.
Jalapeños – I like the flavour of cooked jalapeño, plus it provides a bit of warmth to the general beef Birria Tacos. I take away the ribs and seeds for the least quantity of warmth.

The best way to Make Birria Tacos

Gradual and regular wins the race…or, on this case enjoys the very best Birria Tacos. For full recipe particulars, together with ingredient measurements see the printable recipe card on the finish of this submit. Right here’s easy methods to make do-it-yourself beef Birria Tacos from scratch:

1. Toast & Reconstitute Dried Chile Peppers

Reduce open dried guajillo chiles and chiles de Arbol (if utilizing; see notes above) utilizing scissors and take away seeds and dried stems. Add to a dry skillet and toast over medium warmth for 3-4 minutes, cautious to not burn.

A pan with chili peppers soaking in water sits on a gas stove, ready to transform into the rich, flavorful base for authentic Birria Tacos.

Professional Tip: Dried Chiles de Arbol are very spicy peppers- they run round 15,000-30,000 Scoville Items. That is six occasions hotter than jalapenos or chipotle peppers. I marked them as non-compulsory. however be at liberty to make this as spicy as you’d like.

As soon as they begin changing into aromatic, add water to cowl and produce water to a boil. As soon as water has boiled, flip off utterly and let the chiles sit for 15-20 minutes. Discard water and reserve reconstituted chiles. This water may be bitter, so I favor to discard it.

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

2. Brown the Birria Tacos Meat

In a big dutch oven pot, warmth olive oil over medium excessive warmth. Pat all items of meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with salt and black pepper. Brown meat in batches, searing just a few items at a time as to not crowd the pan. Place browned meat onto a plate and proceed browning till all meat has been seared.

3. Make the Sauce

Reduce 3/4 of the white onion into giant chunks. Finely cube the remaining 1/4 onion and reserve for serving. Crush the garlic cloves. De-seed the jalapeño peppers and chop roughly.

In the identical sizzling pot, scale back warmth to medium and add in onion, jalapeño and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and prepare dinner for two minutes to brown barely and get a bit of shade. Add in a cinnamon stick, smoked paprika, oregano and cumin. Stir and prepare dinner for an additional minute. Deglaze pan with beef inventory and vinegar. Take away from warmth.

cooking onions, garlic and jalapenos in pot

Spoon pot contents right into a blender or a meals processor. Add in reconstituted peppers and a can of fireplace roasted tomatoes. Mix till easy. Style sauce and add salt if obligatory.

birria sauce ingredients for braising birria

4. Braise Birria

Add browned meat again to the dutch oven and pour sauce overtop. Add bay leaves. Bake in preheated oven, lined for 3-3.75 hours or till meat could be very tender.

5. Shred the Birria for Tacos

Take away meat from braising liquid and shred utilizing two forks. Take away any bones (if utilizing bone-in meat), extra fats and gristle and discard. Take away bay leaves and discard. The shredded meat ought to be moist, however be at liberty so as to add in a bit of further cooking liquid.

Spoon off extra fats from the highest of the cooking liquid and reserve for frying tacos. Add further beef inventory to skinny out sauce, if desired. Set the shredded meat apart and preserve heat.

6. Make Birria Tacos

Place 8″ nonstick skillet over medium warmth. Brush each side of the corn tortilla with reserved fats. Make the tortilla hotter by inserting it on a sizzling skillet. High tortilla with 3-4 tablespoons of shredded Oaxaca cheese and heat shredded birria.

When you get melty cheese and when the tortilla is beginning to get crispy, fold right into a taco and take away from the pan. Proceed to pan-fry tacos. The home smells superb at this level!

7. Serve Birria Tacos with Consommé (Cooking Beef Broth)

High birria tacos with reserved white onion and cilantro. Ladle heat beef broth right into a bowl as a dipping sauce and serve tacos on the facet with lime wedges. I discover that these tacos by themselves are high-quality, however are a lot extra scrumptious with the contemporary hit of the onion, cilantro and the squeeze of contemporary lime juice. The acid and freshness actually goes a great distance.

What Cheese to Use for Birria Tacos

I’d advocate utilizing a very good Mexican melting cheese like Oaxaca or Queso Asadero. Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese is a good substitute, however actually you need to use what you may have. So long as it melts and is delicate in taste, it ought to do the trick in these tacos.

Storage + Make Forward Instructions

The great thing about this Birria Taco recipe is you possibly can simply make the Birria (chuck roast or different stew portion) of this recipe days upfront after which fry up the tacos as you’d like. Freshly made birria may be saved in an hermetic container and within the fridge for 3-4 days.

Can You Freeze Birria?

Sure, you possibly can freeze birria. Birria freezes VERY properly so long as it’s saved accurately. Since it is a such a labor of affection, I at all times make further in order that I can freeze and have some able to go after I need it. Enable birria to chill finishing to room temperature earlier than storing in a freezer secure hermetic container. For the very best quality, it’s usually really useful to eat it inside 2-3 months.

The best way to Reheat Birra Tacos

When you’ve got leftover birria meat, reheat the meat and eat on the range or within the microwave, after which fry the Birria Tacos in response to the recipe card under. When you’ve got already assembled the birria queso tacos, you possibly can reheat the entire taco in a skillet on the range over medium low warmth, flipping to warmth each side. Alternatively, you possibly can reheat in an air fryer. The microwave is an alternative choice, however needless to say they received’t be crispy.

Are you able to make this in an On the spot Pot?

Sure! Brown the meat utilizing the sauté perform, then strain prepare dinner on excessive strain for 60 minutes with a pure strain launch. Take a look at my Birria Tacos On the spot Pot Recipe for full particulars.

What to Serve with Birria Tacos

Listed here are a few of my favourite Mexican Sides. When you can replenish utterly simply on these tacos, having a scrumptious selection is nice!

Extra Taco Recipes to Strive!

These do-it-yourself birria tacos are an excellent recipe to attempt subsequent time you’re craving genuine Mexican meals. Whether or not it’s your first time making them otherwise you’re a professional, they’re at all times a crowd-pleaser! The printable recipe card is under. Have an excellent day, pals!

Should you make this recipe, I’d actually admire it if you happen to would give it a star score and go away your overview within the feedback! When you’ve got an image of your completed dish, submit it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

Birria Tacos Recipe

These Birria Tacos are a gradual braised beef that’s cooked then shredded and fried in corn tortillas with cheese. These flavors will blow your thoughts!

Directions

toast & reconstitute dried chiles-

Reduce open dried guajillo chiles and chiles de Arbol (if utilizing; see notes under) utilizing scissors and take away seeds and dried stems. Add to a dry skillet and toast over medium warmth for 3-4 minutes.
As soon as they begin changing into aromatic, add water to cowl and produce water to a boil. As soon as water has boiled, flip off utterly and let the chiles sit for 15-20 minutes. Discard water and reserve reconstituted chiles.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.

brown the meat-

In a big dutch oven pot, warmth olive oil over medium excessive warmth. Pat all items of meat dry with paper towels and sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper.
Brown meat in batches, searing just a few items at a time as to not crowd the pan. Place browned meat onto a plate and proceed browning till all meat has been seared.

make the sauce-

Reduce 3/4 of the white onion into giant chunks. Finely cube the remaining 1/4 onion and reserve for serving. Crush the garlic. De-seed the jalapeno peppers and chop roughly.
In the identical sizzling pot, scale back warmth to medium and add in onion, jalapeno and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and prepare dinner for two minutes to brown barely and get a bit of shade.
Add in cinnamon, floor clove, smoked paprika, oregano and cumin. Stir and prepare dinner for an additional minute.
Add beef inventory to the pot and scrape backside with a wood spoon to deglaze the pan. Add the apple vinegar. Take away from warmth.
Spoon pot contents right into a blender. Add in reconstituted peppers and may of fireplace roasted tomatoes. Mix till easy. Style sauce and season with salt if wanted.

shred the birria for tacos-

Take away meat from braising liquid and shred utilizing two forks. Take away bones (if utilizing bone-in meat), extra fats, and gristle and discard. Meat ought to be moist, however be at liberty so as to add in a bit of further cooking liquid.
Spoon off extra fats from the highest of the cooking liquid and reserve for frying tacos. Take away and discard bay leaves. Add further beef inventory to skinny out the consommé, if desired. Put aside and preserve heat.

make birria tacos-

Place a 8″ nonstick skillet over medium warmth. Brush each side of the corn tortilla with reserved fats. Place the tortilla onto a sizzling skillet. High tortilla with 3-4 tablespoons of shredded oaxaca cheese and heat shredded birria.
As soon as cheese has melted utterly and tortilla is beginning to get crispy, fold right into a taco and take away from the pan. Proceed frying tacos.

serve birria tacos with consommé-

Notes

Dried Chiles de Arbol are very spicy peppers- they run round 15,000-30,000 Scoville Items. That is six occasions hotter than jalapeños or chipotle peppers. I marked them as non-compulsory.

Diet

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