Hello there, I have a very special dish today and it is the Mexican Beef Birria Tacos recipe. A robust and tasty beef dish that is nicely served as a stew with onion, cilantro, and a bit of lime juice on top. You may also chop up the meat and prepare the famous Quesabirria tacos.
These Birria tacos are very popular–perhaps the most popular taco types you’ll stumble across on social media. My dear friend Ana, who is an expert in Mexican recipes showed me how to make this delicious Beef Birria Tacos.
What Is Beef Birria?
Birria originates from Mexico, and it is a stew full of meat and amazing flavors. There are a lot of variations to this dish, depending on the area. There are restaurants specializing in this dish called birrerias. Although the original recipe is made with sheep and goat meat, today it is almost always made with beef.
Beef Birria is getting more popular over the last few years for it’s amazing flavors and texture.
Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)
Servings: 6–8
Ingredients
For the Meat:
-
2 lbs (1 kg) boneless beef chuck
-
1 lb (450 g) short ribs or oxtail
-
Kosher salt, to taste
-
1 tsp neutral oil
For the Sauce:
-
7 dried ancho chiles, deseeded
-
7 dried guajillo chiles, deseeded
-
3 dried chile de árbol, deseeded (add more or less for spice)
-
4 Roma tomatoes
-
1 white onion, peeled and halved
-
6 garlic cloves
-
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
-
1 tsp Mexican oregano
-
1 tsp cumin seeds
-
1 tsp coriander seeds
-
¼ tsp ground cloves
-
½ cinnamon stick
-
2–3 bay leaves
-
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
-
3 cups beef broth (divided)
For the Tacos:
-
Corn tortillas
-
3 oz mozzarella or Oaxacan cheese, shredded
-
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
-
¼ white onion, finely diced
-
1 lime, juiced
-
Kosher salt
Instructions
1. Sear the Meat
-
Remove beef from fridge and let rest 30 minutes. Season generously with salt.
-
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add oil. Sear the meat in batches until deeply browned on all sides. Set meat aside.
2. Prepare the Sauce
-
In a medium pot, combine ancho, guajillo, and árbol chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppercorns, oregano, cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Cover with water.
-
Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until chiles are soft.
-
Strain, discarding the cooking water. Transfer solids to a blender. Add vinegar and 1 cup beef broth. Blend until very smooth (strain through a mesh sieve if needed for a silky texture). Salt to taste.
3. Braise the Beef
-
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
-
Return the seared beef to the Dutch oven. Pour the blended sauce over the meat. Rinse blender with remaining 2 cups beef broth and pour into pot.
-
Bring just to a simmer on the stovetop, then cover tightly and braise in the oven for about 3 hours, until beef is very tender and shreds easily.
4. Shred the Meat
-
Remove the beef from the pot and shred using two forks. Skim excess fat from the surface of the broth if desired, but save some for dipping and crisping the tortillas.
5. Prepare Toppings
-
In a bowl, combine chopped onion, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
6. Assemble the Tacos
-
Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. Dip each tortilla lightly into the top of the birria broth (the oily surface).
-
Place on skillet, add shredded beef and cheese to one side, and fold tortilla over.
-
Cook until crispy and golden, about 1 minute per side, adding more fat or broth as needed.
7. Serve
-
Serve tacos hot, topped with onion-cilantro mixture. Pour the rich birria broth into small bowls for dipping.
-
Enjoy with extra lime wedges and fresh cilantro.
Tips:
-
Leftover birria makes amazing quesadillas or breakfast hash!
-
If you like it spicier, add more chile de árbol.
Loved these Birria Tacos?
Pin the image below to your Pinterest board so you can find this mouthwatering recipe anytime you crave authentic, cheesy, beefy tacos with rich consommé for dipping!
