Description
A delicious recipe for traditional Birria tacos made with a flavorful beef and chili sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 dried guajillo chilis (stems and seeds removed)
- 3 dried ancho chilis (stems and seeds removed)
- 2–3 dried chiles de arbol (stems and seeds removed)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (divided)
- 1 white onion (roughly chopped)
- 1 lb tomatoes (roughly chopped)
- 5 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 lbs chuck roast (cut into 3-inch pieces, or use bone-in short ribs or oxtail)
- 3 cups low-sodium beef stock
- 16 corn tortillas (flour or cassava flour tortillas also work)
- 1 lb Oaxaca cheese (or Monterey jack)
- 1 white onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 limes (cut into wedges)
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chilis and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. Place in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil. Once hot, brown the beef in batches.
- Pour in the sauce and beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.
- Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the consommé, or sauce, from the beef.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Dip both sides of a corn tortilla in the consommé. And place it in the pan.
- Add cheese and birria meat. Once the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla in half. Continue to cook until the tortilla is golden and crisp on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Serve with onion, cilantro, and the remaining consommé for dipping.
Notes
- For extra flavor, consider marinating the beef overnight in the sauce before cooking.
- Adjust the levels of chilis according to your spice preference.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Braised
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg