Beef Birria Tacos – These bad boys are the social media superstars when it comes to tacos, and for a good reason. They are supremely flavorful, juicy, and spicy with the perfect blend of chili peppers for smokey perfection. Believe me when I say this recipe is a real keeper.
Don’t let the ingredients here intimidate you because these beef birria tacos are easier to put together than you may have imagined. Sure, you may face a tiny learning curve, but the flavor payload is incredible and so worth it!
I’ve tried to keep to the original spices and flavors for a super authentic recipe. That said, I couldn’t resist Immifying it. So I did include cheese in my recipe. I am a die-hard cheese fan, but it’s worth noting that the real OG birria tacos are made without this delightful ingredient, so feel free to omit it…if you must. 😜
What Exactly are Beef Birria Tacos?
These tacos feature a crispy outer shell with a filling to die for! Slow-cooked shredded beef simmered in a flavorful, chile-infused broth fills the corn tortillas. These corn tortillas aren’t your hard-shelled variety – oh no, my friends, that’s not why they are crispy. Instead, corn tortillas are dipped in the beef sauce and then filled and crisped up in a skillet. Mmm! 🤤
Recipe Ingredients
- Chiles – Guajillo, Morita, and pasilla chiles give beef birria tacos that authentic Mexican flavor we are aiming for. If you want it smokier, you can throw in some chipotles (smoked red jalapenos).
- Beef – We combine a big old chuck roast with a couple of pounds of short ribs for the beefiest flavor on the block in this recipe.
- Spices – So many spices make this recipe special. There is thyme, black pepper, cloves, oregano, cinnamon, cumin, and more. (You can see why I keep going on about the flavor!) 🤩
- Beef Broth – The broth is key in this recipe and part of why these aren’t your average tacos. Beef bouillon makes the base, but tomatoes and white wine vinegar also help out.
- Tortillas – Buy a bag of corn tortillas or make your own! Because you can’t have tacos without tortillas, right? 😅
- Cheese – An optional ingredient but one I love to include. I usually use Oaxaca cheese, but mozzarella will work just fine.
How to Make Beef Birria Tacos
Make the Chile Paste
- Prepare the Dried Chiles – Start by removing stems and seeds from all the dried chiles. (Photo 1)
- Soak Them – Add about 2 cups of water to a medium-sized pot, then add the chiles, and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes. (Photo 2)
- Remove the chiles but don’t dump the water just yet.
- Puree – When the chile peppers are done, add them to a heavy-duty blender or food processor along with the tomatoes, oregano, cloves, cumin, allspice, and vinegar. (Photos 3-4)
- Add Soaking Water – Add ½-1 cup of the water you boiled the chiles in and blend until smooth and thick.
Cook the Beef
- Season and Sear Beef – Season beef with salt and pepper. Place a Dutch oven pot on medium-high heat on the stove and add vegetable oil. Working in batches, sear the beef thoroughly. Remove seared meat from the pot and place it on a plate as you go. (Photos 5-6)
Make the Birria
- Saute the Seasonings – Add chopped onions, minced garlic, and thyme to the Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the chile paste, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, bouillon, and water (4-5 cups). After that, cover the pot and bring the birria to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Photo 9)
- Braise – Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, and place it in the preheated oven. Braise the birria for 3-3½ hours or until all the beef is fork-tender. (Photos 10-11)
- Shred the Beef – Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and transfer the beef to a cutting board. Shred it to your desired fineness and set it aside, reserving all of the broth (or consommé). (Photo 12)
- Almost There – Take out 1½ cups of broth from the pot of beef and put it in a small bowl. Throw some cilantro and diced onion on top of the dipping sauce and set aside.
Assemble the Tacos
- Dip the tortillas in the broth still in the Dutch oven pot, coating both sides evenly. Then transfer the tortilla to a skillet over medium-high heat. (Photos 13-14)
- Add the Cheese – While the tortilla is heating up, sprinkle it with your cheese of choice. As the cheese gets good and melty, add a healthy dose of shredded beef. (Photo 15-16)
- Fold the tortilla in half. When the bottom side is crisp, flip the tortilla over to crisp up the top half.
- Serve – Remove from the pan and serve.
Recipe Variations
- You can serve birria as a stew instead of tacos! Simply leave the beef in the broth, skimming off any grease that accumulates on the surface. Top it with fresh diced cilantro, onion, and a squeeze of lime.
- Traditionally, people made birria with goat or lamb, so feel free to go that route.
Tips and Tricks
- Depending on how you like your beef birria tacos, you may want a thinner broth or consommé. If you want to thin it out, add your desired amount of water to the broth after the beef is cooked and shredded. Bring it to a simmer, then taste and season again.
- If you struggle to find the ingredients this recipe calls for at your local supermarket, try visiting a Latin store or Mexican tienda. The chiles and Mexican oregano especially will be easier to find there.
- Birria tacos are a real labor of love, so don’t skimp on the time here. Allow the full 3-4 hours of cook time in the oven to let the meat get extra tender and flavorful. Trust me, it’s worth it!
Serving Instructions
Serve these birria tacos straight out of the skillet with the reserved dipping sauce. Then garnish with finely chopped cilantro and onion and a few lime wedges for squeezing, if desired. Now, enjoy! 🤩
Make-Ahead Instructions
This is actually a great make-ahead meal. You can make this as per the recipe and then store the meat and broth separately. Keep both in airtight containers in the fridge. Then, when you are ready to serve, simply heat your ingredients back up on the stovetop and assemble the tacos.
Store the beef and consommé in separate airtight containers for this recipe. Both will stay good for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
To reheat the birria tacos, simply heat the broth or consommé stovetop on medium-high heat until warm. Do the same for the beef, and then assemble the tacos as per the recipe instructions.
FAQs
Birria tacos look red because they are dipped in the consommé spiced with red chiles and tomatoes. Dipping them in it and then pan-frying them gives them that glorious deep red color.
You dip birria tacos in spiced beef broth. And before you ask, yes, it’s the same broth we cooked the beef in. It’s simply been set aside specifically for dipping purposes.
Birria tacos are a little extra, shall we say. They involve a spiced, slow-cooked meat that is so tender that it melts in your mouth and tortillas dipped in spiced consommé before being pan-fried. You traditionally dip birria tacos in the rich consommé or broth before digging in. See what I mean about these delicious tacos being extra?
What to Serve with Beef Birria Tacos
Pair your beef birria tacos with some homemade guacamole. In fact, even my signature tropical guacamole would be delicious alongside them.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes to Try
Conclusion
In short, these birria tacos take a little time, but they will change your life. Oh, and once you come out of your food coma, leave a comment about how much you enjoyed these uh-mazing tacos.
Beef Birria Tacos Recipe
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Ingredients
- 6 dried guajillo chiles
- 3 dried Morita chiles
- 3 dried pasilla chiles
- Water
- 2 large Roma tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 5 cloves (½ teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 pound chuck roast
- 2 pound short ribs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onions, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- 2-2½ cups water
- 12 small corn tortillas
- 2 cups Oaxaca cheese, shredded, or shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional Garnishes and Seasonings
- Cilantro and lime
- 1 dash chili powder, optional
- 1 dash paprika, optional
- Cracked peppercorns, optional
Instructions
- Start by removing stems and seeds from all the dried chiles.
- Add about 2 cups of water to a medium-sized pot, add the chiles, and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the chiles but don't dump the water just yet.
- When the chile peppers are done, add them to a heavy-duty blender or food processor along with the tomatoes, oregano, cloves, cumin, allspice, and vinegar.
- Add ½-1 cup of the water you boiled the chiles in and blend until smooth and thick.
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Place a Dutch oven pot on medium-high heat on the stove and add vegetable oil. Working in batches, sear the beef thoroughly. Remove seared meat from the pot and place it on a plate as you go.
- Add chopped onions, minced garlic, and thyme to the Dutch oven over medium heat and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the chile paste, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, bouillon, and water (4-5 cups). After that, cover the pot and bring the birria to a simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, and place it in the preheated oven. Braise the birria for 3-3½ hours or until all the beef is fork-tender.
- Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and transfer the beef to a cutting board. Shred it to your desired fineness and set it aside, reserving all of the broth (or consommé).
- Take out 1½ cups of broth from the pot of beef and put it in a small bowl. Throw some cilantro and diced onion on top of the dipping sauce and set aside.
- Dip the tortillas in the broth still in the Dutch oven pot, coating both sides evenly. Then transfer the tortilla to a skillet over medium-high heat.
- While the tortilla is heating up, sprinkle it with your cheese of choice. As the cheese gets good and melty, add a healthy dose of shredded beef.
- Fold the tortilla in half. When the bottom side is crisp, flip the tortilla over to crisp up the top half.
- Remove from the pan and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Depending on how you like your birria, you may want a thinner consommé. If you want to thin it out, add your desired amount of water to the broth after the beef is cooked and shredded. Bring the consommé to a simmer, then taste and season again.
- If you struggle to find the ingredients this recipe calls for at your local supermarket, try visiting a Latin store or Mexican tienda. The chiles and Mexican oregano especially will be easier to find there.
- Birria tacos are a real labor of love, so don’t skimp on the time here. Allow the full 3-4 hours of cook time in the oven to let the meat get extra tender and flavorful. Trust me, it’s worth it!
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nellie Bakare says
I also took your advise Imma and added a large can chipotle peppers in Arno sauce which added a more smoky flavor like you suggested! I love your recipe ideas! I ate Birria tacos at the local restaurant and my homemade ones were much better! Thanks for sharing!
Imma says
Thank you so much for your valuable comment, stay tuned and enjoy more amazing recipe:)
Nellie Bakare says
10/19/22 Hi! I made Birria tacos with consommé’! It was really good!The first day I ate with rice as a stew. The second day I ate it as a taco and soup. The recipe as as a taco and soup is like a Mexican French dip sandwich! I changed a few things after studying multiple recipes! I used a store bought adobo sauce Dona Maria to save time of toasting peppers and making adobo sauce. I added can roasted rotel tomatoes instead of Roman tomatoes. I added half cup of lime juice, 3 tomatillos, and 2 jalapeños. 2 whole dried red peppers and followed the remaining instructions in recipe in making the adobo paste in blender. I seasoned my beef stew meat and beef neckbones with homemade Cajun seasonings and allowed seasoned meat covered with adobo sauce to marinate in refrigerator overnight! I cooked it at 350 degrees oven in a Reynolds’s oven bag for five hrs. I did not shred the beef, because I preferred having chunks of beef! I like spicy food since I am from Louisiana; that is why I could not resist to add peppers to adobo paste! Thanks a million for sharing! This recipe has earned a spot in my rotation! I love recipes that offer versatility that you can serve and eat multiple ways! If you want to save time Dona Maria is good adobo after making the above mentioned changes to save time! Sincerely yours Nellie Bakare
Nellie Bakare says
I also added carrots and potatoes in Reynolds’s oven bag along with the beef. Carrots added a natural sweetness. I ate it as a stew with rice the first day! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Imma says
Thank you! Much Love:)
Nellie Horton says
I also added carrots and potatoes in Reynolds’s oven bag along with the beef. Carrots added a natural sweetness. I ate it as a stew with rice the first day! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Imma says
Great Addition:)
Imma says
Thank you so much, Nelli! I admire your search and cooking love. Thank you for sharing your findings, I will try these for sure:)
Glen says
I made this with lamb for my friends from Mexico, and they loved it. They said it was authentic. Thanks for the recipe.
Imma says
Aww, Thank you so much Glenda for trying this and sharing your amazing experience with me. Much Love:)
Wanda C says
This is my new Fave flavor for tacos‼️ I was like a kid in a candy store at my first trip to a Taqueria. I had to ask a woman about the heat of the Morita pepper, since our grandson was coming to dinner. I separated that pepper out, making a segment of the sauce with them. Thanks sooo much.
Amina says
Great to hear about your love and care for your grandson and thank you for your feedback. Stay tuned for more exciting recipes, and enjoy your day.
Neil Morris says
The ingredients are acceptable, but your technique is atrocious.
The fact that you don’t know the difference between braiding liquid, broth, and consumé explains a lot.
Not every home cook with an internet connection is a chef worth following.
Imma says
I’m sorry you feel that way. My goal it to create recipes that even young cooks feel comfortable making. Braising liquid can be broth, consommé (various types of clarified broth), wine, and even water. I prefer that people choose what they like best, whether it’s bouillon cube and water, homemade broth, or consommé. I hope that clears up any misunderstandings.
Jeff hawkins says
I am making this on Saturday for my sons all star team. Every recipe Imma has posted that I have used has been A+. I love her site. Engaging in ad
Hominem attacks is juvenile.
Imma, your website kicks butt.
Be well.
Jeff
Amina says
Thank you for your love and support. We are trying hard to make our visitors happy whenever they try to make any recipe. Your comment paying back our efforts. Thank you once again!!!
Amanda Bernard says
I agree with Jeff 100%! One of my favorite sites to follow. I hate how rude this person was to you, but Imma, your gracious response says so much about you as a person. Much love!
Imma says
Thank you so much my dear, Your support means a lot to me, and feel relaxed while reading such comments. Thank you once again:)
Suzie Q says
This recipe looks delish! What are your thoughts about making it with chicken?
Amina says
Yes, it is very delicious and yes you can make it with chicken as well. Try this and don’t forget to share your experience.