Birria Tacos Recipe
Birria tacos are crispy, cheese-stuffed tortillas filled with slow-braised, deeply spiced beef, served with a rich consommé for dipping. Every bite is crunchy, juicy, and gloriously messy — the ultimate Mexican street-food treat.
- Prep time
- 30 mins
- Cook time
- 2 hrs 45 mins
- Total time
- 3 hrs 15 mins
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Calories
- 580
Ingredients
- 1.2 kg beef chuck, cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 dried guajillo chillies, deseeded
- 2 dried ancho chillies, deseeded
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo
- 400 g canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 litre beef stock
- 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and dried oregano
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 corn tortillas
- 200 g shredded mozzarella or Oaxaca cheese
- Fresh coriander and diced onion, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot and brown the beef chunks on all sides, then remove them and set aside.
- Toast the dried chillies in the same pot for 1 minute, then add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and beef stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Blend the chilli mixture until completely smooth, then return it to the pot with the beef, cumin, oregano, and cinnamon stick.
- Cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours 30 minutes until the beef is fall-apart tender, topping up with water if needed.
- Remove the beef, shred it with two forks, and stir it back into some of the sauce; keep the rest of the liquid as your consommé.
- Skim the orange fat from the consommé into a frying pan, dip each tortilla in the consommé, and fill with beef and cheese.
- Fry the tacos in the hot fat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until crisp and golden, then serve with bowls of warm consommé for dipping, topped with onion and coriander.
Pro tips
- Brown the beef well first; that caramelised flavour is the backbone of the whole dish.
- Blend the sauce until it is completely smooth so the consommé is silky, not gritty.
- Skim the fat from the consommé for frying the tacos; it gives them their signature red colour.
- Make the beef a day ahead if you can, as the flavour improves overnight.
Frequently asked questions
What meat is best for birria?
Birria is traditionally made with beef chuck, goat, or lamb. Beef chuck is the easiest to find and gives the rich, tender result most people love.
Can I make birria in a slow cooker?
Yes, cook the beef in the oven at 160°C (325°F) for about 3 hours, or use a slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours until it falls apart.
Can I make birria ahead of time?
Yes, make the beef and consommé a day ahead. The flavour deepens overnight, and the fat is easier to skim off the chilled consommé.
How do the tacos get so red and crispy?
Skim the bright orange fat from the top of the consommé and use it to fry the tacos; that fat is what gives them their signature colour and crispness.
