Description
Mexican birria tacos blend tender, slow-cooked beef with rich spices, creating a mouthwatering street-style dish. Crispy tortillas filled with succulent meat and melted cheese offer a delectable experience you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) beef chuck roast
- 2 cups beef broth
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
- 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed & seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed & seeded
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup water
- ½ white onion, finely diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Chili Preparation: Toast dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a skillet until fragrant, releasing their deep, complex flavors.
- Sauce Creation: Rehydrate toasted chilies in hot water, then blend with chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, spices, vinegar, and soy sauce until completely smooth; strain to ensure silky texture.
- Meat Preparation: Season beef with salt and pepper, then sear in a hot Dutch oven to develop a rich, golden-brown crust that locks in intense flavors.
- Braising Process: Add onions, bay leaves, and prepared adobo sauce to the seared meat, creating a deeply flavorful braising liquid that will slowly transform the beef into a tender, succulent filling.
- Meat Finishing: Slow-cook the beef for several hours until incredibly tender, then shred and return to the robust consomme, ensuring each strand is thoroughly coated with the complex spice mixture.
- Taco Assembly: Dip corn tortillas into the rich consomme, layer with melting cheese and shredded birria meat, then crisp in a sizzling pan until golden and crunchy.
- Final Presentation: Garnish with fresh cilantro, raw onions, and a lime squeeze; serve immediately with consomme as a luxurious dipping sauce for an immersive culinary experience.
Notes
- Chili Selection Matters: Choose fresh, pliable dried guajillo and ancho chilies without cracks or dusty surfaces for maximum flavor intensity.
- Blending Technique Crucial: Use a high-powered blender and strain the sauce twice to ensure ultra-smooth, restaurant-quality consistency without chunky bits.
- Meat Preparation Tip: Select chuck roast or beef short ribs with good marbling to guarantee tender, rich-tasting birria that falls apart effortlessly.
- Temperature Control Essential: Maintain low, consistent braising temperature around 325°F to prevent meat from becoming tough and preserve delicate flavor nuances.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg