Description
This authentic Birria Tacos recipe offers tender, flavorful beef slow-cooked in a rich, smoky chili-infused broth. Perfectly spiced with dried guajillo and ancho chiles, aromatic spices, and simmered until melt-in-your-mouth tender, the meat is then shredded and served on warm corn tortillas with melted Monterey Jack cheese, chopped onions, cilantro, and fresh lime wedges for a genuinely satisfying Mexican street food experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chili Sauce Ingredients
- 6 dried Guajillo chiles (stemmed and deseeded)
- 4 dried Ancho chiles (stemmed and deseeded; can substitute with canned chipotles)
- 3 vine tomatoes (quartered)
- 1 white onion (quartered)
- 8 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed)
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
Meat & Seasoning
- 3 pounds chuck roast (cut into 4 chunks)
- 1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
Tacos Assembly
- 15 corn tortillas (flour or cassava flour tortillas also work)
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Fresh lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the chili sauce: Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chiles briefly in a dry skillet just until fragrant, taking care not to burn them. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for about 15 minutes until softened. Then, blend them together with the quartered tomatoes, white onion, garlic cloves, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, beef broth, ground coriander, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cinnamon stick to create a smooth sauce.
- Sear the meat: Season the chuck roast chunks and bone-in short ribs generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the meat pieces on all sides until nicely seared, working in batches if needed. Remove the meat and set aside.
- Cook the meat in the sauce: Add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot if needed, then pour in the blended chili sauce. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Return the seared meat chunks to the pot, submerging them in the sauce. Cover and cook on low heat for approximately 5 hours (300 minutes) or until the meat is very tender and easily shredded. Alternatively, you can use a slow cooker set on low.
- Shred the meat: Remove the meat pieces from the pot and shred them using forks, discarding any large bones. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the sauce and stir to combine well, allowing it to absorb the flavorful broth.
- Prepare the tortillas and cheese: Warm the corn tortillas on a skillet or griddle until pliable. Assemble the tacos by placing a generous amount of shredded birria on each tortilla, topping with shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Fold the tortillas and lightly fry them in a hot skillet with a bit of oil until the cheese melts and the tortillas become crisp and slightly golden.
- Serve: Garnish the tacos with chopped yellow onion and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately alongside fresh lime wedges to squeeze over the top, enhancing the rich, smoky flavors of the birria tacos.
Notes
- For a more intense smoky flavor, consider adding a small dried chipotle to the chili sauce blend.
- You can substitute beef chuck and short ribs with goat or lamb for a traditional variation.
- Use fresh lime juice liberally when serving to brighten the rich meat flavors.
- If you want to reduce prep time, use a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) to cook the meat for about 1-1.5 hours.
- The leftover birria and broth make a delicious consommé or can be used to make quesadillas.
