Description
Authentic Mexican birria tacos made with slow-braised beef, melted cheese, and rich chile-spiced broth—perfect for dipping and devouring.
Ingredients
Meat
3 lb (1.35 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
1 lb (450 g) beef short ribs or oxtail (bone-in adds richness)
Dried Chiles
4 guajillo chiles, stemmed & seeded
3 ancho chiles, stemmed & seeded
1–2 chile de árbol, stemmed & seeded (optional, for heat)
Aromatics & Spices
1 white onion, quartered
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Roma tomatoes, halved
3 whole cloves
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Liquids
4 cups (960 ml) beef broth or water
2 Tbsp apple-cider vinegar
For the Tacos
12–14 corn tortillas
2 cups (200 g) shredded Oaxaca, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese
Finely chopped white onion & cilantro, for garnish
Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
Toast & Soak Chiles – Heat a dry skillet over medium. Toast guajillo, ancho, and (if using) árbol chiles until fragrant, 30 sec per side. Submerge in hot water 15 min to soften; drain.
Blend Adobo – In a blender, combine soaked chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cloves, oregano, cumin, 1 cup broth, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth.
Brown the Meat – Heat a Dutch oven with a drizzle of oil over medium-high. Sear beef chunks and short ribs on all sides until deeply browned.
Braise – Pour adobo over meat. Add remaining broth, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 3 h on low (or bake at 325 °F / 165 °C) until beef shreds easily. Skim excess fat but save a few spoonfuls for frying tortillas.
Shred & Season – Remove meat, shred with two forks, discard bones, and return shredded beef to consomé. Taste and adjust salt.
Assemble Tacos – Heat a skillet or griddle over medium. Dip each tortilla in the chile-fat layer of the consomé; place on skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and top with shredded birria. Fold and crisp 1–2 min per side until golden and melty.
Serve – Ladle hot consomé into small cups, garnish with onion and cilantro. Serve tacos with lime wedges for squeezing and dunk generously into the broth.
Notes
Instant-Pot shortcut: Pressure-cook on High 60 min, natural release 15 min, then shred and proceed.
Traditional twist: Substitute goat or lamb for beef.
Heat control: Omit árbol chiles for a mild version or add a chipotle in adobo for smoky spice.
Cheese-free: Skip cheese for dairy-free, still incredibly juicy.
Storage: Refrigerate meat and consomé separately up to 4 days or freeze 2 months; reheat consomé to a boil, warm meat in broth, fry fresh tortillas. Flavors deepen next day!
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 3 h 30 min
- Category: Dinner / Main Course
- Method: Braise + Pan-Fry
- Cuisine: Mexican (Jalisco-style)
