Birria Tacos Recipe

I’m sharing my easy crockpot birria method for making the Best Birria Tacos and a consommé that doubles as a dipping sauce.

I never planned to get obsessed with birria tacos, but one slow Sunday changed everything. The first time beef chuck roast met smoky guajillo chiles my house smelled like a promise.

The tacos are dangerously easy to love, messy in the best way, and that first dunk into the savory sauce is all kinds of wrong and perfect at once. I still hunt tags like Birria Ingredients and Best Birria Tacos for ideas, even though I always end up tweaking something.

If you like food that makes you talk with your mouth full, this will do it.

Ingredients

• beef chuck: big on protein and iron, it’s rich and sometimes kinda fatty.
• guajillo chiles: mild fruity heat, adds depth and a little vitamin A.
• ancho chiles: sweet smoky flavor, low heat, brings chocolatey chili notes.
• onion: adds sweetness and savory base, provides fiber and vitamin C.
• garlic: punchy umami, may help immune health, gives savory backbone.
• tomatoes: tangy, full of lycopene, balance richness with gentle acidity.
• apple cider vinegar: bright acidic tang, helps tenderize meat and cut fattiness.
• corn tortillas: gluten free carbs, earthy corn flavor, a sturdy soft wrapper.
• cheese: melty fat and protein, gives gooey richness and salty comfort.
• cilantro and lime: fresh bright finish, adds herbaceous zing and vitamin C.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast bone in or boneless
• 1 pound bone in short ribs or beef shank optional for extra flavor
• 6 dried guajillo chiles
• 3 dried ancho chiles
• 1 medium white onion quartered
• 6 garlic cloves whole
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3 to 4 cups beef broth
• 1 quarter cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• half teaspoon ground cinnamon
• quarter teaspoon ground cloves optional
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
• 12 to 16 corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
• half cup chopped white onion for garnish
• half cup chopped cilantro for garnish
• lime wedges for serving

How to Make this

1. Remove stems and seeds from the 6 guajillo and 3 ancho chiles, toast them lightly in a dry skillet until fragrant, then soak in hot water 15 to 20 minutes to soften.

2. In a blender add the soaked chiles with the soaking liquid, quartered white onion, 6 garlic cloves, the 14 ounce diced tomatoes, 1 quarter cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, half teaspoon ground cinnamon, quarter teaspoon ground cloves if using, 1 teaspoon black pepper and about 1 cup of the beef broth; blend until very smooth then strain through a fine mesh into a bowl, pressing solids to extract all the sauce. reserve the consommé.

3. Season the 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast and optional 1 pound short ribs or beef shank with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a little extra black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy skillet and brown the meat well on all sides for flavor, then transfer to the crockpot.

4. Pour the strained sauce over the meat in the crockpot, add the remaining beef broth so there is about 3 to 4 cups total liquid in the pot, tuck in 2 bay leaves, then cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours until the meat shreds easily.

5. Remove the meat to a cutting board, shred with forks, discard bones and bay leaves. Taste the cooking liquid and add a little more salt if needed. Skim excess surface fat but keep a couple tablespoons of the flavorful fat for frying tortillas if you want extra richness.

6. If you prefer a more concentrated consommé, transfer the strained cooking liquid to a saucepan and simmer until reduced and more intense, about 10 to 15 minutes; keep it warm for dipping.

7. Heat a comal or large skillet over medium heat and lightly oil it with a little of the reserved fat or neutral oil. Take a corn tortilla, dip both sides briefly into the warm consommé to coat, place on the hot skillet, sprinkle with shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, add shredded birria on top and fold the tortilla over or place a second dipped tortilla on top to make a taco.

8. Cook each taco until the cheese has melted and the tortilla gets crisp and browned, about 2 to 4 minutes per side depending on your heat. Press gently with a spatula so the tortilla seals and the cheese binds the meat.

9. Serve the quesabirria hot with bowls of warm consommé for dipping, and garnish with the half cup chopped white onion, half cup chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Don’t skip the lime it brightens everything, and if you want extra crispiness fry the tortillas a little longer or add more cheese to the outside.

Equipment Needed

1. Blender, for pulverizing the soaked chiles and tomatoes (high speed works best).
2. Fine mesh strainer or chinois, to press and catch the smooth sauce.
3. Heavy skillet or cast iron pan, for toasting chiles and browning the meat.
4. Slow cooker (crockpot) or large heavy pot with a lid, for the long braise.
5. Saucepan, to reduce the consommé if you want it more concentrated.
6. Comal or large flat skillet/griddle, for heating and crisping the tortillas.
7. Chef’s knife and cutting board, for trimming meat and chopping onions and cilantro.
8. Tongs plus two forks or meat claws, to move and shred the cooked beef.
9. Spatula (metal or sturdy silicone) and a bowl to catch the strained sauce while assembling.

FAQ

Birria Tacos Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Beef chuck roast: use beef brisket for a richer shreddable birria, or pork shoulder if you want a slightly sweeter, fattier taco, or goat for a more traditional flavor
• Dried guajillo chiles: swap with pasilla or New Mexico chiles, or use extra ancho plus a small chipotle if you want more smoky heat
• Apple cider vinegar: red wine vinegar or white vinegar both work, or fresh lime juice for a brighter tangy lift
• Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese: Monterey Jack or Chihuahua cheese give similar melt and stretch, or a mild young cheddar will do in a pinch

Pro Tips

1. Toast and soak the chiles gently, then taste the puree before you strain it — you can always turn up the heat with a little of the seeds or add more vinegar, but you cant take heat away once it’s in. Also save the soaking liquid and use some of it in the braising liquid for extra depth.

2. Brown the beef well and let it rest a few minutes before shredding so it holds more juice, shred against the grain for tender ribbons, and pull out any big bits of fat or connective tissue as you go.

3. Skim most surface fat from the cooking liquid but keep a couple tablespoons for frying the tortillas — it makes them crisp and flavorful. Dip tortillas briefly into warm consommé twice if needed so they bind without getting soggy.

4. Simmer the strained consommé to concentrate it, taste for salt after reducing, and brighten the whole plate with fresh lime and raw onion and cilantro right before serving — the acid makes the rich meat sing.