Description
Birria tacos are a Mexican street food favorite — cheesy, crispy tacos filled with tender braised beef, dipped in a rich, flavorful consomé for the ultimate bite. Made with slow-cooked beef simmered in a chile-infused broth, these tacos are smoky, spicy, and absolutely addictive. Perfect for a weekend cook or a taco night upgrade.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Birria Beef & Consomé:
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast (or short ribs)
- 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed & seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed & seeded
- 2 dried pasilla or chipotle chiles (optional, for heat)
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 medium tomatoes, roasted or charred
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Tacos:
- Corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
- Fresh cilantro & onion, chopped (optional garnish)
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Chiles: Toast dried chiles lightly in a skillet until fragrant. Soak them in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Make the Sauce: Blend soaked chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, and spices with 1 cup beef broth until smooth.
- Cook the Beef: In a large pot, sear beef chunks until browned. Pour chile sauce over, add remaining beef broth, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and simmer on low for 3–4 hours (or in Instant Pot for 1 hour) until beef is fall-apart tender. Shred meat and return to broth.
- Assemble the Tacos: Heat a skillet. Dip tortillas in the consomé, then place on skillet. Add cheese and shredded beef. Fold and cook until crispy and cheese is melted.
- Serve: Serve tacos with a bowl of hot consomé for dipping, plus lime wedges and cilantro.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg