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- 1
Soak the chiles
Add the guajillo and pasilla chiles to a large bowl and pour 4 cups of hot water over them. Let them soak for 30 minutes until softened. Don't skip this — it makes the chiles way easier to blend and gives you a smoother sauce.
- 2
Blend the red sauce
Add half the onion, the quartered tomato, garlic cloves, chicken bouillon, peppercorns, thyme, Mexican oregano, cumin seeds, and the soaked chiles along with their soaking liquid to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chile skins and seeds. You want that sauce silky.
- 3
Marinate the beef
Place the quartered chuck roast in a Dutch oven and season all over with salt and black pepper. Tuck in the bay leaves and the remaining onion half. Pour the strained red sauce over the beef, add 2 cups of cold water, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Overnight marinade = maximum flavor.
- 4
Braise the beef
Set the Dutch oven over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beef is completely tender and falling apart — about 1.5 to 2 hours. Remove the meat and set it aside. Fish out and discard the onion pieces and bay leaves. Crank the heat back up and simmer the liquid uncovered for about 30 minutes until reduced by half — this is your consomme.
- 5
Shred the beef
Use two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces, then return all the meat to the pot. Give it a good stir so every piece is coated in that rich red consomme. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 6
Assemble the tacos
Heat a griddle, comal, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the meat mixture, coating it well with the consomme — this is what makes birria tacos special. Lay the saucy tortilla flat on the hot griddle. If you're going quesabirria style, scatter some Oaxaca cheese on top and let it melt. Add a scoop of shredded beef, then fold the tortilla in half. Cook until the outside is lightly crispy. Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve with a small bowl of the hot consomme on the side for dipping.
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Beef Birria Tacos
Created by: TacoEveryDay
Ingredients
- 8 dried guajillo chiles, stems removed
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, stems removed
- 4 cup hot water
- 1 medium white onion, halved
- 1 roma tomato, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
- 8 whole peppercorns
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 lb boneless beef chuck roast, quartered
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cup cold water
- 20 corn tortillas (6 inch)
- shredded Oaxaca cheese, optional for quesabirria
- chopped white onion, for topping
- fresh cilantro, chopped, for topping
- sliced radishes, for topping
- lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Soak the chilesAdd the guajillo and pasilla chiles to a large bowl and pour 4 cups of hot water over them. Let them soak for 30 minutes until softened. Don't skip this — it makes the chiles way easier to blend and gives you a smoother sauce.
- Blend the red sauceAdd half the onion, the quartered tomato, garlic cloves, chicken bouillon, peppercorns, thyme, Mexican oregano, cumin seeds, and the soaked chiles along with their soaking liquid to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chile skins and seeds. You want that sauce silky.
- Marinate the beefPlace the quartered chuck roast in a Dutch oven and season all over with salt and black pepper. Tuck in the bay leaves and the remaining onion half. Pour the strained red sauce over the beef, add 2 cups of cold water, and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Overnight marinade = maximum flavor.
- Braise the beefSet the Dutch oven over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beef is completely tender and falling apart — about 1.5 to 2 hours. Remove the meat and set it aside. Fish out and discard the onion pieces and bay leaves. Crank the heat back up and simmer the liquid uncovered for about 30 minutes until reduced by half — this is your consomme.
- Shred the beefUse two forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces, then return all the meat to the pot. Give it a good stir so every piece is coated in that rich red consomme. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Assemble the tacosHeat a griddle, comal, or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the meat mixture, coating it well with the consomme — this is what makes birria tacos special. Lay the saucy tortilla flat on the hot griddle. If you're going quesabirria style, scatter some Oaxaca cheese on top and let it melt. Add a scoop of shredded beef, then fold the tortilla in half. Cook until the outside is lightly crispy. Repeat with remaining tortillas and serve with a small bowl of the hot consomme on the side for dipping.