Description
Birria Tacos feature tender, slow-cooked beef or goat steeped in a rich, flavorful chili sauce and served in crispy tortillas. Perfectly paired with a savory consommé for dipping and fresh garnishes, these tacos offer a deeply satisfying and authentic taste of traditional Mexican cuisine with versatile serving options.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 3–4 lbs beef chuck, short ribs, or goat shoulder
Dried Chilies & Sauce
- 4 Guajillo chilies
- 2 Ancho chilies
- 1 Chipotle chili
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1/4 cup vinegar (white or apple cider)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Tortillas & Toppings
- 12 corn tortillas (or flour/blue corn as variation)
- Chopped onions (for garnish)
- Fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Lime wedges (for garnish)
- Salsa (optional)
- Queso fresco or Oaxaca cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chili Sauce: Rehydrate dried guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chilies in hot water until soft. Blend them together with garlic, onion, tomatoes, vinegar, and spices (cumin, cloves, oregano, cinnamon) until smooth to create a rich and flavorful sauce.
- Marinate the Meat: Thoroughly coat the beef or goat meat with the prepared chili sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, allowing the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat.
- Slow Cook the Meat: Transfer the marinated meat with some sauce into a heavy pot like a Dutch oven or slow cooker. Simmer gently on low heat for 3-4 hours or until the meat is tender enough to shred easily.
- Prepare the Consommé: Strain the cooking liquid to remove solids, then simmer it further to develop a savory consommé perfect for dipping the tacos.
- Assemble and Cook the Tacos: Dip corn tortillas briefly into the consommé, fill them with shredded meat, add cheese if using, then cook on a hot griddle or skillet until the tortillas are crispy and golden brown.
Notes
- Choose well-marbled beef cuts like chuck or brisket for the best tenderness.
- Allow sufficient marination time (at least 4 hours or overnight) for deep flavor infusion.
- Strain chilies well to avoid bitterness from seeds and skin.
- Use a Dutch oven or slow cooker for even heat distribution during cooking.
- Crisp the tacos on a hot skillet for delightful texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes + 4-12 hours marination
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Slow Cooking, Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tacos
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: Birria Tacos, Mexican tacos, slow-cooked beef tacos, spicy tacos, consommé, traditional Mexican recipe