Super Crispy Birria Tacos (Printable)
Crunchy corn tortillas filled with tender spiced braised beef, melted cheese, onion and cilantro.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
02 - 0.5 lb beef short ribs
→ Dried Chiles and Vegetables
03 - 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
04 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 2 dried pasilla or New Mexico chiles, stemmed and seeded
06 - 1 large white onion, quartered
07 - 6 cloves garlic, peeled
08 - 2 medium Roma tomatoes, quartered
→ Spices and Herbs
09 - 1 cinnamon stick
10 - 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
11 - 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
12 - 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
13 - 4 whole cloves
14 - 2 bay leaves
15 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
16 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
→ Liquids and Seasonings
17 - 4 cups beef broth
18 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
19 - 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
20 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil for sautéing
→ For the Tacos
21 - 12 corn tortillas
22 - 1 cup shredded Oaxaca, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese
23 - 1 small white onion, finely diced
24 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
25 - Lime wedges for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Place guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until fragrant and pliable. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 15 minutes until fully softened.
02 - Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef chuck and short ribs on all sides until a deep crust forms, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Remove meat and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and quartered Roma tomatoes. Sauté over medium heat until softened and lightly charred, about 5 minutes.
04 - Drain the soaked chiles and transfer to a blender. Add the sautéed onion, garlic, and tomatoes along with cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, whole cloves, dried oregano, dried thyme, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend on high until completely smooth.
05 - Pour the blended sauce through a fine-mesh strainer back into the pot, pressing with a spatula to extract all liquid. Return the seared beef to the pot and add the remaining 3 cups of beef broth, bay leaves, and salt. Stir to combine, cover, and simmer gently over low heat for approximately 3 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender and easily shredded with a fork. Skim the rendered fat from the surface and reserve it for frying the tacos.
06 - Remove the beef from the broth and shred using two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or bone. Strain the remaining braising liquid and reserve as consommé for dipping.
07 - Heat a skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Brush one side of each corn tortilla with the reserved birria fat. Place tortillas fat-side down on the hot surface. Add a generous portion of shredded beef and a sprinkle of cheese to one half of each tortilla. Fold in half to form tacos and cook until golden and crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
08 - Arrange crispy birria tacos on a platter and top with finely diced white onion and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges and small bowls of warm birria consommé for dipping.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The consomme doubles as both a braising liquid and a dipping sauce, so nothing goes to waste and every bite is loaded with layered flavor.
- Frying the tortillas in reserved birria fat creates a shatteringly crisp exterior that regular tacos simply cannot match.
02 -
- Do not rush the braise because the collagen in the chuck needs those full three hours to break down into the silky, shreddable texture that makes birria unforgettable.
- Straining the blended chile sauce is a tedious step you might want to skip but it guarantees a silky smooth consomme free of gritty chile skins.
03 -
- Reserve every drop of the skimmed fat because it is liquid gold for frying tortillas and adds more birria flavor than any cooking oil ever could.
- Let the meat rest in the sauce for at least twenty minutes off the heat before shredding so it reabsorbs moisture instead of drying out.