Description
Spicy Mexican Birria Tacos bring explosive flavor straight from Jalisco’s culinary heart. Tender beef braised in rich chili sauce creates mouthwatering street-style tacos you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) boneless chuck roast
- 1 pound (454 grams) oxtail or bone-in short ribs
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil (avocado or vegetable oil)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Chile and Spice Components:
- 7 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 7 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 3 chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed
- 1 white onion, peeled and halved
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 Mexican cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups (710 milliliters) beef broth or water, divided
Taco Garnish and Assembly:
- 1/4 cup (15 grams) fresh cilantro, minced
- 1/4 white onion, minced
- Juice from 1 lime
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Corn tortillas
- 3 ounces (85 grams) Oaxacan cheese or mozzarella, shredded
Instructions
- Allow meat to reach ambient temperature for roughly 30 minutes. Generously season with kosher salt across all surfaces.
- Heat Dutch oven over medium-high flame. Add neutral oil and sear meat chunks in batches until deeply caramelized. Transfer browned pieces to separate container.
- Combine dried chiles, aromatics, whole spices, and vegetables in medium pot. Cover completely with cold water. Gently simmer for approximately 15 minutes until ingredients soften.
- Drain simmered mixture, reserving solids. Transfer to blender with vinegar and broth. Pulverize until ultra-smooth, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt.
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Return seared meat to Dutch oven. Pour sauce over meat, adding remaining broth. Rinse blender with liquid to capture residual sauce.
- Bring contents to gentle simmer on stovetop. Cover and transfer to oven. Braise for 3 hours until meat becomes effortlessly shreddable.
- Create garnish by mixing finely chopped cilantro, diced white onion, fresh lime juice, and pinch of salt. Refrigerate until serving.
- Extract meat from braising liquid. Shred using two forks. Skim fat from consomme surface.
- Warm non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dip corn tortillas in reserved fat. Fry each side until golden, approximately 30 seconds.
- Layer shredded meat and Oaxacan cheese on half of tortilla. Fold into half-moon shape. Continue frying until crisp and golden.
- Plate tacos immediately. Accompany with cilantro-onion mixture, lime wedges, and consomme for dipping.
Notes
- Choose high-quality meat for tender, flavorful birria by selecting well-marbled beef chuck roast or goat meat with good fat content.
- Toast whole spices briefly before simmering to enhance their aromatic oils and deepen the sauce’s complex flavor profile.
- Control the sauce’s heat level by adjusting the types of dried chiles used, mixing mild and spicy varieties for balanced intensity.
- Keep tortillas moist by dipping them in the rendered fat before frying, ensuring a crispy exterior and preventing dryness during cooking.
- For gluten-free adaptation, verify all ingredients are certified gluten-free and use corn tortillas as the base.
- Reduce cooking time by using a pressure cooker, which can cut braising duration from 3 hours to approximately 45-60 minutes.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg