Birria Tacos

These birria tacos are beef slow-cooked with chiles & spices then shredded and put into corn tortillas with cilantro, onion, and cheese then pan-fried until crispy. Finally, dip the tacos in the most flavorful broth and devour them.

I first had birria tacos at a local taco truck and absolutely fell in love with them. I’ve been thinking about making them for a long time but hadn’t found a recipe that sounded like the birria tacos I’ve eaten. Finally, I found one on House of Yumm that looked & sounded just like my beloved taco truck’s version. I did have to adapt the recipe because I couldn’t find dried guajillo chiles but otherwise kept pretty close to the written recipe. I have no idea how authentic this recipe is but I can tell you that these birria tacos are so delicious and paired nicely with homemade refried beans. Dipping the crispy cheesy tacos in the broth takes them to a whole other level of deliciousness. My entire family devoured these tacos and we all thought they should be made again and again. Next time you are craving Mexican food, give these tacos a try!

How to Make Birria Tacos

Add the beef chunks and short ribs to a large Dutch oven along with the onion, garlic, carrots, bay leaves, ancho pasilla peppers, chicken bullion, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Pour in the water making sure it covers everything and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to medium and cook for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, skim the top of the pot to remove impurities from the bone cooking out (it will look like bits of foam all over the top).  Remove the chili peppers with tongs and place them in a high-powered blender along with 1/4-1/2 cup of cooking broth. Blend until very creamy and smooth. Side Note: If you don’t have a high-powered blender then strain the blended peppers to remove bits of skin.

Add the blended peppers back into the broth and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for about 3-3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and easily shreds on its own.

Remove the onion, garlic, carrots, and bay leaves from the broth and discard. Place the beef on a cutting board and allow it to cool slightly until you are able to handle it with your hands. Remove any bones and chunks of fat from the meat and discard. Place the shredded beef in a bowl and cover it until needed.

Skim all of the grease off the top of the broth then pour it through a strainer to remove any small bits. Taste the broth and adjust seasonings to your liking. Keep warm.  Side Note: I used my fat separator and it really made it easier to remove all of the grease out of the broth. The recipe says to reserve the grease and fry the tacos in it (which gives the tacos their deep color) but you can also discard and use vegetable oil if you prefer. 

Make the onion and cilantro relish. Click here for the recipe.

To make the tacos, place the tortillas in a damp cloth in the microwave for 30 seconds or until pliable.

Next, either dip the tortilla in the reserved grease or heat some of the discarded fat (or vegetable oil) in a large nonstick skillet. Place the tortilla flat in the skillet then cover with some of the cheese and shredded meat. Fold the taco over and press down with a spatula and cook until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking on the other side until crispy. Add additional grease as needed.

Remove from heat and top with the onion, cilantro, and lime relish then place on a serving tray.

To serve, ladle the broth in a bowl and top with a big spoonful of the onion, cilantro, and lime relish.

Dip the tacos in the broth and eat! Enjoy.