Beef Birria Tacos
Beef Birria Tacos
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt, for seasoning beef, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, for seasoning beef, or as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt, for birria sauce, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, for birria sauce, or to taste
For the Chile Sauce Base
- 2 tomatoes, chopped into large chunks
- 1 yellow onion, chopped into large chunks
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 10 dried arbol chiles, stems removed, seeded
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stems removed, seeded
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, stems removed, seeded
- 4 cups water, for rehydrating chiles
For the Tacos and Garnish
- 12 corn tortillas
- 8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Cut the beef chuck roast into approximately 1-inch chunks. Season the beef generously with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef chunks for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
For the chile sauce base, cut the tops off the dried chiles and remove most of the seeds. Place the prepared chiles, chopped tomatoes, chopped yellow onion, and peeled garlic cloves into a small pot. Cover the ingredients completely with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the chiles are softened.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Carefully transfer all contents from the small pot into a blender. Blend until completely smooth. (Caution: hot liquids expand; slowly remove the blender lid to release steam).
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Place a fine-mesh strainer over the large pot where the beef was seared (the beef should be back in this pot). Pour the blended sauce through the strainer, using a spatula or spoon to press the solids against the mesh to extract all the liquid and flavor, leaving behind any remaining seeds or skin.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add 4 cups of beef broth to the pot with the strained sauce and seared beef until the meat is fully submerged. Stir in the bay leaves, cinnamon stick (if using), chicken bouillon, dried thyme, ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Cover the pot and let the birria cook on low heat for approximately 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. Check periodically and add more beef broth if needed to maintain liquid levels. Once cooked, remove the beef chunks from the pot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot with the consommé.
⏱️ 210 min
- 8
While the birria cooks, prepare your toppings: finely chop the fresh cilantro and dice the small yellow onion. Cut the limes into wedges.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
To assemble the tacos, heat a large griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the birria consommé (the liquid from the pot) to coat both sides. Place the dipped tortilla on the hot griddle.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over half of the tortilla, then add a generous amount of shredded birria beef on top of the cheese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is slightly crispy. Fold the tortilla in half to create a taco. Cook for another minute on each side until golden brown and crispy.
⏱️ 15 min
- 11
Serve the birria tacos immediately with a side of the warm consommé for dipping, and garnish with chopped cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Beef Birria Tacos
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon salt, for seasoning beef, or as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, for seasoning beef, or as needed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt, for birria sauce, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, for birria sauce, or to taste
For the Chile Sauce Base
- 2 tomatoes, chopped into large chunks
- 1 yellow onion, chopped into large chunks
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 10 dried arbol chiles, stems removed, seeded
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stems removed, seeded
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, stems removed, seeded
- 4 cups water, for rehydrating chiles
For the Tacos and Garnish
- 12 corn tortillas
- 8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Cut the beef chuck roast into approximately 1-inch chunks. Season the beef generously with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef chunks for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
For the chile sauce base, cut the tops off the dried chiles and remove most of the seeds. Place the prepared chiles, chopped tomatoes, chopped yellow onion, and peeled garlic cloves into a small pot. Cover the ingredients completely with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the chiles are softened.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Carefully transfer all contents from the small pot into a blender. Blend until completely smooth. (Caution: hot liquids expand; slowly remove the blender lid to release steam).
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Place a fine-mesh strainer over the large pot where the beef was seared (the beef should be back in this pot). Pour the blended sauce through the strainer, using a spatula or spoon to press the solids against the mesh to extract all the liquid and flavor, leaving behind any remaining seeds or skin.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add 4 cups of beef broth to the pot with the strained sauce and seared beef until the meat is fully submerged. Stir in the bay leaves, cinnamon stick (if using), chicken bouillon, dried thyme, ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Stir well to combine.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Cover the pot and let the birria cook on low heat for approximately 3 to 3 1/2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender. Check periodically and add more beef broth if needed to maintain liquid levels. Once cooked, remove the beef chunks from the pot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot with the consommé.
⏱️ 210 min - 8
While the birria cooks, prepare your toppings: finely chop the fresh cilantro and dice the small yellow onion. Cut the limes into wedges.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
To assemble the tacos, heat a large griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the birria consommé (the liquid from the pot) to coat both sides. Place the dipped tortilla on the hot griddle.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese over half of the tortilla, then add a generous amount of shredded birria beef on top of the cheese. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is slightly crispy. Fold the tortilla in half to create a taco. Cook for another minute on each side until golden brown and crispy.
⏱️ 15 min - 11
Serve the birria tacos immediately with a side of the warm consommé for dipping, and garnish with chopped cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
⏱️ 5 min