Description
This ultimate birria tacos recipe brings authentic Mexican street food to your home kitchen. Featuring tender, slow-cooked beef in rich consommé, crispy cheese-filled tortillas, and traditional spices. Perfect for family dinners and entertaining!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1 lb beef short ribs (optional)
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- 6 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
- 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 20–24 corn tortillas (6-inch)
- 3 cups Oaxaca cheese, shredded
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 4–6 lime wedges
Instructions
- Toast the chiles: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant. Transfer to bowl and cover with hot water for 15-20 minutes.
- Char vegetables: In same skillet, char quartered onion, garlic, and tomatoes until they develop dark spots.
- Make adobo sauce: Drain chiles (reserve 1 cup soaking liquid) and blend with charred vegetables, oregano, cumin, paprika, vinegar, and chile liquid until smooth. Strain for silky texture.
- Slow cook meat: Season chuck roast and short ribs with salt and pepper. Optional: sear in hot skillet until browned. Place in slow cooker with adobo sauce, beef broth, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Cook LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours until meat shreds easily.
- Prepare consommé: Remove meat and shred with forks. Strain cooking liquid through fine-mesh sieve. Skim excess fat but reserve some for frying. Season with salt.
- Assemble tacos: Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each tortilla in consommé, place on skillet, add cheese and meat to half, fold over. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Serve: Garnish with diced onion, cilantro, and lime. Serve with warm consommé for dipping.
Notes
- Make-ahead tip: Birria meat and consommé improve in flavor overnight. Store separately and reheat gently.
- Cheese options: Oaxaca cheese is traditional, but Monterey Jack or mozzarella work well.
- Heat level: Adjust spice by adding more or fewer chile de árbol.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Instant Pot variation: Pressure cook on HIGH for 90 minutes with natural release.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 480
- Category: Mexican
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tacos
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 890
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Unsaturated Fat: 14
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 28
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 32
- Cholesterol: 85
Keywords: birria tacos recipe, easy birria tacos, slow cooker birria, authentic Mexican tacos, quesabirria, beef birria, Mexican street food, consommé tacos