Name: Best Birria Tacos Recipe
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 25 g (0.9 oz) guajillo chillies, dried (~4 pieces, heaped 3/4 cup once chopped); 45 g (1.6 oz) ancho chillies, dried (~2-3 pieces, 1 cup once chopped); 6 g (0.2 oz) chillies de arbol, dried (~6 pieces, 2 tbsp once chopped); 1/2 cup chilli soaking water (reserved after simmering); 5 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 small onion, roughly sliced (~tennis ball size); 1 medium tomato, roughly sliced (180g); 2 tsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/8 tsp black pepper; 10 cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves); 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder); 3 bay leaves, preferably fresh; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or regular white, red, or white wine vinegar); 2 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve for table salt, +30% for flakes); 5 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola oil); 1.3 kg (2.6 lb) chuck beef, cut into 6 large pieces (or boneless beef short ribs 1.8kg/3.6 lb bone-in); 2 cups beef stock/broth, low sodium; 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (for shredding beef); 20 – 25 corn tortillas (14.5cm/6″ wide); 1 white onion, diced; 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves; 3 1/2 cups (350g) shredded Colby, Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese; Lime wedges, optional; Your favorite salsa or hot sauce, optional

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Introduction

Birria tacos are a flavorful Mexican specialty featuring tender, slow-cooked beef wrapped in crispy, cheesy tortillas. This recipe guides you through creating rich adobo-spiced meat and a delicious consommé for dipping. Perfect for a satisfying meal that’s both comforting and full of bold flavors.

The image shows three crispy, golden-brown folded quesadillas with a slightly oily and crunchy texture on the outside, each filled with melted cheese and shredded meat that peeks out from the edges. The quesadillas are placed on crumpled white parchment paper over a white marbled surface. Scattered around are fresh green cilantro leaves and bright green lime wedges. A white bowl containing dark reddish dipping sauce is partially visible on the top left, with a woman's hand holding one quesadilla dipped into it. The overall look is warm and appetizing with a rustic, casual feel. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

25 g (0.9 oz) dried guajillo chillies (~4 pieces, heaped 3/4 cup once chopped)
45 g (1.6 oz) dried ancho chillies (~2-3 pieces, 1 cup once chopped)
6 g (0.2 oz) dried chillies de arbol (~6 pieces, 2 tbsp once chopped)
1/2 cup chilli soaking water (reserved after simmering)
5 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small onion, roughly sliced (~tennis ball size)
1 medium tomato, roughly sliced (180g)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
5 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola oil)
1.3 kg (2.6 lb) chuck beef, cut into 6 large pieces (or 1.8kg/3.6 lb boneless beef short ribs)
2 cups low sodium beef stock or broth
10 cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder)
3 bay leaves (preferably fresh)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white/red wine vinegar)
2 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve if using table salt, add 30% for flakes)
1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
20 – 25 corn tortillas (14.5cm/6″ wide)
1 white onion, diced
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
3 1/2 cups (350g) shredded Colby, Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese
Lime wedges (optional)
Your favorite salsa or hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Deseed and chop guajillo, ancho, and de arbol chillies. Using gloves if sensitive, remove stems and seeds, then roughly chop into 1–1.5 cm pieces.
Step 2: Place chillies in a large pot of boiling water. Simmer rapidly for 10 minutes until soft but skins remain intact. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking water, then drain chillies in a sieve, pressing out extra liquid.
Step 3: In a tall jug or blender, combine cooked chillies, reserved soaking water, garlic, onion, tomato, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and vinegar. Blitz until mostly smooth to create the Birria adobo paste.
Step 4: Heat 5 tbsp oil in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the beef pieces in batches, browning each side dark golden brown (about 1–1.5 minutes per side). Remove and set aside.
Step 5: Add the adobo paste to the hot pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to release flavors and cook off raw paste taste. Lower heat if it splatters aggressively.
Step 6: Add beef stock, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cooking salt, then return beef pieces to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 2 1/2 hours or until beef shreds easily (3–3.5 hours if using short ribs).
Step 7: Remove beef from pot and shred well. Add 1/2 tsp salt to the shredded meat and toss to combine.
Step 8: Skim off the red oil floating on the surface of the braising liquid and set aside (this is the flavorful Birria oil).
Step 9: Pour 1 cup of the braising liquid (consommé) into a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Simmer briefly for 15 seconds, add shredded beef and toss until liquid is almost fully absorbed. Return beef to shredding pan, scraping any leftover bits from skillet.
Step 10: Taste consommé and adjust salt if necessary. Keep warm to serve for dipping.
Step 11: Heat 1 tsp Birria oil in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and wipe around to color underside red. After about 10 seconds, remove tortilla red side down. Repeat with 2 more tortillas using 1/2 tsp oil each.
Step 12: On each tortilla, spread cheese on half, top with shredded beef, diced onion, and chopped coriander. Fold tortilla over to form a taco.
Step 13: Pan-fry 3 tacos at a time over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes on each side until golden, crispy, and cheese is melted.
Step 14: Serve immediately with warm consommé for dunking, lime wedges, and optional salsa or hot sauce.

Tips & Variations

Use gloves when handling dried chillies to avoid irritation.
Short ribs add more flavor but require longer cooking time than chuck beef.
Oaxaca cheese gives authentic texture, but Monterey Jack or Colby can be great substitutes.
Keep the consommé warm for dipping, it enhances every bite of taco.
For a slow cooker method, cook the beef mixture on low for 6–8 hours until tender.

Storage

Store leftover birria meat and consommé separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove until warmed through. Tortillas are best prepared fresh, but you can keep extras wrapped in foil and warm briefly in a pan or oven before serving.

How to Serve

The image shows three golden-brown quesadillas cooking in a black pan. Each quesadilla is folded in half, with a crispy, slightly bubbly outer layer that has spots of darker browning. The visible filling is made of melted white cheese mixed with bits of dark cooked meat, peeking out slightly from the edges. The surface of the quesadillas looks oily and crispy, with small flecks of green herbs on the pan around them. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make birria tacos without a slow cooker or Dutch oven?

Yes, a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet with a lid works well on the stovetop. Maintain a low simmer and keep the lid on to cook the meat slowly until tender.

How spicy are these birria tacos?

The heat level is moderate and balanced by the smoky chilies and toppings. You can reduce the number of arbol chilies or remove seeds from all chilies to lower spiciness.