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The BEST Birria Tacos

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These Birria Tacos are juicy, cheesy, and packed with rich, slow-cooked flavor. Made with tender, braised beef in a smoky, spicy consommé, then fried to crispy perfection with gooey melted cheese, they’re the ultimate taco experience!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Birria Meat:

  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast (or a mix of beef short ribs & shank for extra richness)
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oil (for searing)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 bay leaves

For the Birria Sauce (Adobo):

  • 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed & seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed & seeded
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can)
  • 2 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (optional, adds umami)

For the Tacos:

  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • ½ white onion, finely diced
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Adobo Sauce

  1. Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry pan for 30 seconds per side until fragrant.
  2. Place chilies in hot water and soak for 10 minutes until softened.
  3. Blend chiles, chipotle peppers, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, vinegar, and soy sauce until smooth.
  4. Strain if needed to remove any chili skin pieces.

Step 2: Cook the Birria Meat

  1. Season beef with salt & pepper.
  2. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear meat until browned on all sides.
  3. Add onions, bay leaves, and blended adobo sauce, along with broth and water.
  4. Cover and simmer on low heat for 3-4 hours (or in a slow cooker on LOW for 6-8 hours) until meat is fall-apart tender.
  5. Shred the beef and return it to the consommé.

Step 3: Fry the Birria Tacos

  1. Heat a pan to medium heat. Dip corn tortillas into the birria consommé to coat.
  2. Place on the pan and sprinkle cheese, then add shredded birria meat.
  3. Fold the tortilla and fry until crispy and golden brown, flipping once.

Step 4: Serve & Enjoy!

  • Serve tacos hot and crispy, garnished with chopped cilantro, onions, and a squeeze of lime.
  • Dip into the rich consommé for the full experience!

Notes

✔ Want a deeper flavor? Add cloves and bay leaves to the adobo sauce.
✔ Prefer a slow cooker? Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
✔ Spicier version? Add extra chipotles or cayenne pepper.
✔ No dried chilies? Substitute with 2 tablespoons chili powder (not quite the same, but still tasty!).

Find it online: https://ukfinda.com/the-best-birria-tacos/