Birria Tacos
Juicy shredded beef braised in a rich red chile broth, crisped in a skillet, and served with consommé for dipping
3½ hours, 4 Servings
Juicy shredded beef braised in a rich red chile broth, crisped in a skillet, and served with consommé for dipping
3½ hours, 4 Servings
Ingredients
| 3 lbs. | Beef chuck roast , cut into 3–4 large chunks |
| 4 | Dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed |
| 2 | Dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed |
| 1 | Large white onion, divided (½ for broth, ½ diced for topping) |
| 5 | Garlic cloves |
| 2 Tbsp. | Tomato paste |
| 2 Tbsp. | Apple cider vinegar |
| 1 tsp. | Ground cumin |
| 1 tsp. | Dried Mexican oregano |
| 3 | Bay leaves |
| 3 cups | Beef broth |
| Salt and black pepper, to taste | |
| 12 | Corn tortillas (6-inch) |
| 1½ cups | Oaxaca or quesadilla cheese, shredded |
| ¼ cup | Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping) |
| 1 | Lime wedges (for serving) |
Preparation
| 1. Toast guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side until fragrant. |
| 2. Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl , cover with boiling water, and soak for 15 minutes. |
| 3. Drain chiles and add to a blender with half the onion (roughly chopped), garlic, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, and 1 cup of beef broth. |
| 4. Blend until completely smooth. |
| 5. Strain the chile sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing to extract all liquid. |
| 6. Season chuck roast chunks generously with salt and pepper. |
| 7. Place beef in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot. |
| 8. Pour the strained chile sauce and remaining 2 cups of beef broth over the beef. |
| 9. Add bay leaves. |
| 10. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2½ to 3 hours until beef is fork-tender and falling apart. |
| 11. Remove beef from the pot and shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat and the bay leaves. |
| 12. Skim the fat from the surface of the broth and set aside in a small bowl for frying the tortillas. |
| 13. Season the remaining broth (consommé) with salt to taste and keep warm. |
| 14. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. |
| 15. Briefly dip each corn tortilla in the reserved fat or broth. |
| 16. Place the dipped tortilla on the hot griddle. |
| 17. Add a portion of shredded beef and a small handful of cheese to one half of the tortilla. |
| 18. Fold the tortilla in half and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side until crispy and the cheese is melted. |
| 19. Top tacos with diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. |
| 20. Serve with small cups of warm consommé on the side for dipping. |
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