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The Best Beef Birria Tacos

Juicy, flavorful, and cheesy Beef Birria Tacos dipped in a flavorful, spicy sauce. You'll never want 'normal' tacos again!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings 4

Ingredients

Birria Meat

  • 1 lbs Boneless Chuck
  • 1 lb Boneless Short Ribs
  • 1 tsp Avocado Oil

Birria Sauce

  • 7 Ancho Chiles (trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 7-10 Hatch Red Chile Pods (trimmed and de-seeded)
  • 1 White Onion
  • 6 Garlic Cloves
  • 3 Roma Tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp. Black Peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. Coriander
  • 1/2 Mexican Cinnamon Stick
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 3 Cups Beef Broth
  • 1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt

Tacos

  • 1/4 cup Chopped Cilantro
  • 1/4 White Onion
  • Juice from 1 Lime
  • Corn Tortillas
  • 1-2 Cups Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

Sear the Meat:

  1. 1. Let the meat come to room temperature for about 30 minutes, then season generously with kosher salt on all sides. In a large Dutch oven (or any pot with an oven-safe lid), heat some neutral oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the meat and sear it on all sides until it’s nicely browned. I prefer a thorough sear for the best flavor. You’ll need to do this in batches. After searing, transfer the meat to a bowl.

Make the Sauce:

  1. 1. In a separate medium pot, combine the dried chiles, halved white onion, garlic cloves, tomatoes, spices, and bay leaves. Add enough cold water to cover everything. Heat over medium and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Strain the mixture and transfer the solids (including whole spices) to a blender. If your blender isn't large enough, you might need to process in batches.

  2. 2. Add the apple cider vinegar and about 1 cup of beef broth or water and blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Add salt to taste (I added about 1 tablespoon of kosher salt).

  3. 3. Run the sauce through a strainer to discard any big bits the blender didn’t puree. Very optional! (We ended up keeping our sauce thick because we liked the consistency!)

Braise the Meat

  1. 1. Preheat your oven to 300°F. Return the meat to the pot and pour the prepared sauce over it.

    Add the remaining 2 cups of broth or water to the blender, swish to gather any remaining sauce, and pour it into the pot.

    Heat the pot over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Then, cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.

Assemble the Tacos

  1. 1. Mix together the cilantro, white onion, lime and salt.

  2. 2. Remove the meat from the sauce and shred using two forks. Ladle the broth into a bowl and add a handful of diced cilantro.

  3. 3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla into the surface layer of the broth (which should be the fat) and place it in the skillet. Fry for about 30 seconds on one side, then flip it over. Add some shredded meat and cheese to one half of the tortilla. Fold it over and cook until both sides are crispy and golden, about 1 minute. Transfer the taco to a plate and serve with the broth on the side.