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Divine Birria Tacos

Divine Birria Tacos

Birria tacos, a comforting dish with deep flavors and a rich history. Experience the joy of cooking these tacos with our detailed guide.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Marinade
  • 25 g guajillo chillies, dried (~4 pieces, heaped 3/4 cup once chopped)
  • 45 g ancho chillies, dried (~2-3 pieces, 1 cup once chopped)
  • 6 g chillies de arbol, dried (~6 pieces, 2 tbsp once chopped)
  • 1/2 cup chilli soaking water (reserve 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)
For the Beef
  • 1.3 kg 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)
  • 10 cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground cloves)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (substitute 1/4 tsp powder, but it’s not quite the same)
  • 3 bay leaves (preferably fresh else dried)
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or regular white vinegar, red or white wine vinegar)
  • 2 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt (halve for table salt, +30% for flakes)
  • 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
For Serving
  • 20 - 25 corn tortillas (14.5cm/6" wide)
  • 1 white onion (diced)
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
  • 3 1/2 cups shredded Colby, Monterey Jack, or Oaxaca cheese (if you can get it)
  • Lime wedges (optional)
  • Your favorite salsa or hot sauce (optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Prepare chilis: Toast the dried chilis in a skillet for a few minutes until fragrant. Remove and soak them in water until soft.
  2. Blend ingredients: In a blender, combine soaked chilis, garlic, onion, tomato, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and chili soaking water. Blend until smooth.
Cooking
  1. Cook the beef: Heat oil in a large pot. Add the blended mixture and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Then, add the beef along with beef stock, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover and let it cook for about 2-3 hours until the meat is fork-tender.
  2. Shredded beef: Carefully shred the beef into bite-sized pieces, removing any excess fat. Reserve the broth for dipping the tacos.
Assembly
  1. Make crispy, cheesy Birria tacos: Heat a skillet, dip the corn tortillas in the reserved broth, fill each with shredded beef and cheese, fold, and then cook until crispy and the cheese has melted.

Notes

Allow the beef to marinate for maximum flavor. Ensure you monitor the beef's tenderness as it cooks.