Mexican
Birria Beef Tacos
Chuck roast braises in a dried-chile sauce, then the meat is tucked into tortillas dipped in the consommé and crisped in a skillet.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 25 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
Photo: sarahstierch (CC BY). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Dried chiles, seeded.
- A long braise, 325°F.
- Dip the tortilla in the fat on top of the broth.
- The cup of consommé is for sipping, not only dunking.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 325°F. Stem and seed the chiles. Simmer them in the broth 10 minutes, then blend with half the onion, the garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt.
- 2
Put the roast in a Dutch oven, pour the sauce over, cover, and bake 3 hours, until the meat shreds.
- 3
Shred the beef. Skim a little fat from the broth.
- 4
Dip a tortilla in the fat, lay it in a skillet, add cheese and beef, fold, and cook until crisp. Serve with onion, cilantro, lime, and a cup of the broth.
Pro tips
- If you cannot find guajillos, use all anchos and expect a milder taco.
- The meat can braise a day ahead. The crisping should be last minute.
- Do not skip skimming if the broth is very fatty. A little fat is what crisps the tortilla.
Easy substitutions
- Chuck roast
- Beef short ribs
- Cheese
- Leave it out for a simpler taco
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate meat and broth up to 4 days.
Reheating
Warm the meat in the broth. Crisp the tacos to order.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Moderate · Stovetop, Oven · High Protein, Gluten-Free
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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