Super Crispy Birria Tacos (Printable version)

Crispy tortillas filled with tender, spiced beef and melted cheese, served with warm dipping consommé.

# Ingredient list:

→ For the Birria Beef

01 - 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
02 - 1 lb beef short ribs or oxtail, optional for extra richness
03 - 6 cups beef broth
04 - 3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
05 - 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
06 - 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
07 - 1 white onion, quartered
08 - 5 garlic cloves
09 - 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
10 - 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
11 - 2 tsp ground cumin
12 - 2 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
15 - 4 whole cloves
16 - 2 bay leaves
17 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ For the Tacos

18 - 18 small corn tortillas
19 - 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
20 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
21 - 1/2 cup finely diced white onion
22 - Neutral oil, for frying such as canola or vegetable oil
23 - Lime wedges, for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Place chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 10 minutes to soften.
02 - In the same skillet, roast the quartered onion, garlic cloves, and halved Roma tomatoes until lightly charred and softened, about 5-7 minutes.
03 - Transfer the soaked chiles (drained), roasted vegetables, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, cloves, and 1 cup beef broth to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
04 - In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, season the beef chuck and short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Pour in the blended chile mixture and remaining beef broth. Add the bay leaves.
05 - Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender and shreds easily. Skim excess fat from the surface if desired and reserve for frying tacos.
06 - Remove the beef from the pot and shred using two forks. Reserve the consommé (cooking liquid) and keep warm for serving.
07 - Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Have the shredded beef, cheese, and reserved birria fat or oil ready.
08 - Dip each tortilla briefly in the top layer of birria consommé or reserved fat, then place on the hot skillet. Sprinkle cheese on one half of the tortilla, add a generous amount of shredded birria beef, then fold into a taco shape. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.
09 - Serve tacos hot, topped with chopped onion and cilantro. Accompany with lime wedges and a bowl of warm birria consommé for dipping.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The meat becomes fall-apart tender after hours of slow simmering in that spiced consomme
  • Dipping crispy tacos into rich, warm broth is basically edible comfort
  • Your whole house will smell like a Mexican grandmother's kitchen
02 -
  • The first time I skipped toasting the chiles and the flavor was noticeably flatter
  • Using that skimmed birria fat to fry the tacos changes everything
  • The consomme tastes even better after sitting in the fridge overnight
03 -
  • Reserve as much of that cooking fat as possible for frying
  • Don't rush the chile toasting step, it's where all the depth comes from
  • Double the recipe and freeze half for an easy future dinner

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