If you’ve never had beef birria tacos, prepare to fall in love. This recipe features slow-braised, fall-apart tender beef, a smoky, chile-spiced broth, and corn tortillas. Crisped in a skillet with melty cheese, the tacos are served warm with a side of consomé for dipping.
What is Birria?
If you’re unfamiliar, birria is a traditional Mexican dish that originated in the state of Jalisco. It’s typically made with goat or beef that is slow-cooked in a flavorful broth of dried chiles, spices, and aromatics until incredibly tender. The result is a savory, slightly spicy stew that’s often served with tortillas and a ladle of the broth (known as consomé) on the side.
The meat is used in a variety of dishes, the most popular being birria tacos and quesabirria tacos, which are birria tacos lined with cheese. My beef birria tacos recipe comes together with authentic ingredients and a slow cooking method that brings the flavors of this popular Mexican food right to your kitchen.
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.
- Chiles – A combination of guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol brings smoky, spicy depth to the dish. Chile de árbol is the spiciest variety, so add more or less to taste, depending on how well you handle heat.
- Boneless Beef Chuck Roast – Cooked long and slow, this becomes nice and tender and is great for shredding.
- Garlic and Onion – Essential aromatics, these add a sweet, savory, pungent flavor.
- Whole Spices – Cinnamon, clove, peppercorns, cumin seeds, and Mexican oregano enhance the savoriness and add warmth, creating incredible depth. If possible, use canela (also known as Ceylon cinnamon) for the most authentic flavor.
- Tomato Purée – This helps thicken the sauce and contributes to the savory taste.
- Beef Stock – This locks in moisture and builds a flavorful base for both the birria meat and the consomé. Look for low-sodium varieties, if possible, to have better control over the taste.
- Corn Tortillas – I don’t recommend using flour tortillas for this recipe.
- Oaxacan Cheese – Also known as quesillo and queso de hebra, this is a semi-hard, low-fat cheese. It is similar to Monterey Jack cheese in flavor, with a texture more like mozzarella. That said, if you can’t find Oaxacan cheese, mozzarella cheese will work as a substitute.
- Toppings – I use fresh cilantro and extra white onion as garnish, adding a pop of bright flavor and a little bit of crunch.
How to Make Beef Birria Tacos
1. Prepare the Beef Birria
Note: Optionally, char the onion over an open stove flame before adding it to the blender. Alternatively, you can broil it on a small sheet tray for a few minutes or until lightly charred. Then, cool slightly before blending.
2. Assemble the Beef Birria Tacos
(For plain birria tacos, omit the cheese.)
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Toast the chiles low and slow – Be careful not to burn them! A gentle toast brings out complexity. However, if they’re overcooked, they will taste bitter.
- Char the onion – Charring the onion in the oven or over an open flame gives the sauce extra smoky depth, making it even more delicious.
Blend the consomé – For a smooth consistency, quickly pulse all the ingredients in a high-speed blender before serving.
Beef Birria Tacos Recipe
One of my favorite foods, these beef birria tacos (also known as quesabirria tacos) are made with slow-cooked, tender beef, a smoky chile-spiced broth, and lots of melty cheese. Crisped in a skillet and dipped in warm consomé, every bite is savory, spicy, cheesy, and packed with flavor.
Equipment
- 1 Large Skillet with a Lid
- 1 Dutch Oven
- 1 Spider
- 1 High-Powered Blender
- 1 Fine Mesh Sieve
- 1 Serving Bowl
- 1 Medium Skillet
Ingredients
For the Beef Birria
- 10 (77 gram) guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 5 (72 gram) ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 3 (5 gram) chile de árbol, stems and seeds removed
- 3 cup (720 gram) beef stock, divided
- 1 tablespoon (13 gram) vegetable oil
- 1 (4 pound / 1.8 kilogram) boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large pieces
- kosher salt, to taste
- ½ (50 gram) small white onion
- 1 ½ teaspoon (~8 gram) cumin seeds
- 12 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon (2 gram) dried Mexican oregano
- 1 (8 ounce / 227 gram) can tomato puree
- 1 cinnamon stick, preferably canela
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 whole cloves
- ½ teaspoon (~3 gram) black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoon (34 gram) white vinegar
For Serving
- corn tortillas
- Oaxacan cheese, shredded
- lime wedges
- cilantro, chopped
- white onion, finely chopped
Instructions
For the Beef Birria
- Add the chiles to a large skillet over low heat. Toast the chiles for three to four minutes, tossing often, until the outside of the chiles are lightly toasted. With 30 seconds left, add the chile de árbol and toast until fragrant. Add one cup of beef stock, and bring the liquid to a simmer. Once simmering, remove from the heat, and cover with a lid. Allow to steep for 15-20 minutes.10 guajillo chiles, 5 ancho chiles, 3 chile de árbol, 3 cup beef stock
- While the mixture is steeping, preheat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil. Then, season the beef with salt and, working in batches, sear on each side until golden brown. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside while you make the chili mixture.1 (4 pound / 1.8 kilogram) boneless beef chuck roast, kosher salt, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Optionally, char the onion over an open stove flame, or place it on a small sheet tray and broil for a few minutes, or until lightly charred. Set aside.½ small white onion
- Once the chiles have softened, use a spider to transfer to a high-powered blender, reserving the liquid. Add the cumin seeds, garlic, oregano, onion, and one and a half cups of reserved chili liquid. Blend until fully pureed, about one to two minutes.1 ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 12 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- Pour the mixture over a fine mesh sieve set over the Dutch oven. Add the tomato puree, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, black peppercorns, and white vinegar to the pot, as well as the remaining beef stock, if more liquid is needed. The beef should not be covered, but it should come up at least ¾ of the way. Cover and braise for three and a half to four hours, or until the beef is falling apart and tender.1 (8 ounce / 227 gram) can tomato puree, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 4 whole cloves, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 2 tablespoon white vinegar
- Remove the beef from the pot and strain the cooking liquid. Add half of the strained liquid into a serving bowl and add chopped cilantro and onion, this will be the consomé. Then, shred the beef, and add it back to the other half of the reserved liquid, without the onion and cilantro.
For Assembly
- Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Dip one tortilla at a time into the consomé.corn tortillas
- Add Oaxacan cheese to the corn tortilla. Top with a portion of the shredded beef, followed by a bit more cheese. Fold the tortilla in half.Oaxacan cheese
- Add the quesabirria to the preheated skillet and cook for three minutes, or until golden brown. Drizzle a spoonful of the consomé onto the uncooked side before turning over. Then flip and repeat on the other side.
- Transfer to a plate, and let it cool slightly. Repeat as needed.
- Serve the quesabirria with consomé, lime, cilantro, and onion.cilantro, white onion, lime wedges
Video
Notes
Storage: Store the meat and broth separately in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 313kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 104mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 749mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 469IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 54mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make beef birria tacos using an Instant Pot or a slow cooker?
Yes! To use an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for about 60–75 minutes with a natural release. For a slow cooker, sear the beef first, then cook on low for eight to ten hours. Follow the same blending and straining steps listed in the recipe card for the consomé.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely. If anything, the birria and consomé taste even better the next day. Store the meat and broth separately in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze for up to three months. To serve, reheat the meat gently. Then, assemble and cook the tacos.
How else can I use beef birria meat?
Leftover birria is amazing in quesadillas, burritos, rice bowls, or nachos. You can also spoon it over scrambled eggs or stuff it into empanadas.
Delicious!
I’m not the best cook, but I wanted to give this a try. It came out great, but it needed more salt. The Oaxaca cheese didn’t have much flavor, so we will try Monterey Jack next time unless you can recommend a more flavorful and melty cheese.
Came out amazing but my sauce turned out to be a dark red is there a reason for that ?
Yes, that sounds pretty normal! The sauce can range from dark red to more of an orangish-brown as there is a lot of natural variability depending on the types of chiles you used and their final color upon being harvested and processed.
yummy came out great
Mexican Approved 🇲🇽✅
Amazing Pot Roast Tacos!
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Nick, I just watched your video and you said limes are a must, but I don’t see any listed in the recipe. It seems crazy to eat without limes, but just checking!
Up to you – but I like to serve with limes for those who enjoy that extra punch!
This recipe was delicious, it helped me with my Father’s Day meal. 5 out of 5