Birria Tacos Recipe

These Birria Tacos are supremely delicious! Melt-in-your-mouth beef, rich in Mexican flavors, all mingling with melted cheese and wrapped in a crunchy tortilla. I had them at a local restaurant earlier this year and rushed home to develop a homemade recipe. I’ve been making them ever since and they’ve become a family favorite.

I made these cheesy, juicy, crispy, and loaded with flavor. These birria tacos are a must-try. Slow-cooked beef birria encased in a crispy taco with a divine dip – you will love them!

Pro Tip: These are dipping tacos! Save some of the braising liquid for a delicious dipping sauce.

Recipe Card

Birria Tacos Recipe

4.81 from 87 votes

Prep: 30 minutes mins

Cook: 5 hours hrs

Total: 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 15 tacos

Author: Becky Hardin

Print Rate Pin

Birria Tacos with tender beef are a must try dinner that melts in your mouth. Enriched with authentic Mexican flavors, layered with melted cheese, and encased in a crispy tortilla; they are incredibly delicious!

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Equipment

• Dutch Oven
• Immersion Blender

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Stewed Meat

• ▢ 6 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and deseeded
• ▢ 4 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and deseeded. Sub for canned chipotles.
• ▢ 3 pounds chuck roast cut into 4 chunks
• ▢ Kosher salt to taste
• ▢ Ground black pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
• ▢ 3 vine tomatoes quartered
• ▢ 1 white onion quartered
• ▢ 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
• ▢ 4 cups low sodium beef broth
• ▢ 1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1 cinnamon stick
• ▢ ½ cup orange juice
• ▢ ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

For the Tacos

• ▢ 15 corn tortillas flour or cassava flour tortillas also work
• ▢ 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ▢ 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• ▢ ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ▢ Fresh limes wedges for serving

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Instructions 

For the Stewed Meat

• Place the Guajillo and Ancho chiles in a bowl full of near-boiling water. Allow the peppers to soak for at least 30 minutes.
  6 dried Guajillo chiles, 4 dried Ancho chiles
  
• While the peppers soak, season the chuck roast chunks with salt and pepper to taste.
  3 pounds chuck roast, Kosher salt, Ground black pepper
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. In 2 batches, sear the roast on all sides, using more oil as needed. Transfer the seared chuck roast to a plate and set aside.
  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• Add the remaining oil, tomatoes, onion, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  3 vine tomatoes, 1 white onion, 8 cloves garlic
  
• Pour in the beef broth to deglaze the pot.
  4 cups low sodium beef broth
• Drain the water and transfer the hydrated chiles from the bowl of water to the pot. Add the short ribs, spices, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.
  1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 cinnamon stick
  
• Remove the short ribs and add to the plate with the seared roast. Skim the top of the pot to remove any impurities from the bone cooking out. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Transfer about 1 ½ – 2 cups of the braising liquid to a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.
• Use an immersion blender to blend the remaining pepper and tomato mixture until smooth.
• Return the short ribs, seared beef, and any juices back to the Dutch oven. Add the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for at least 3-4 hours.
  ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  
• When the beef is cooked through, remove the short rib bones. Shred the meat with 2 forks.
  

For the Tacos

• Remove the reserved braising liquid from the refrigerator. Working 1 tortilla at a time, dip the tortilla in the reserved liquid. Place the tortilla on a large skillet set over medium heat.
  15 corn tortillas
• Top half of the tortilla with 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, 2-3 tablespoons of shredded beef, and a sprinkle of onion and cilantro. Fold the tortilla in half to close.
  2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  
• Cook the tacos for 30-45 seconds on each side until crisp. Transfer to a serving platter and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.
  Fresh limes wedges
• Repeat with the remaining tortillas and serve with any remaining braising liquid on the side for dipping.

Becky’s Tips

• You can substitute in oxtail instead of short ribs.
• Believe it or not, I’ve tried making these birria with just about any meat. Every variation is still delicious. Use chicken thighs, pork shoulder, or even vegetarian options like jackfruit or vegetable brat.
• Dipping the tortillas in the braising liquid before assembling them hold them together and prevents breaking. You can also heat them up in the microwave with a damp paper towel.
• I’m a big fan of Monterey jack, but you can substitute your favorite cheese.
• These tacos are medium spicy but you can dial it up by adjusting the chili powder.
• Don’t forget to save the braising liquid for dipping!

Storage: Store stewed beef and reserved braising liquid in individual airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Assembled tacos are best enjoyed fresh.

Hide Nutrition Info →

Serving: 1tacoCalories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 32gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 940mgFiber: 6gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3278IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Birria Tacos Step by Step

Steep the Chiles: Place 6 dried Guajillo chiles and 4 dried Ancho chiles in a bowl filled with near-boiling water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes until softened.

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Season and Sear the Beef: While the chiles soak, season 3 lbs of chuck roast (cut into 4 chunks) with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, sear the chuck roast on all sides, adding another tbsp of oil as needed. Transfer the seared meat to a plate and set aside.

Sauté the Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the Dutch oven. Toss in 3 quartered vine tomatoes, 1 quartered white onion, and 8 peeled and smashed garlic cloves. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Deglaze the Pot: Pour in 4 cups of low-sodium beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Simmer the Broth: Drain the water and transfer the softened chiles from the water to the pot. Add 1 ½ lbs of bone-in short ribs, along with 1 tbsp of ground coriander, 2 tsp of ground cumin, 2 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of chili powder, and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.

Skim and Blend the Sauce: Remove the short ribs and set them aside with the seared roast. Skim any impurities from the top of the pot and discard the cinnamon stick. Transfer 1 ½ to 2 cups of the braising liquid to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Use an immersion blender to blend the remaining broth until smooth.

Slow Cook the Meat: Return the seared chuck roast, short ribs, and any juices to the Dutch oven. Stir in ½ cup of orange juice and ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 3-4 hours until the meat is tender.

Shred the Meat: Once fully cooked, remove the bones from the short ribs and discard them. Use two forks to shred all the meat into the sauce.

Prepare the Tacos: Remove the reserved braising liquid from the refrigerator. Working one at a time, dip each of the 15 corn tortillas into the liquid and place them in a large skillet set over medium heat. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp of shredded Monterey Jack cheese onto one half of each tortilla. Top with 2-3 tbsp of shredded beef, a sprinkle of 1 cup of chopped yellow onion, and ½ cup of chopped fresh cilantro.

Crisp the Tacos: Fold the tortilla in half. Cook each taco for 30-45 seconds per side, until the exterior is crispy and golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter.

Serve and Enjoy: Squeeze fresh lime wedges over the tacos and serve with any remaining braising liquid on the side for dipping. Enjoy your homemade birria tacos!

How to Store and Reheat

I store leftover birria taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep separate from the braising liquid until ready to assemble. When ready to reheat, I pop them in pan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.

How to Freeze

I freeze the meat separately from the braising liquid in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Remember to always let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

What to Serve with Homemade Birria Tacos

Whether I’m serving this up for a party or as a weeknight meal, I can level up with yummy side dishes, like Mexican Corn on the Cob, Mexican Street Corn Dip, Rotel Dip, or Tomatillo Avocado Salsa. Sides or no sides, these satisfying tacos are really going to please those taste buds!

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