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Close-up photo of crispy birria tacos filled with shredded beef and melted cheese, seared to a golden brown and topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion.
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Birria Tacos

Ingredients

Meat

  • 3 –4 lbs beef chuck roast chuck top roast, shoulder, blade — all perfect

🌶 Dried Chiles

  • 4 guajillo
  • 3 ancho
  • 2 chile de árbol

🧂 Spices (Substitution Version)

  • Since you don’t have whole spices:
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • These replace the whole coriander + cinnamon stick that would’ve gone in cheesecloth.

🧅 Aromatics

  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Roma tomato chopped (or ½ cup canned)
  • 1 –2 tbsp tomato paste

🍲 Broth & Seasonings

  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 –2 chipotle peppers in adobo + spoon of adobo
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 bundle of fresh thyme 4–6 sprigs tied

🌮 For the Tacos

  • Corn tortillas
  • Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella
  • Cilantro chopped
  • White onion finely diced
  • Limes

Instructions

1️⃣ Toast the Dried Chiles

  • In a dry pan (NO oil), toast:
  • Guajillo
  • Ancho
  • Arbol
  • 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable.
  • Set aside.
  • (No spice toasting needed — you’re using ground.)

2️⃣ Brown the Beef

  • Heat oil in a Dutch oven.
  • Salt and pepper the beef.
  • Sear on all sides until deeply brown.
  • Remove beef.
  • Leave the fond (brown bits) in the pot — that’s flavor.

3️⃣ Build the Flavor Base

  • In the same pot:
  • Add onions → cook 4–5 min
  • Add garlic → cook 30–60 sec
  • Add tomato paste → brown 1–2 min
  • Add chopped tomato → cook 2–3 min
  • This is your foundational flavor.

4️⃣ Return the Beef to the Pot

  • Nestle the browned beef back into the onion/tomato mixture.

5️⃣ Build the Broth Over the Beef

  • Add:
  • Beef broth
  • Toasted chiles (whole)
  • Chipotle in adobo
  • Cumin
  • Oregano
  • Peppercorns
  • Vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
  • Fresh thyme bundle
  • Scrape the bottom to lift the fond.
  • Simmer 15–20 minutes until chiles are fully soft.

6️⃣ Remove Chiles + Aromatics to Blend

  • Use tongs to remove:
  • Softened chiles
  • Tomato pieces
  • Garlic
  • Onion pieces (optional)
  • Add to blender with:
  • 1–2 chipotles
  • A ladle of broth
  • Blend very smooth.

7️⃣ Return the Blended Sauce

  • Pour the blended chile sauce back into the pot.
  • Stir well.
  • Leave the thyme in the pot for the full braise.

8️⃣ Braise the Birria

  • Cooktop (Dutch Oven — your method)
  • Keep covered
  • Lowest simmer possible
  • 3 to 3.5 hours
  • Check occasionally to ensure it’s not boiling hard.

When done

  • Remove thyme
  • Shred beef

🌮 9️⃣ Make Quesabirria Tacos

  • Heat a skillet with a little oil
  • Dip tortilla in the top oily layer of consommé
  • Place tortilla in skillet
  • Add Oaxaca cheese
  • Add shredded birria
  • Fold and crisp
  • Top with:
  • Cilantro
  • Diced white onion
  • Lime
  • Serve with a cup of consommé for dipping.

Video

@jefsmk I made birria tacos today and honestly… I think this might be the greatest achievement of my life. Sorry kids. Sorry wife. But this consommé has me feeling chosen. 🌶🔥 Follow for more questionable priorities. #birria #quesabirria #foodtok #smekerbuilt #fyp ♬ Latin-style guitar that feels melancholy, rush, run(1396879) - SUNNY HOOD STUDIO