This is my favorite birria tacos recipe with juicy, tender shredded beef simmered in chili sauce on lightly fried tortillas, so huge on flavor.
Have you tried Birria Tacos yet, my friends? You are in for a culinary treat. Your taste buds are going to thank you. You might be able to cruise over to your favorite Mexican restaurant for these, but this homemade version is so good, you'll wonder where they've been all your life.
What are Birria Tacos?
Birria Tacos (tacos de birria) are tacos made with meat that is slowly braised in a flavorful chili sauce. The meat is usually lamb, goat or beef, with beef being more popular today.
The tortillas are dipped first into the chili consome, or braising liquid, before they are lightly pan fried until crispy. They are filled with juicy birria stew and topped with your favorite fixings, like shredded oaxaca cheese, sliced peppers, onion and cilantro, whatever you like.
Birria is actually an iconic Mexican dish from Jalisco of shredded braised meat, usually served as a soup or stew. Birria tacos, however, is a more recent way to serve them, becoming hugely popular for their amazing flavor.
Learn more about more traditional birria with this birria recipe.
The birria consome is served in a small bowl on the side for sipping or dipping your birria tacos.
I already know you're going to love this recipe, spicy food lover that you are. Time to get cooking.
Let's talk about how to make birria tacos, shall we?
Birria Tacos Ingredients
- FOR THE BIRRIA
- Dried Peppers. Use ancho peppers and dried guajillo peppers. I also use a few chiles de arbol for a bit of extra spice and heat.
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Vegetables. Onion, fresh tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, garlic. You can also toss in some fresh peppers, if desired.
- Seasonings. Mexican oregano, cinnamon (ground cinnamon stick), cumin, ginger, sea salt and pepper. You can use others, like bay leaves.
- Vinegar. I prefer apple cider vinegar for this recipe.
- Beef Stock.
- Meat. I'm using chuck roast for this recipe, though you can use lamb, goat or beef. Lamb shoulder or lamb belly are hugely popular options. For beef, use brisket, chuck roast or beef shank.
- FOR THE BIRRIA TACOS
- Tortillas. I'm using corn tortillas, though you can use flour.
- Fixings. Chopped red onion, sliced jalapeno or serrano, fresh chopped cilantro, chili flakes, fresh lime juice. Use your favorites. Shredded oaxaca cheese is great here.
How to Make Birria Tacos - the Recipe Method
Dry Toast the Peppers. Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried chilies. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
Soak the Peppers. Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
Cook the Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic. While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat. Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
Food Processor. Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor. Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick, but you can thin if needed with the reserved soaking liquid.
Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
Marinate the Meat. Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl. Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat.
Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
Dutch Oven or Large Pot. When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef broth to a large pot or Dutch oven.
Simmer the Birria. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred.
Shred the Beef. Remove the meat and shredded it with forks to your preference. Reserve most of the birria sauce (consome).
MAKE THE BIRRIA TACOS
Heat the Oil. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet to medium heat or medium high heat.
Dip the Tortillas. Dip the tortillas into the birria sauce (consome) to coat them evenly, then set them into the hot pan.
Top with Birria and Lightly Fry. Top with shredded meat. Fold the moistened shell over and fry 2-3 minutes until crisp, then flip over and fry the other side until crisp.
Serve the Birria Tacos. Cool slightly and serve with your preferred toppings, with reserved liquid consome from the pot as a side for dipping.
Boom! Done! Your birria tacos are ready to serve. Don't they look great? This meat is so incredibly tender and flavorful. I can't wait to dig into these!
Recipe Tips & Notes
Meat Options. You can use other cuts of meat to make birria. Beef is more popularly used today, but lamb and goat are more traditional.
For lamb and goat, consider shoulder or belly.
For the cut of beef, use brisket, chuck roast or beef shank. Short ribs are great, too.
You can realistically make this with any cut of meat, but the best are the tougher cuts that require low and slow cooking.
Slow Cooker Birria. To make slow cooker birria, simply skip the large pot and add the marinated meat and other ingredients to your slow cooker or crock pot.
Cook on high for 5-6 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily shreds with a fork. Then, proceed and make your birria tacos.
Quesabirria Tacos. An extremely popular way to serve birria, aside from birria tacos, is with lots of melted cheese. This way, it is called "quesabirria", and it is fantastic!
Dare I say, quesabirria is better than birria tacos? You be the judge!
To make it this way, you simply add lots of melty cheese onto the birria when you lightly fry the coated tortilla shells in the hot pan.
See my Quesabirria Tacos recipe. I hope you love it!
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this birria tacos recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you and how you served yours.
Keep it spicy!
Cookbook Recommendations
If you love traditional Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended.
- Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
- Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of My Other Popular Mexican Recipes
- Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos)
- Tacos al Carbon
- Beef Barbacoa
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Spicy Chorizo Tacos (with Homemade Chorizo)
- Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
- The Best Fish Tacos
- Cochinita Pibil
- See all of my Tacos Recipes.
Try this beef birria ramen recipe, too, or birria quesadillas! Or Birria Nachos!
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Birria Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE BIRRIA RECIPE
- 5 ancho peppers
- 5 guajillo peppers
- 2-3 chiles de arbol optional for spicier
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 3 large tomatoes chopped
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon sea salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 large roasted tomatoes chopped
- 4 cups beef stock separated
- 4 pound boneless beef chuck Or you can use beef shank or brisket - try with lamb shoulder. See Recipe Notes.
FOR THE BIRRIA TACOS
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 16 corn tortillas You can use flour tortillas.
- Fixings. Chopped red onion, sliced jalapeno or serrano, fresh chopped cilantro, chili flakes, fresh lime juice. Use your favorites. Shredded cheese is great here.
Instructions
MAKE THE BIRRIA
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
- Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
- While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat.
- Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor.
- Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
- Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick, but you can thin if needed with the reserved soaking liquid. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
- Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl.
- Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
- When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. It should be fairly saucy.
- Shred the meat with forks to your preference. Reserve most of the birria sauce (consome).
MAKE THE BIRRIA TACOS
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet. Dip the tortillas into the birria sauce (consome) to coat them evenly, then set them into the hot pan.
- Top with shredded birria meat. Fold the moistened shell over and fry 2-3 minutes until crisp, then flip over and fry the other side until crisp.
- Cool slightly and serve with your preferred toppings, with reserved liquid consome from the pot as a side soup/broth.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Randa Ables says
I have a question… sounds delicious but you start with the dipped tortilla empty then add the meat, fold and fry? I’m a Texas and I love fried tacos and this is a new twist
Mike Hultquist says
Yep, that's how I do it, though you can, I suppose, fill the meat, fold, then dip and fry. I'm sure if you use your tried-and-true method, you'd be fine with the same great flavors.
Gretchen says
If I'm in a hurry and don't want to spend the time dry heating the chilies and then soaking them, can I use powders for the three types of chilies? If so, how much of each, do you think?
I finally discovered Birria beef tacos and I now need them in my life, without spending a fortune at the restaurant.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Gretchen, absolutely, you can use powders. Use 2-3 tablespoons ancho powder, 2-3 tablespoons guajillo powder, and 1/4 teaspoon chile de arbol powder (or more to taste - cayenne is a good sub). Let me know how it turns out for you. I have a conversion post for whole/dried/powders here that you can refer to: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/conversions/
Randy Cousins says
I made them for Mothers Day. They were very popular!
Sarah Wong says
I made this the other night. I made few changes to the recipe.
1. Omitted cinnamon since I don't like cinnamon on my savory food. I double checked with my Mexican friend and they don't put cinnamon in their birria
2. Roasted all 5 tomatoes not just 2.
3. Did not see the need to marinate the meat since stewing it usually gets flavor into the meat.
It was absolutely delicious!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Sarah. Thanks!
Jason Weyenberg says
I know it’s a silly question but what temperature is considered medium heat for this recipe?
Mike Hultquist says
Jason, it's not really temperature, but more mouth feel of "spicy". I'd say milder than a jalapeno, if that helps. Heat levels can really vary in tolerance from person to person.
Kevin says
I attempted to make these tonight. The marinade doesn't taste too good. Does the flavor get better with meat cooking in it? Or am I missing something? I'd hate to waste this meat. help..lol
Mike Hultquist says
Kevin, if you don't like the marinade, you can scrap it or adjust it with spices you prefer.
Dana Krystofek says
Absolutely the best...we ate these two nights in a row. Added some cheese while the tortillas/birria were browning and served with chopped red serrano peppers and cilantro.
Thanks for sharing, Mike!
Mike H. says
Awesome, thanks, Dana - enjoy!
Jerilea says
I was looking for a new beef recipe to pressure can. I selected this and doubled the recipe to fill 7 quart jars (and one dinner for tomorrow) and processed them for 90min. I ended up with 5 half-pints of sauce left over and canned that to add to a pound or two of ground meat for homemade tasty tacos when the kids want tacos. It smells wonderful and was easy to put together. Can't wait to try it anytime the urge arises.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome!! Glad you enjoyed it!!
Helen says
Aaaaaamazing. Made these tonight and we are all in love with them. Couldn’t find the ancho or guajillo peppers so I substituted 3 fresh poblanos. I don’t know if they taste the same, but this was perfect. Can’t wait to eat leftovers.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Helen! Awesome!!
chuck says
Says to reserve the liquid you soften the pepper with - but does not seem to use???
#7 Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Chuck, it is to thin out the chili paste if needed. I made an edit to make that more clear. Thanks for pointing that out.
Pegi says
Hi Mike! I'm making this on Saturday for football and just want to confirm one thing. There are a total of 5 tomatoes, correct? 3 fresh chopped and 2 that I will roast.
Love all of your recipes! Thank you!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Pegi. Yep, 5 tomatoes! Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy and good luck with the game! I hope everyone likes it!
Altie Metcalf says
Hi Mike! I love your recipes!
Question: Since it's hard to find fresh tomatoes with any taste (except cherry tomatoes perhaps), would it really change the recipes much to use whole canned tomatoes instead?
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Not at all, Altie. Go for it! Canned tomatoes are great here. Enjoy.
Connor Reeves says
Hi, is it possible to do this in the slow cooker? if so do you have a guess for how long it would need in contrast?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely, Connor. You'd need cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy!