This is my favorite birria tacos recipe with juicy, tender shredded beef simmered in chili sauce on lightly fried tortillas, so huge on flavor.
Birria Tacos Recipe
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
- Tacos De Papa (Crispy Potato Tacos)
- 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 12/1/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 1/17/22.
Liz says
Exactly how many tomatoes (5)?
Mike Hultquist says
Correct, Liz. 3 large tomatoes, then 2 roasted tomatoes. Enjoy.
Bobby says
Easily the best meal i've cooked this year! 7 lb chuck roast and heavy on the Arbol chili's to bring the heat up made an incredible Birria. What really sealed the deal were the corn tortillas soaked in my barria then crisped on a hot pan. Truly unbelievable. Well done Mike!
I'm going thru your website now to find recipes to use up all the habaneros, scotch bonnets, reapers, Thai chilis and ghost peppers my garden decided to have ripe all at once! More reviews on the way!
Mike H. says
Thank you, Bobby, I appreciate it. Excited to see what you will come up with and looking forward to hearing more from you!
Sharon Raymond says
Made these the other night and my goodness this is one of the best tacos I've ever had!! I ate way too many!! If you want any advice make sure you read the recipe all the way through then read it again. Thank you Chef Mike!!
Mike H. says
Enjoy, Sharon! And thank you for your amazing review - I really appreciate it.
Logan says
I have made this so many times and it’s always so good. The best tacos ever. My family always asks for them. I did have a question though. When you dip the tortilla in the consomé, I never have enough of whatever is in the consomé to fry the tortilla correctly. I can do maybe 12 tacos correctly, then whatever is in it runs out and the last tortillas get kind of burnt. I was just wondering if you knew what I could add to the consomé once this happens to make the tortillas fry correctly? I’m not sure if it’s more broth or oil or something else entirely?
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Logan. Glad you love it! You can add a bit of water and/or oil to the consome so you can have enough to do all of your tortillas. You can also use a brush to lightly brush the tortillas, which helps the consome last longer. I hope this helps!
Dawn Kenbok says
Has anyone tried cooking this in the crockpot after it marinates? I currently have this put together in the fridge and the sauce seems amazing so far 🙂 I gave you a 5 star as I think this is going to be super-duper yummy tomorrow.!
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Dawn! I have a note on this in the Recipe Notes section: 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 (check it after 3-4, just in case), or until the meat is tender and easily shreds with a fork. Then, proceed and make your birria tacos. -- Let me know how it goes for you!
Kat says
For all those who want to know what to do with the left over broth thin it with some chicken or beef broth. Add cooked ramen noodles to it then add some of the meat you cooked add fresh squeeze of lime cilantro and chopped onion. Perhaps some Mexican crumbling cheese. It is AMAZING!!
Mike Hultquist says
Yes! Boom! I love birria ramen. I have a recipe for it here on the site, too. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/birria-ramen/
Tasha Morris says
I made with a lamb shoulder and cheese, so quesobirria tacos! Absolutely delicious. Also, couldn't get any guajilo peppers so I di just the ancho peppers. I would love to make exactl recipe soon, but it was very delicious as I prepared it.
Mike Hultquist says
Yes!! Glad you enjoyed it, Tasha! I love it.
Diana says
Hey there making this today but I cannot find and guajilos chillies or powder. Is there anything I could use as a substitute?
Mike Hultquist says
Diana, you can use ancho (pods or powder), or other Mexican dried pods. You can also use a typical chili powder blend, like you would use to make a pot of chili. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Robyn Conger says
We made these last weekend and I can't stop thinking or talking about them! The meat was so tender, juicy and delicious. The broth was perfect. They are messy for sure, but that only means they are "finger-licking good"! We'll definitely keep this on meal rotation. Great recipe!
Mike H. says
I really appreciate it, Robyn - enjoy!
Remy says
Hi Mike, I can't wait to try this recipe however I am confused: In step 4 of "Make the birria" you mention tomatoes that weren't mentioned in the ingredients... Please enlighten me.
Mike H. says
Hi, Remy. I do have tomatoes in the ingredients - it's 3 large tomatoes chopped and 2 large roasted tomatoes chopped. Let me know if you have any more doubts!
John Looney says
A+++++
Mike H. says
Appreciate it, John!
Lynne ADRIEANSEN says
Great recipe this is my favorite tacos
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Aunt Lynn! I didn't know you liked birria! I'll have to make it for you sometime, too!