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Birria Tacos

Tender, juicy meat steeped in richly spiced broth, wrapped in warm tortillas and served with dipping broth.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 2 lbs beef chuck or lamb cut into chunks
  • 2 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 2 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
  • 1 lime cut into wedges

Equipment

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Blender or food processor
  • Strainer
  • Tortilla press or frying pan
  • Serving plates

Method
 

  1. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
  2. Transfer toasted chiles to a blender; add garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1 cup of beef broth, then blend into a smooth paste.
  3. In a large bowl, combine meat with the chili paste and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the marinated meat on all sides for 5-7 minutes.
  5. Pour in remaining 3 cups of beef broth, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours, until meat is tender.
  6. Remove meat from broth and shred using two forks; reserve broth for dipping.
  7. Heat tortillas in a skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds per side; fill each tortilla with shredded meat and fold.
  8. Serve tacos with small bowls of reserved broth for dipping; optionally pan-fry tacos in oil for a crispy exterior.

Notes

For extra crispiness, pan-fry the filled tacos in a bit of oil; adjust seasoning in the broth before serving.