Beef Birria Tacos (Birria de Res)

These incredible birria tacos are crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside. This highly-rated tacos de birria recipe is sure to become a favorite.

What Is Birria?

Birria, also known as tacos de birria, is a traditional Mexican dish where meat (typically goat or beef) is simmered in its own juices until it becomes incredibly tender. The dish is flavored with dried chile peppers and can be enjoyed as a stew or served on corn tortillas for tacos.

Ingredients for Birria Tacos

Here are the ingredients you'll need to prepare this highly-rated birria tacos recipe:

• Dried chile peppers: The flavorful birria starts with dried guajillo chile peppers, chile de arbol peppers, and ancho chiles. For a bit of extra heat, don't remove all the seeds.
• Beef: Beef chuck roast is perfect for braising for hours. When you're done, the meat will shred incredibly easily.
• Seasonings: You'll need salt, pepper, fresh garlic, whole cloves, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, marjoram, and oregano.
• Olive oil: Sear the meat in olive oil before you add the braising liquid.
• Tomatoes: Grill Roma tomatoes before blending them with other ingredients to unlock extra layers of flavor.
• Vinegar: Two tablespoons of white vinegar adds even more acidity to the braising liquid.
• Tortillas: Use store-bought or homemade corn tortillas.
• Onion and cilantro: Finish each taco with chopped onion and fresh cilantro for a final punch of flavor and texture.

How to Prepare Birria Tacos

Below is the full step-by-step recipe, but here's a quick overview of what you can expect when preparing these tacos de birria:

1. Simmer the dried peppers for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let them soak until the water cools. Drain, reserving some of the soaking water.
2. Season the beef and sear on all sides in oil in a Dutch oven.
3. Char the tomatoes on the grill until the skins blister and peel.
4. Blend the soaked chilies with the reserved water, tomatoes, vinegar, and spices.
5. Strain the sauce and pour it over the beef. Cover the Dutch oven and cook until the meat is tender and falling apart, basting frequently. Let the meat rest, then shred.
6. Warm the tortillas on a griddle. Fill each tortilla with beef, onions, and cilantro.

Can This Recipe Be Made in a Slow Cooker?

You can make these birria tacos in a slow cooker, though the flavor may not be as rich. Follow the same preparation steps but use a slow cooker instead of a Dutch oven. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Nicole's Top Birria Taco Tips

Culinary expert Nicole McLaughlin (known as NicoleMcMom) loves preparing tacos de birria to serve to a large group. Here are some of her best tips and tricks for making the perfect tacos:

• For the perfect sear, use a paper towel to make sure your meat is really dry before adding it to the hot pan. If it doesn't sizzle right away, your pan is not hot enough!
• "When I'm searing something I'm eventually going to shred anyway," Nicole says, "I like to cut it into chunks instead of leaving it as one big piece. That way you've got more surface area to get those good brown crispy bits."
• Skim the fat off the top of the braising liquid when you're done cooking the meat. But don't throw it out and waste all that precious flavor — use it to cook your tortillas before assembling the tacos.

Serving Birria Tacos

Serve each portion with a small bowl of the braising liquid for dipping. To complete your Mexican-inspired meal, check out this collection of 12 Side Dishes to Complement Taco Night. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the mouthwatering recipes you'll discover:

• Mexican Rice
• Refried Beans Without the Refry
• Fresh Pineapple Salsa

Dinogo Community Tips and Feedback

"Absolutely delicious," says Tricia Lynch. "I followed the recipe exactly and made taco bowls with cauliflower rice and all the toppings to keep it low-carb. Definitely a keeper!"

"I stuck to the recipe exactly," shares Mark Matthews. "It turned out fantastic! The only thing I’ll do differently next time is reserve more of the sauce for dipping."

"The meat was incredibly tender and full of flavor," praises Dinogo Allstar France C. "I made the sauce a day ahead to save time. This recipe is definitely a keeper!"

Contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients List

Sauce Ingredients:

• 6 dried guajillo chile peppers, seeded

• 4 dried chile de arbol peppers, stemmed and seeded

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed

• 4 medium Roma tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

• 2 cloves garlic

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 4 whole cloves

• 1 pinch ground cinnamon

• 1 pinch ground cumin

• 1 pinch ground thyme

• 1 pinch dried marjoram

• 1 pinch dried oregano

• 1 pinch salt

Meat Selection:

• 4 pounds beef chuck roast

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Taco Ingredients:

• 18 corn tortillas

• 1 large white onion, finely chopped

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 cup shredded queso asadero (white Mexican cheese) (Optional)

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil.

Prepare the sauce: Add guajillo, arbol, and ancho chili peppers to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and let the peppers soak until they cool. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.

While the peppers soak, sear the meat: Rinse the beef and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut the beef into chunks if you prefer, and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

While the beef is searing, continue preparing the sauce: Line a heavy cast-iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and heat over high heat. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on top. Grill until the skins are charred on all sides and start to peel, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the cooled chile peppers into a blender. Add the grilled tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and salt. Pour in the reserved 1/4 cup of chile water and blend until smooth.

Strain the chili sauce through a fine mesh strainer and pour it over the browned meat in the Dutch oven, turning the roast to ensure it's fully coated with the sauce. Cover with a lid.

Place in the preheated oven, basting the meat with sauce every 45 minutes, until the birria starts to break apart, about 3 to 4 hours. Remove the lid and continue baking uncovered until the top becomes crispy, about 20 minutes. Take out of the oven, cover with two layers of aluminum foil, and let it rest in a warm spot for 10 minutes.

Transfer the meat to a cutting board and skim off any excess fat from the sauce. Shred the beef with two forks, then return the shredded meat to the pot and stir it together with the sauce.

Prepare and cook the tacos: Fill each tortilla with birria, then top with Mexican cheese, diced onion, and fresh cilantro. Heat the tortillas on a griddle, flipping them until both sides are crispy and the cheese is melted.

Serve with extra sauce on the side for dipping.

Slow Cooker Alternative:

You can also make this dish in a slow cooker, though it may lose a bit of flavor. Prepare the birria the same way, but instead of using a Dutch oven, transfer the ingredients to a slow cooker and cook on High for 4 to 6 hours or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Nutrition Information (per serving)