These Birria Tacos are supremely delicious! Melt-in-your-mouth beef, rich in Mexican flavors, all mingling with melted cheese and wrapped in a crunchy tortilla. I had them at a local restaurant earlier this year and rushed home to develop a homemade recipe. I’ve been making them ever since and they’ve become a family favorite.
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What’s in this Birria Tacos Recipe?
I made these cheesy, juicy, crispy, and loaded with flavor. These birria tacos are a must-try. Slow-cooked beef birria, encased in a crispy taco, with a divine dip – you will love them!
- Chiles: Stemmed and seeded dried Guajillo chiles and dried Ancho chiles give birria its characteristic deep red color and rich, complex flavor.
- Beef: I like the combination of chuck roast and bone-in short ribs, but you could use just one or the other. If you have it available, you can also use oxtail in place of the short ribs.
- Salt + Pepper: Season the beef thoroughly to bring out the flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: Helps the beef to cook without burning.
- Tomatoes: Help form the base of the braising liquid and add acidity and rich tomato flavor,
- Onion + Garlic: Add earthy flavor.
- Beef Broth: Forms the base of the braising liquid.
- Spices: Coriander, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and cinnamon are classic Mexican seasonings.
- Orange Juice: Adds acidity and citrus flavor to the braising liquid.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds acidity to the braising liquid.
- Tortillas: I like corn tortillas for birria, but flour or cassava flour tortillas also work.
- Cheese: I’m a big fan of Monterey jack, but you can substitute your favorite cheese here.
- Cilantro: Adds a pop of freshness.
Pro Tip: These are dipping tacos! Save some of the braising liquid for a delicious dipping sauce.
Variations on Tacos Birria
Believe it or not, I’ve tried making these birria with just about any meat. Every variation is still delicious!
When using chicken, I swap the beef for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. When using pork, I always use pork shoulder. I’ve even made a vegetarian version, using jackfruit and vegetable broth. When my kids want things even cheesier, I make this Quesabirria recipe.
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How to Store and Reheat
I store leftover birria taco meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep separate from the braising liquid until ready to assemble. When ready to reheat, I pop them in pan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
How to Freeze
I freeze the meat separately from the braising liquid in airtight containers for up to 2 months. Remember to always let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
What to Serve with Homemade Birria Tacos
Whether I’m serving this up for a party or as a weeknight meal, I can level up with yummy side dishes, like Mexican Corn on the Cob, Mexican Street Corn Dip, Rotel Dip, or Tomatillo Avocado Salsa. Sides or no sides, these satisfying tacos are really going to please those taste buds!
Birria Tacos Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Stewed Meat
- 6 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and deseeded
- 4 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and deseeded
- 3 pounds chuck roast cut into 4 chunks
- Kosher salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 3 vine tomatoes quartered
- 1 white onion quartered
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
For the Tacos
- 15 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Fresh limes wedges for serving
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
For the Stewed Meat
- Place the Guajillo and Ancho chiles in a bowl full of near-boiling water. Allow the peppers to soak for at least 30 minutes.6 dried Guajillo chiles, 4 dried Ancho chiles
- While the peppers soak, season the chuck roast chunks with salt and pepper to taste.3 pounds chuck roast, Kosher salt, Ground black pepper
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. In 2 batches, sear the roast on all sides, using more oil as needed. Transfer the seared chuck roast to a plate and set aside.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the remaining oil, tomatoes, onion, and garlic to the pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes.3 vine tomatoes, 1 white onion, 8 cloves garlic
- Pour in the beef broth to deglaze the pot.4 cups low sodium beef broth
- Transfer the hydrated chiles from the bowl of water to the pot. Add the short ribs, spices, and cinnamon stick. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and maintain a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.1 ½ pounds bone-in short ribs, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 cinnamon stick
- Remove the short ribs and add to the plate with the seared roast. Skim the top of the pot to remove any impurities from the bone cooking out. Remove the cinnamon stick and discard. Transfer about 1 ½ – 2 cups of the braising liquid to a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.
- Use an immersion blender to blend the remaining pepper and tomato mixture until smooth.
- Return the short ribs, seared beef, and any juices back to the Dutch oven. Add the orange juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for at least 3-4 hours.½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- When the beef is cooked through, remove the short rib bones. Shred the meat with 2 forks.
For the Tacos
- Remove the reserved braising liquid from the refrigerator. Working 1 tortilla at a time, dip the tortilla in the reserved liquid. Place the tortilla on a large skillet set over medium heat.15 corn tortillas
- Top half of the tortilla with 1-2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, 2-3 tablespoons of shredded beef, and a sprinkle of onion and cilantro. Fold the tortilla in half to close.2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Cook the tacos for 30-45 seconds on each side until crisp. Transfer to a serving platter and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top.Fresh limes wedges
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and serve with any remaining braising liquid on the side for dipping.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- You can substitute in oxtail instead of short ribs.
- I’m a big fan of Monterey jack, but you can substitute your favorite cheese.
- These tacos are medium spicy but you can dial it up by adjusting the chili powder.
- Don’t forget to save the braising liquid for dipping!
Nutrition Information
More Flavorful Taco Recipes We Love:
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Cod Fish Tacos Recipe
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Barbacoa Tacos
- Baked Ground Beef Taco
- Easy Buffalo Shrimp Tacos
Birria is traditionally a deliciously rich beef stew which mixes sweet, savory and slightly spicy flavors. Birria tacos take that stew and stuff them into crispy tacos – so good!
As long as you use corn tacos, this recipe is gluten free.
Birria Tacos are best with two kinds of beef. I love using chuck roast and short ribs.
I use dried Guajilo and Ancho chiles as they give you this wonderfully smoky, fruity flavor. However you can use others. Just be aware that the spice levels and flavor will change slightly.
Typically they are found in the spice or condiment aisles.
These tacos are medium spicy but you can dial it up by adjusting the chili powder.
I love using corn tortillas as they hold up well and they give you an awesome crunch!
You can use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or food processor.
This recipe was sooo good. Just the right amount of heat and the flavor was wonderful. Worked great with yellow corn tortillas and used Chuck and Short Ribs. Had so much left over, so froze some of the birria and after having taco for a few days, decided to use the rest of the birria and made enchiladas. They turned out great as well.
Love the recipe! Do you discard the water that the dried chillies soaked in or do you add it to the pot?
Hi Taylour, we drained the water!
Hi! Loved the recipe! It was so good, but I kind of had trouble assembling the tacos. My tortillas fell apart on the stove. They stuck to the pan and would not crisp up! Any suggestions for hardier tortillas?
What kind of tortillas did you use? We find flour tortillas to hold up better than corn!
Oil the pan first. But if the tortilla still breaks it might be slightly dry. You can wrap a damp towel or paper towel around it and microwave for 10-15 seconds
OMG!!!! Absolutely spot on!!! Thank you for sharing this!. My wife is addicted, she loves it.
We’re so happy to hear you love this recipe!
Is there a way to dial down the heat of this recipe. Medium spice is too hot for me.
Hi Paula, we would recommend substituting the guajillo peppers for more ancho peppers, as they are much less spicy. You can also use less chili powder or omit it entirely!