Birria Tacos for Rainy Weekend Nights: Rich, Brothy, and Worth Every Slow-Cooked Hour
Slow-simmered birria tacos with tender shredded beef, a smoky chile consomé, and tortillas fried in brick-red fat until shatteringly crisp. A rainy-weekend feast worth every slow-cooked hour.
Equipment
- Heavy Dutch Oven (7-Quart)
- Blender
- Large Cast Iron Skillet
- Tongs
- Ladle
- Fine-Mesh Strainer
Ingredients
For the Consomé and Beef
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast (or short ribs)
- 4 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dried oregano (Mexican if possible)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
- neutral oil, for searing
For the Tacos and Serving
- 20-24 small corn tortillas
- 1/2 lb Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack, shredded (optional)
- 1 small white onion, minced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, torn
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Stem and seed the guajillos and anchos. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for about 20 seconds per side until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit until soft, about 15 minutes.
- Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a splash of neutral oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear the meat in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Don't crowd the pan.
- Add the soaked chiles plus about 1 cup of soaking water, tomatoes, half the quartered onion, garlic, chipotle, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, and cinnamon. Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the seared beef. Add the rest of the onion, bay leaves, and beef broth. Stir, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and keep at a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for 3 hours, checking occasionally. The liquid should be at a lazy bubble, not a rolling boil. The beef is ready when it shreds easily under light pressure from a fork.
- Remove the bay leaves and onion chunks. Transfer the beef to a cutting board, let it rest until cool enough to handle, then shred with two forks. Discard any gristly bits and season with a little salt.
- Skim the red fat from the top of the consomé into a small bowl. Keep the consomé warm. Dip each tortilla briefly into the consomé, then into the skimmed fat, so it's coated but not sagging.
- Heat a large skillet over medium. Lay the dipped tortillas flat in the pan, add a line of cheese and a pile of shredded beef, and fold. Fry each side until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Keep finished tacos warm in a low oven.
- Pile the tacos on a plate, sprinkle with minced onion and cilantro, and serve with hot consomé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Don't toast the chiles longer than 20 seconds per side or they turn bitter. Sear the beef well for a deeper consomé, and always save the red fat skimmed from the top to fry the tortillas — that's the key to crispy edges. Store shredded beef and consomé separately in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the consomé and fry the tortillas fresh; microwaved tortillas turn soggy. Skip the cheese for dairy-free, and use corn tortillas to keep it gluten-free.