Description
My Fave Birria Tacos – Rich, juicy, and irresistibly crispy birria tacos with tender halal beef slow-braised in a bold chile broth, perfect for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs halal beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1 lb halal beef short ribs (optional for richness)
- 1 large onion, quartered
- 6 cloves garlic
- 3 dried guajillo peppers, stemmed and seeded
- 3 dried ancho peppers, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chile de árbol (optional for heat)
- 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 cups water or beef broth
- For the tacos:
- Corn tortillas (gluten-free)
- Oaxacan cheese or mozzarella (optional, omit for dairy-free)
- Chopped onions and cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Boil the dried chiles in water for 5–7 minutes until softened. Transfer chile peppers, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and 1 cup of the chile water to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper. Place it in a large pot or Dutch oven with onion, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, oregano, cumin, and smoked paprika.
- Pour the blended chile sauce over the meat. Add enough water or broth to mostly cover.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 2½–3 hours until the beef is extremely tender.
- Remove beef from the pot and shred. Skim extra fat from the top of the broth. This flavorful broth is your consomé.
- Heat a skillet over medium. Dip a tortilla into the consomé, then place it in the skillet. Add shredded beef and cheese if using.
- Fold and fry until crispy, flipping once and spooning a little consomé on top as it sizzles.
- Serve with chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and a bowl of warm consomé for dipping.
Notes
- Short ribs add richness; omit if not available.
- Consóme broth is ideal for dipping and flavoring the tortillas.
- To make dairy-free, omit the cheese or use a dairy-free alternative.
- For extra heat, increase the amount of chile de árbol or add a pinch of cayenne.
- Make ahead: refrigerate the broth and skim fat before reheating to serve.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 taco (with consomé)
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
Keywords: Birria tacos, My Fave Birria Tacos, Halal birria, Crispy tacos, Beef birria, Taco night