Description
Traditional Mexican Birria Tacos are a rich and flavorful dish featuring tender slow-cooked beef marinated in a vibrant chili-spice paste, simmered until juicy and shredded, then served on warm corn tortillas with fresh cilantro and lime. This classic recipe delivers authentic, hearty, and aromatic flavors perfect for taco lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Birria:
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into chunks
- 2 dried guajillo chilies
- 2 dried ancho chilies
- 2 dried pasilla chilies
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground oregano
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp salt
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Serving:
- Corn tortillas (for tacos)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Toast the Chilies: In a hot pan, toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chilies for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove the stems and seeds carefully, then soak the chilies in hot water for 20 minutes to soften.
- Make the Chili Paste: Drain the soaked chilies and place them in a blender. Add minced garlic, chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, ground cumin, ground oregano, ground cinnamon, and salt. Blend until smooth to create a flavorful chili paste.
- Brown the Beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the beef chuck chunks and brown them on all sides, about 5-7 minutes, to develop depth of flavor.
- Cook the Beef: Pour the prepared chili paste over the browned beef and stir to coat all pieces evenly. Add beef broth and vinegar, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Simmer: Cover the pot with a lid and cook on low heat for 2.5 to 3 hours, allowing the beef to become tender and easily shreddable with a fork.
- Shred the Beef: Once the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and shred it finely using forks.
- Garnish and Serve: Warm the corn tortillas and fill them with shredded birria beef. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice for extra zest. Serve immediately and enjoy your authentic Mexican birria tacos.
Notes
- To deepen the flavor, you can marinate the beef in the chili paste mixture overnight before cooking.
- For extra crispy edges on the tacos, lightly fry the assembled tacos on a griddle or skillet before serving.
- Adjust the chili types or quantities based on your spice tolerance.
- Leftover birria can be refrigerated and used for soups, tacos, or quesadillas.
