Birria Tacos Made Easy (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Birria
01 -
Chunks of 2 lbs beef chuck roast or short ribs
02 -
2 ancho chilies, dried
03 -
2 guajillo chilies, dried
04 -
Optional: 1 dried pasilla chili
05 -
1 medium onion, split into four pieces
06 -
4 garlic cloves, whole and peeled
07 -
1 tablespoon oregano
08 -
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
09 -
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
10 -
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 -
One bay leaf
12 -
14 oz can of diced tomatoes
13 -
4 cups of broth (beef or water)
14 -
Pepper and salt, adjust to your taste
15 -
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
16 -
1 tablespoon of lime juice, freshly squeezed
17 -
1 tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar
→ Birria Tacos
18 -
12 small tortillas - corn or flour (your choice)
19 -
1 cup chopped cilantro
20 -
1/2 cup diced onions
21 -
Lime slices for garnish
22 -
Tender beef birria, shredded
23 -
Optional: Oaxaca cheese or queso fresco
24 -
Optional: Add some heat with hot sauce
# Instructions:
01 -
Cut off the stems and shake out the seeds from the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chilies. Toast them lightly in a medium-hot dry skillet for half a minute to a minute, just until you smell their aroma. Move them into a bowl and pour hot water over them to soak for 15-20 minutes until soft.
02 -
Take the rehydrated chilies, onion, garlic, oregano, bay leaf, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and diced tomatoes. Blend them all together, adding a little of the soaking water from the chilies if the mixture is too thick. Blend until velvety smooth.
03 -
Over medium-high heat, warm vegetable oil in a sturdy pot, like a Dutch oven. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the beef chunks, then brown all sides for about 6 minutes. Take the seared beef out and set aside.
04 -
Pour the chili paste into the same pot you used for the beef and cook it for around 5 minutes, stirring it often. Put the beef back in, then add the broth, lime juice, and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat so it gently simmers. Cover it up and cook for 2.5-3 hours, or until the meat is soft enough to fall apart.
05 -
Pull the beef out of the pot and shred it with two forks. If you used short ribs, toss out any bones. Stir the shredded beef back into the broth, mixing thoroughly. Add more salt or pepper if needed.
06 -
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dunk the tortillas lightly into the birria broth to coat one side, then lay them into the skillet. Let them get crispy, cooking for 1-2 minutes on both sides. Fill each with shredded birria and cheese, if you want. Fold them and cook a minute more so the tortillas are crispy and the cheese melts.
07 -
Put out the tacos with a sprinkling of cilantro and onions, lime wedges, and a small bowl of birria broth on the side for dipping. Want more spice? Add some hot sauce.