These Birria Tacos (quesabirria-style) deliver ultra-tender, chile-braised beef tucked into crisped tortillas with melty cheese and a rich cup of consommé for dipping. The method layers flavor intentionally—toasting and hydrating chiles, hard searing for fond, then a covered oven braise at 163°C / 325°F for edge-to-edge tenderness. You’ll finish by skimming the braising fat (liquid gold) to griddle tacos that shatter at the bite. Timings and temperatures below give you consistent results every time.
Ingredients & Measurements
- Beef & Aromatics
- 1.8 kg (4 lb) beef chuck roast, cut into 6–8 large chunks
- 450 g (1 lb) beef short ribs (bone-in) or beef shanks (optional but adds body)
- 2 tsp fine sea salt + 1½ tsp black pepper (for beef)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (searing)
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, halved
- Dried Chiles (destemmed, deseeded)
- 6 guajillo chiles
- 3 ancho chiles
- 2 pasilla chiles
- Braise Seasoning
- 1 stick Mexican cinnamon (or ½ tsp ground)
- 4 whole cloves
- 8 black peppercorns
- 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar (balances acidity)
- 1½–2 L (6–8 cups) low-sodium beef stock (enough to barely submerge meat)
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt (to start; adjust after braise)
- For the Tacos
- 24 small corn tortillas (12–14 cm / 5–5½ in)
- 350–400 g Oaxaca or low-moisture mozzarella, coarsely shredded
- ½ cup finely diced white onion + ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Lime wedges, for serving
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Toast and hydrate chiles (12–15 minutes). Heat a dry skillet over medium. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in batches, pressing 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable (don’t blacken). Transfer to a bowl and pour over very hot water to cover; soak 15 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve 1 cup soaking liquid.
- Hard sear the beef for fond (8–10 minutes). Pat beef very dry; season all sides with 2 tsp salt + 1½ tsp pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven (7–8 L) over medium-high; add 2 Tbsp oil. Sear beef in 2 batches 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a tray; keep rendered fat in the pot.
- Char aromatics for depth (6–8 minutes). In the same pot over medium, add onion, garlic, and tomatoes cut-side down. Cook 6–8 minutes until lightly charred in spots. Remove tomatoes/garlic to a blender jar.
- Blend the braise sauce (2–3 minutes). Add hydrated chiles, 1 cup chile soaking liquid, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, oregano, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 2 cups warm stock to the blender. Blend on high 60–90 seconds until completely smooth (strain if your blender isn’t powerful).
- Build the braise and oven settings. Return seared beef (and any juices) to the pot, nestle in onion quarters and bay leaves, and pour in the blended chile sauce. Add enough additional warm beef stock to come just to the top of the meat (not fully submerged). Bring to a bare simmer over medium, then cover tightly. Transfer to a preheated oven at 163°C / 325°F.
- Braise to shreddable tenderness (2½–3 hours). Cook covered until beef is fork-tender and collagen is melted, typically 2½–3 hours. Start checks at 2 hours 15 minutes; a chunk should shred with light pressure and read 93–96°C / 200–205°F internally.
- Defat and shred (10–15 minutes). Lift beef to a board; discard bones and large fat/tendon. Shred into thick strands with two forks. Skim ½–¾ cup of the red chile fat from the surface of the braising liquid and reserve for tacos. Taste the consommé; add salt in pinches until the flavor pops (usually ½–1 tsp more). Keep consommé simmering on low; it will be your dipping broth.
- Season the meat and hold warm (2–3 minutes). Return shredded beef to the pot (or into a separate skillet with a ladle of consommé) and simmer 2–3 minutes to rehydrate and season. Keep warm over low; don’t boil.
- Crisp the tortillas with chile fat (per batch, 3–4 minutes). Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high 1 minute. Brush the surface with 1–2 tsp reserved chile fat. Working in batches, dip a tortilla’s surface lightly into the fat (or brush one side), lay it down, sprinkle 25–30 g cheese on half, and top with 2–3 Tbsp shredded beef.
- Fold and griddle to golden (1–2 minutes per side). Fold tortilla over the filling. Cook 60–90 seconds until crisp and spotted, flip, and cook 60–90 seconds more until cheese is melted and the shell is deep golden. Adjust heat slightly to avoid scorching. Repeat, adding a thin film of fat for each batch.
- Serve with classic garnishes. Ladle hot consommé into small cups. Plate tacos with diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. Dip, bite, repeat.
- Make-ahead/reheat plan. Birria improves overnight. Cool meat and consommé separately, chill up to 4 days (or freeze up to 2 months). Reheat consommé to a simmer; rewarm meat in a splash of consommé before griddling fresh tacos.
Cooking Notes
- Chile flexibility: If you can’t find pasilla, increase guajillo by 2. Keep at least two varieties for complexity.
- Stock volume: Add only enough liquid to barely surround the meat. Too much dilutes flavor; you can always add a splash hot stock later.
- Sugar & vinegar balance: The small sugar hit rounds sharp tomato/chile edges; the vinegar brightens. Adjust after tasting the finished consommé.
- Cheese choice: Oaxaca melts beautifully and stretches; low-moisture mozzarella is a fine substitute. Use coarse shreds; very fine shreds can weep oil.
- Shell crispness: Medium-high heat + thin film of chile fat = glassy, crisp shells. If shells soften as they sit, return to the skillet 30–45 seconds per side.
- Slow cooker alternative: After Step 5, transfer to a slow cooker and cook LOW 8–9 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours to tender. Reduce the finished consommé 5–10 minutes on the stovetop if it tastes dilute.
- Spice level: This birria is savory with gentle warmth. For heat, add 1–2 arbol chiles to the blend or a spoon of Calabrian chili paste in the consommé when adjusting.
- Tortillas: Fresh corn tortillas resist cracking. If using store-bought, warm them briefly under a damp towel in the microwave (30–40 seconds) before griddling.
- Serving count: Plan 3 tacos per person with consommé; recipe yields 20–24 tacos.
Nutrition Facts (per taco)
- Calories: 330 kcal (with cheese)
- Total fat: 18 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Dietary fiber: 3 g
- Total sugars: 2 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Sodium: 360 mg (varies by stock and salt additions)
Conclusion
These Birria Tacos focus on disciplined technique: toast and hydrate chiles for perfume, sear hard for fond, then braise gently at 163°C / 325°F until spoon-tender. Skimming the red chile fat gives you the secret weapon for shatter-crisp tacos and a consommé with depth. Assemble with melty cheese, cilantro, and onion, pour the broth into warm cups, and you’ve got a juicy, flavor-packed plate that earns its hype every time.
