Birria Tacos

These Birria Tacos are loaded with tender, slow-braised beef, melty cheese, and crispy tortillas served with rich consommé for dipping. Easy enough for home cooks and absolutely worth the hype.

Not only will we be whipping up a mouthwatering recipe featuring slow cooked top round roast and beef short ribs, but we’ll also be taking a little (very teensy-tiny) trip down history lane. 

Let’s make Birria Tacos.

You may be wondering how to make Birria Tacos, if you’ve never heard of them. “Birria” is a new(ish) term for the general population. It has gained somewhat in popularity in the last couple of years on the foodie scene, and is getting around by popping up on menus in restaurants and recipes in magazines.

What are Birria Tacos?

A Mexican dish consisting of tender, juicy beef that’s been slow-cooked in a rich, flavorful broth, Birria Tacos are not your mama’s tacos. The beef is then shredded and stuffed into warm corn tortillas, along with cheese, cilantro, and chopped onion. For the cheese, I used Monterey Jack because the taste is mild and it melts great. Oh, and I had it on hand. Cheddar would work, Muenster would be great, and Manchego would be fantastic. 

And if you’re feeling extra, you can dip your taco into the savory broth, or consommé, which is usually served on the side. As a matter of fact, it’s mandatory because if you don’t, you’re not eating them correctly. 

What is Consommé?

Consommé is the flavorful braising liquid that’s skimmed and served alongside the tacos for dipping. As you know, stock is the liquid that is simmered with meat and/or vegetables, and from stock you can reduce it down to get broth. From broth, you can get consommé by a clarification process that is rather lengthy. It involves simmering the broth with a mixture of egg whites and lean ground meat that solidifies and floats on top of the broth. This draws proteins and other impurities out of the liquid, leaving it completely clear. It’s a fussy little process, to say the least.

Do you necessarily have to make consommé from your broth? No.

I didn’t. I just blended it using an immersion blender to make it smooth, and it was delicious.

PSA – I’m not sure why the broth looks reddish in my photos – it’s actually much more brown, and you should expect for yours to be. It just wasn’t cooperating in photos for some reason.

Why You’ll Love This Birria Tacos

Making these tacos gives you restaurant-quality results at home (without the restaurant prices). You’ll also love the deep, rich chile flavor without being overwhelmingly spicy. This is a great make-ahead dish, and who doesn’t love crispy tortillas loaded with melted cheese? These are also perfect for entertaining, and the leftovers freeze beautifully.

Where Did Birria Tacos Originate?

While the exact origins of the dish are a bit murky, Birria Tacos are believed to have originated in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. According to historians, Birria was originally created by goat herders, who would slow-cook the tough, lean meat (goat, ew) to make it more tender and flavorful. The dish soon became a staple in the region and eventually spread throughout Mexico, with various regions putting their own spin on the recipe.

You’ll find that when you research Birria Tacos you’ll find a variety of peppers used, different cuts of meat, sometimes it’s a stew…the variations are endless. Fast forward to today, and Birria Tacos have taken the world by storm. You can find them on menus at trendy restaurants and food trucks all over the US and beyond.

The fun part is making them your own.

What to Serve With Birria Tacos

• Charro beans
• Jalapeno Corn Souffle
• Elote dip
• Fresh guacamole
• Tortilla chips and Pico de Gallo, Watermelon Salsa or Cantaloupe Salsa
• Tres leches cake

Lucky for us, it’s actually pretty easy to create authentic Mexican flavors at home. We will not be using goat, however. Beef is where it’s at for me.

Here’s your printable –

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Birria Tacos

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

Crispy, cheesy, juicy, and made for dipping, these Birria Tacos feature slow-braised beef and a rich consommé that's every bit as crave-worthy as your favorite Mexican restaurant.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb top round roast
• 1 lb beef short ribs
• 2 tbsp canola or sunflower oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp guajillo chile powder
• 1 tsp ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 6 cups beef broth
• Sea salt, to taste
• 24 Corn tortillas
• Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Cilantro, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• Vine tomatoes, chopped

Instructions

1. Remove beef from fridge - you want to bring it to room temperature.
2. Salt roast and short ribs on both sides.
3. Preheat oven to 325°.
4. In a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, heat a bit of oil over medium-high heat. Add the top round roast and beef short ribs, and sear on all sides until browned.
5. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
6. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and sauté until onions have softened, about 3-5 minutes.
7. Add the chili powder through cinnamon to the pot and stir to combine.
8. Return the meat to the pot and pour in the tomatoes and beef broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Cover the pot and place it in the oven. Cook for 3-4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falls apart easily.
10. Once the meat is cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it using two forks, reserving the sauce in the pan.
11. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until completely smooth and pour into small bowls for serving.
12. To assemble your Birria Tacos, dip each corn tortilla in the beef broth, and add to a skillet over medium-high heat, add about 2 tbsp of the shredded beef, fold the tortilla over to close and turn after about a minute. Remove after both sides are browned. Top with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, and chopped onion.
13. Serve with the savory sauce on the side for dipping.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 Amounts Per Serving: Calories: 714Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 1229mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 9gSugar: 5gProtein: 54g

The provided nutrition calculated may not always be accurate.

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