Beefy Birria Tacos

These mouthwatering Beef Birria Tacos, or birria de res, are full of smoky, spicy, and tangy flavour. They’re made with tender shredded beef cooked slowly in a rich adobo sauce and melted Oaxaca cheese in signature crispy corn tortillas. Finished with finely diced onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime, they are the ultimate street taco treat.

While in Mexico, I’m always down for tacos. There’s nothing like walking up to a roadside stand, ordering the daily agua fresca or Horchata de Arroz, and feasting on a selection of tasty tacos. At home I like to serve tacos with guacamole, some Pico de Gallo, and a classic side of Mexican Pinto Beans and Rice.

Beefy Birria Tacos

Beef Birria Tacos are one of those classic Mexican street taco recipes that are easy to replicate at home. The focus is the beefy flavour, followed by the crisp pan-fried tortillas and the melted Oaxaca cheese in quesabirria style tacos. I’m drooling just thinking about these tacos. If you’re a taco lover, I’m sure you are too!

Let’s just say I’ve done a lot of…. personal research into this taco recipe. The tender beef is marinated in a combination of three dried chiles (Guajillo, Ancho, and Chile de Arbol), along with chipotles, and roasted Roma tomatoes.

Aromatics like onion, garlic, and Mexican oregano combine with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and cumin while apple cider vinegar and beef broth keep the meat moist and tender.

In this post, I’m breaking down how to achieve that “fall-apart” texture and, more importantly, how to get that signature crispy shell using the liquid gold (the fat!) from the top of your stew.

These Birria Tacos are so flavourful, you don’t really need the garnishes, but I always add a few finely diced white onions, some chopped cilantro, and a few squeezes of fresh lime juice.

Did you know? Authentic birria originated in Jalisco province of Mexico and was originally a goat stew that came about a simple solution to a goat problem. Essentially, goats brought over by the Spanish conquistadores became a nuisance, eating crops and everything in sight. However, their gamey meat was edible if simmered slowly in a spicy sauce.

Ingredients in Beef Birria Tacos

The long list of ingredients in this recipe may be daunting, but each ingredient serves a purpose, lending layers of flavour to the succulent beef and crispy, cheesy tacos.

• Beef Chuck Roast
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Vegetable Oil
• Guajillo Chiles
• Ancho Chiles
• Chile de Arbol
• Roma Tomatoes
• Onion
• Garlic
• Chipotle Sauce
• Mexican Oregano
• Ground Cumin
• Ground Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Bay Leaves
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Beef Broth
• corn tortillas
• Oaxaca Cheese
• White onion
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime

You’ll find most of these ingredients at your local Latin foods store or you can order them via Amazon. Chuck roast provides the right amount of fattiness for this recipe, but you could use short ribs in this recipe too.

In a pinch you can use regular oregano instead of Mexican oregano and Mozzarella cheese instead of Oaxaca cheese. I highly recommend using corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas in this and most taco recipes. 

How to Make Beef Birria Tacos

Good things come to those who wait. This Birria Tacos recipe takes time and patience, but the result is an incredible taco feast that will transport you to the dusty streets of Mexico.

Make the Marinade

To begin the marinade, toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles lightly in a dry skillet (10–15 seconds each side). Watch closely to ensure they don’t burn. Next, soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 15–20 minutes until softened.

Add the rehydrated chiles, roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, and 1 cup beef broth to the pitcher of a blender. Blend until smooth then strain through a fine sieve for an extra silky sauce.

Prepare the Beef

Cut the chuck roast into large chunks then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Next, heat oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat and sear beef on all sides until browned. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker.

Pour the adobo sauce over the meat. Add the remaining 1 cup of beef broth and bay leaves. Stir to combine then cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours until beef is fall-apart tender.

To make this homemade beef birria recipe in the oven, pour the sauce and beef broth over the beef in the Dutch oven, add the bay leaves, and cook in a 300 F oven for 3-4 hours.

Once beef is fork-tender, remove beef, shred with forks, then return to the pot with some broth. This liquid is your consommé. You can reduce it a bit on the stove on medium heat, if desired.

Finish the Birria Tacos

To finish the tacos and create that signature crispy tortilla, brush one tortilla with the consommé (the oily red broth) to coat.

Next, place the tortilla on a hot skillet, sprinkle with cheese, add shredded beef, and fold. Cook until crisp and the cheese melts. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Pour consommé into small bowls and serve birria tacos with finely diced onions, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges.

Make Ahead/Storing the Leftovers

Like most guisado (stewed or simmered meat dish, often used as a taco meat filling), this beef birria is an excellent ‘make ahead’ option for taco night. Cool, then refrigerate the shredded meat in its sauce in an airtight container for 3-4 days and freeze for up to 3 months.

Simply thaw and gently warm the meat when it’s time to make tacos.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill, the heart and soul behind Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

If you make this Beefy Birria Tacos recipe, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section or in a recipe rating. Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please share your photos and tag me on Instagram. I hope you like this recipe!