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Delicious birria tacos with cilantro and onion.

How to Make the Best Birria Tacos Recipe

Stacey Doyle
Tender Mexican stew - birria recipe made using a pressure cooker (or stovetop), smoky and flavorful tacos! Perfect for a dinner party, over the weekend, the big game, and definitely ideal for sharing!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Additional Time 8 hours
Total Time 10 hours 30 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6 - 8
Calories 924 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the adobo:

  • 6 dried guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried Morita chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried pasilla chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 3 whole bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 allspice berries
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 avocado leaf
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • 4 - 5 pounds chuck beef cut into several large pieces
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

For the consomme:

  • 5 medium tomatoes
  • ¼ medium white onion
  • 1 clove garlic

For serving:

  • 12 corn or flour tortillas
  • 8 ounces Oaxaca cheese pulled to shred (optional)
  • Pico de gallo tomatoes, onion, cilantro, pinch of salt, lime juice
  • Hot sauce
  • Salsa
  • Limes quartered

Instructions
 

Make the adobo:

  • Cut off the stems from the chilis and remove the seeds and veins.
  • On the stovetop, heat a cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Roast the chilis for about 1 -2 minutes on each side until toasted, but not burned.
  • Place the chiles in a large bowl and cover with hot water, place a plastic wrap or lid on the bowl and allow to soak for about 20 - 30 minutes.
  • Place the soaked chilis in a blender along with about 1/2 cup of water, then blend until pureed.
  • In cast iron pan or skillet, add the bay, cinnamon, cloves, allspice berries, cumin seeds, avocado leaf, and dried oregano and gently toast over medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes. Do not allow to burn. Remove from heat.
  • In a large bowl, combine the chili puree, toasted spices, and herbs, plus the white wine vinegar, mix well. Place the cuts of meat in a large dish, pour over the adobo marinade chili mixture and gently toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator, marinating for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  • Once marinated, place meat and marinade, in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot along with 3 cups of water and the salt. Set pressure cooker on low and the cooking time for 1 1/2 hours. (If using the stovetop method: Place the meat, marinade along with the 3 cups of water and salt in a large Dutch oven or stockpot. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, reduce to low - medium-low, cover, and cooked for about 3 hours or until the meat easily pulls apart.
  • Once the meat is ready, carefully remove it from the broth, and place it in a bowl. Reserving the broth. Shred the beef using a couple of forks, or chop well.
  • To make the consomme, heat a cast-iron pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the whole tomatoes, quartered onion, and garlic clove. Toast until charred on all sides.
  • Place into the blender and blend into a puree. Using a sieve, strain the puree. Place in a large pot along with the reserved meat broth. Stirring occasionally, cook the consomme for 15 - 20 minutes. Give it a taste and season if needed.

To build your basic birria tacos:

  • To make your filled tacos, use tongs to dip each tortilla shell into the hot consomme. Fill with about 3 tablespoons of shredded beef. Place in a dish and repeat until each tortilla is filled. Top with a drizzle of the consomme and your favorite salsa or pico de gallo.
  • Serve along with a bowl of the consomme for each person.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

To make Quesabirria

  • To make the quesabirria, start with dipping the tortilla in the consomme.
  • In a skillet, spray with a light coating of cooking spray. Melt a small amount of shredded Oaxaca cheese, then place the consomme-coated tortilla on top of the melting cheese.
  • Flip the tortilla so that the cheese is now on top (don't worry if it's messy), add the shredded beef and fold over in half, allow to cook for a couple of minutes, then carefully flip and cook each side until crispy.
  • Garnish as above.

Notes

You can find avocado-dried leaves in specialty sections of grocery stores, markets, or on Amazon.
If you can't find avocado leaves, not to worry, you can completely skip it and still enjoy this amazing recipe.
Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 924kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 107gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 309mgSodium: 921mgFiber: 9gSugar: 13g
Keyword beef, birria, chile, consomme, dinner party, football, game night, instant pot, mexican, party food, pressure cooker, slow cooked, Soups, Stews, stovetop, tacos
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