How to Make Birria Tacos

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 40

Total Time 2

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4

Calories 497.63 kcal

Ingredients

Birria Beef

1 lbs bone-in short ribs
1 lbs sirloin or other roast

Marinade

3 dried guajillo peppers* see notes
2 can chipotle peppers in adobo
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
5 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin

The Stew

1 medium onion chopped
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
Beef stock, about 1 quart

For The Tacos

15 corn tortillas
2-1/2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese, or use mozzarella Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend
1/2 of a white onion, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes cut into small wedges

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then remove from heat. Soak your dried guajillo peppers for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cube your roast, then season both the roast and the bone in short ribs with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Add marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor. When the peppers are done soaking, cut the stems off and remove the seeds from the pepper. Add to the blender or food processor. Blend the marinade into a smooth paste. Marinade the meats for a minimum of two hours or overnight.
3. Set your Instant Pot on saute high or use a skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons oil, then saute the onions until golden and translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
4. Add the meats, marinade, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves to the pot. Cover with the beef broth, then set to high pressure for 45 minutes. If using a slow cooker or stovetop. set to low heat and cook for 4-6 hours.
5. When done cooking, allow the Instant Pot to natural release, then remove the meats, shred, set aside and discard the bones.
6. Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat and lightly coat it with oil. Dip a corn tortilla into the birria sauce, then place it on the hot pan. Quickly add some shredded meat, cheese, chopped onion, and cilantro on top. Fold the tortilla in half and fry for a few minutes until the bottom is crispy and browned. Flip it over and cook until the other side is also crispy and browned. Once done, transfer to a plate and serve.
7. Serving: Serve with a bowl of the broth topped with onions and cilantro on the side.
8. Dip the tacos into the broth while eating.

Notes

*If you can't find dried guajillo peppers, you can use any dried Mexican or Southwestern peppers such as ancho, New Mexico, California, or Pasilla.

Dutch Oven

To make this in a Dutch oven, you’ll need a fairly large one. Follow the recipe as directed until the point where you would close the Instant Pot lid. Instead, cover the Dutch oven and either set it on the stove over the lowest heat possible or place it in a 200ºF oven for 4-6 hours.

Slow Cooker

The only tricky part of using a slow cooker is sautéing the onions. My solution? Skip it entirely—it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. Simply toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker and set it to low for 8 hours.