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Cheesy Birria Tacos with Rich Broth for Dipping Recipe

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4.2 from 9 reviews

Delicious and authentic Birria Tacos featuring slow-cooked, tender beef chuck roast and short ribs simmered in a rich, smoky chile broth. Served with melted Oaxaca cheese, fresh cilantro, onions, and a flavorful consommé for dipping, these tacos deliver an irresistible Mexican street food experience perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Meat

  • 3 lb beef chuck roast, fat trimmed
  • 4 bone-in beef short ribs

Chile Sauce

  • 8 dried guajillo chile peppers
  • 3 dried pasilla chile peppers
  • 2–3 dried arbol chile peppers
  • 5 Roma tomatoes, quartered (about 1.5 lbs)
  • 1 white onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated (10–12 cloves)
  • 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 Tablespoon whole cumin seeds
  • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seed
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
  • 1 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
  • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
  • 5 cups water, divided
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt

Tacos & Garnishes

  • 15 corn tortillas, white or yellow
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella or Monterey Jack)
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 limes, cut into small wedges

Instructions

  1. Prepare Meat: Cut the beef chuck roast into a few large pieces and season with kosher salt thoroughly to enhance flavor.
  2. Prep Chiles: Rinse the dried guajillo, pasilla, and arbol chiles using gloves if desired. Use scissors to cut open each chile and remove stems and seeds; leave arbol chiles whole for extra spice if preferred.
  3. Make Birria Broth: In a large stock pot over medium heat, add quartered tomatoes and chopped white onion and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly. Add whole garlic cloves, prepared chile peppers, and all spices except bay leaves. Cook mixture for 5 minutes, stirring often to develop flavors. Then stir in apple cider vinegar and 4 cups of water, bring to a low boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
  4. Blend Sauce: Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender and blend until very smooth. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve back into the pot. Add the remaining 1 cup of water to the blender to rinse out any leftover sauce and pour this into the pot as well.
  5. Cook Beef: Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the broth in the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the short ribs, chuck roast pieces, and bay leaves. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low simmer, and cook for 2 ½ hours until the beef is tender and easily shredded. Remove the meat to a plate, discard bones and bay leaves, and shred the beef finely.
  6. Assemble Tacos: Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with oil. Dip each corn tortilla into the birria sauce, letting excess drip off. Place the tortilla on the hot skillet, add a generous amount of shredded beef, cheese, diced onion, and cilantro on top. Fold the tortilla in half and fry until crispy and browned on one side, then flip and cook until both sides are golden and melted inside.
  7. Serve: Arrange cooked tacos on a plate and garnish with remaining diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Serve with warm birria consommé broth for dipping and lime wedges on the side. Optionally serve with hot salsa for extra heat.
  8. Storage: Save any leftover birria sauce by freezing for up to 3 months. Reheat when ready to cook another roast inside the sauce for future servings.

Notes

  • Using gloves when handling dried chiles is recommended to avoid skin irritation.
  • Different cheeses like Oaxaca, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack can be used based on preference or availability.
  • For extra heat, keep some arbol chiles whole instead of removing seeds.
  • This recipe requires slow simmering to ensure tender meat and deeply flavored broth.
  • Leftover broth can be frozen and used later to cook more birria or as a rich consommé for dipping tacos.
  • Serve with lime wedges and fresh cilantro for fresh contrast.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/cheesy-birria-tacos-with-rich-broth-for-dipping-recipe/