Real talk. These are the best tacos I've ever made - or eaten. The meat is fall-apart tender and so full of flavor. And stuff that into a crispy taco shell and dip into a deliciously savory broth...you'll want these for every Taco Tuesday. So what are birria tacos? Birria is a traditional Mexican beef stew, slow cooked in a tasty bath of herbs, vegetables and chiles. The fun part is dipping the tortillas in the broth and cooking them to a crisp with the meat and melty cheese. They're typically served with cilantro, onion and lime. In my house, cilantro is a no-go, as our raw onions, so I served mine with lime (sadly, not pictured) and they were perfect!
Here's how to make them:
Ingredients
3-4 cups hot (not boiling) water
2 lbs chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces
1 lb bone-in short ribs
1/2 large (or 1 small/medium) white onion, peeled and cut in half
3 cloves garlic (you can keep the skin on)
1 carrot
4 bay leaves
5 dried guajillo chiles, seeds removed (these are mild when the seeds are removed)
2 TBS chicken bouillon
1 TSP dried oregano
1 TSP ground cumin
1/8 cup white vinegar
1/2 TSP fine kosher or sea salt
1-2 TSP chili powder (if you want it spicy, adjust to taste)
corn tortillas
1-2 cups mexican cheese, grated (or any melting cheese)
cilantro, raw chopped onion, and lime wedges for serving
Instructions
In a large pot or dutch oven (use one that has a cover but don't cover it yet), combine the meat, onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaves and dried peppers.
Cover with hot water.
Add the bouillon, oregano, cumin, vinegar and salt and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil then cook on medium heat for 30 minutes.
Remove the guajillo chiles (they should be soft) and blend until smooth in a food processor or blender. You may want to add about 1/4 - 1/2 of the broth to get a smoother consistency.
Strain the chiles to remove any skin and add them back into the broth. Stir to combine.
Add the chili powder, if using, and stir.
Cover the pot and simmer for 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily shreds. Stir the broth every 45 minutes. Once the meat is cooked, taste the broth and add seasonings, as needed.
Skim the grease from the top and put in a small saucepan and set aside.
Remove the onion, carrot, bay leaves, garlic from the broth (you can eat these with the tacos or on the side - yum!).
Remove the meat and discard any bones - the meat should fall right off!
Chop the meat into fine pieces.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Dip the corn tortillas in the reserved grease in the saucepan so both sides are fully covered.
Place the tortillas on the griddle, then add the meat and cheese.
Fold the tortilla into a taco and let cook on each side until crispy, about 2 minutes per side.
Take the rest of the broth and put into a small bowl. You can add the cilantro and raw chopped onion, if using.
Squeeze some lime on the tacos, dip into the broth and enjoy!
Did you make them? Share pics in the comments!