Classic Birria Tacos

Tender, slow-cooked beef seasoned with a rich blend of chilies and spices, shredded and served in crispy corn tortillas.

By RecipeBoss

Servings

Time Required

6 hr

Ingredients

3 lbs beef chuck roast

6 whole dried guajillo chilies

4 whole dried ancho chilies

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion

4 cups beef broth

0.5 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp oregano

0.5 tsp cloves

1 small cinnamon stick

2 whole bay leaves

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

16 medium corn tortillas

1 whole lime

0.5 cup cilantro

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1
Toast the dried chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove stems and seeds.
2
Rehydrate the toasted chilies in hot water for 20-30 minutes.
20 min
3
Toast cumin seeds, oregano, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a dry skillet until fragrant. Grind into a powder.
4
In a blender, combine the rehydrated chilies, peeled garlic cloves, quartered onion, ground spices, beef broth, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
5
Season the beef chuck roast with salt and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until browned.
6
Pour the blended chili mixture over the seared beef. Add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Braise for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
3 hr
7
Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Skim excess fat from the braising liquid.
8
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each corn tortilla in the reserved fat/broth from the pot, then lightly fry on both sides until slightly crisp.
9
Fill the tortillas with shredded birria beef. Serve immediately with lime wedges and chopped cilantro.

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