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Birria Tacos: crisp, pan-fried tacos, filled with fall-apart tender chuck roast braised in a mildly spicy and sweet birria consomé. If you haven't tried this recipe, it's going to change the way you make tacos! These quesatacos are totally irresistible - and worth sharing with everyone!
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What is birria?
Birria is a type of slowly-braised Mexican stew traditionally made with goat meat, originating in the state of Jalisco. It's a deeply flavorful stew made with a base of guajillo and ancho chiles, plus tomatoes, onion, and garlic, with plenty of seasoning.
Although birria stew originally used goat meat, you can make it with a variety of other meats - including beef! Beef birria is my personal favorite. Using chuck roast, you can keep it an economical meal with a ton of flavor.
What is quesabirria?
To put it simply, quesabirria refers to tacos made using birria meat and consomé (the stew itself). Corn tortillas are filled with shredded meat and Mexican cheese such as oaxaca, before being pan-fried in fat from the stew after cooking. The result is crisp, cheesy beef tacos unlike any you have had before!
"Just made this tonight for my family and everyone loved it!! My first time making birria, might I add. Amazing recipe!"
@lookatmarie
Ingredients for Birria
Stew Meat
- Chuck roast: Opt for boneless chuck roast cut into large chunks. If you're having trouble finding it, look at your local grocery store for "stew meat" - this is often chuck roast, and perfect for this recipe. You can also use beef shank, short ribs, or sirloin roast, if you prefer.
- Olive oil: Olive oil is used to sear the birria beef before braising. Searing the beef before cooking it in the stew really amps up the flavor!
Chiles
- Guajillo chiles: Dried guajillo chiles are mildly spicy with a fruity, smoky, and sweet flavor. You can find them in the international aisle of most grocery stores, near Mexican foods, or in the produce section of some stores. They come packaged in clear plastic bags. If you can't find them, look for New Mexico, Pasilla, or California peppers, instead.
- Ancho chiles: Similar to guajillo chiles, ancho chiles have a smoky, chocolatey flavor with a mild spice, although their flavor profile is slightly different than guajillo. You will find these packaged and sold the same way as dried guajillo peppers.
Stew Base
- Tomatoes: Fresh roma tomatoes are best. If you prefer, you can use canned fire roasted tomatoes.
- Onion: White or yellow onion is best for this recipe.
- Garlic: No need to mince or smash the garlic - it's blended into the chile mixture as part of the stew base.
- Cinnamon stick: Use a cinnamon stick up to 2-inches in length.
- Bay leaf: Boiled with the vegetables and seasonings to add the perfect complement to the richness of the other ingredients.
- Dried oregano: Mexican oregano is best for this recipe. You can also use fresh Mexican oregano, if you're able to find it.
- Cumin seeds: An essential part of the seasoning of the stew base!
- Dried thyme: Although you can always use fresh thyme, I recommend using dried thyme for ease. The flavor is fantastic.
- Beef broth: I recommend using beef broth for this dish, but you can also use beef stock.
- Salt: Kosher salt or sea salt is best with beef.
- Black peppercorns: Not ground pepper, but peppercorns!
Birria Tacos Ingredients
- Corn tortillas: Corn tortillas work best for frying quesatacos. I don't recommend using flour tortillas. They will not crisp the same way! Best of all, corn tortillas are gluten-free.
- Onion, diced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Mexican melting cheese: Look for Oaxaca cheese to use in your quesabirria tacos. If you can't find oaxaca, try mozzarella or Monterey Jack. You want a cheese that melts well, so don't use a hard Mexican cheese like cotija or queso fresco.
- Lime, cut into wedges
The trick to making these incredible beef birria tacos is dipping your tortillas in the consome fat, then frying them in a pan! Crisp fried taco shells are a life-changer.
I was craving a good Birria Taco and glad I found this! Absolutely delicious.
Krystal
How to Make Birria
- Place a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat on the stove and add olive oil. Season beef with salt and pepper, and once the pot is hot, add the beef. Sear on all sides. Add half of the onion and cook for 2 minutes, before removing the pot from the heat and setting it aside.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile peppers. I find this easiest to do with kitchen scissors.
- In a medium pot, add the chiles, tomatoes, half onion, garlic, cinnamon, and bay leaf. Pour in enough water to cover all ingredients. Place on stove over medium-high, and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add dried oregano, cumin seeds, dried thyme, salt, and black peppercorns to the pot. Give it a stir and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
- Strain the contents of the pot into a wire-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick, and discard. Place the remaining solids into a blender or food processor.
- Add the broth from the sauce into the blender, plus the beef broth. Whirl until well blended. Taste and add more salt if needed, and blend just until mixed in.
- Place the pot with the beef and onion back on the stove over medium heat. Pour the contents of the blender over the beef. If the beef needs more liquid to cover it, pour in enough beef broth to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and lower the heat. Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 2½ to 3 hours.
Was so good! Boyfriend did a happy dance lol
Briana on Pinterest
How to Make Birria Tacos
- When the birria stew is ready, turn off the heat, remove the beef from the sauce, and shred it using two forks. It should shred easily.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat (cast iron is best). Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the top of the stew where the fat floats, then place it in the hot skillet. Top with some shredded beef, cheese, and cilantro.
- Fold the tortilla over and fry for about one minute on each side, until crispy. Remove the taco to a plate or baking sheet and keep it warm. Repeat the above steps with the remaining tortillas.
- Serve warm with a small bowl of the birria stew for dipping. This is key! Serve with lime wedges and sliced jalapenos on the side if desired. Top tacos with diced onion, more cilantro, and more cheese as you prefer.
I tried it! It came out perfect and delicious. So easy and fun to make!!
Danelle on Pinterest
Tips for Making Birria Tacos
- You can also make these with chicken. Chicken Birria Tacos are equally just as amazing!
- For more heat, try adding dried chiles de árbol. These hot peppers add a sharp flavor to the stew that's just perfect for matching the earthy flavors of the rest of the dish.
- Use your largest pot to make this dish. I use a cast iron dutch oven.
- Prep all your ingredients, like the peppers and stew base, ahead of time the day before you make the dish to make it even easier to get started!
- Use a nice melting cheese for these quesabirria tacos, like oaxaca cheese, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella.
- Fry the tacos in the leftover fat that rises to the top of the stew for the most amazing flavor. This is so much better than frying them in oil!
These were so delicious! So good that I am now growing the peppers so I have them on hand. Seriously worth the effort.
Kimberly on Pinterest
FAQ
What are traditional birria tacos made of?
Traditionally, birria tacos used goat meat. Now, though, you'll find home chefs and restaurants alike experimenting with different meats. Any meat that shreds well will work for birria: you can use chuck roast beef, chicken, or pork roast following this same recipe!
What kind of cheese do you put on birria tacos?
Mexican melting cheese, like oaxaca, works best. You can also use another melting cheese like Monterey Jack or Mozzarella. Avoid hard cheeses that won't melt well, like cotija or queso fresco.
How Many Tacos Per Person
If you're allowing your guests to fill their own tacos, account for 2 tacos per person - people tend to over-fill their own tacos!
| Number of Guests | Amount of Birria Consomme to Make | Amount of Tacos |
|---|---|---|
| 4-8 | Prepare 50% more (2.5 to 3 lbs. roast) | 8-16 |
| 8-12 | Double the recipe (4 to 4.5 lbs. roast) | 16-24 |
| 12-15 | Prepare 150% more (4.5 to 5 lbs. roast) | 24-30 |
| 15-20 | Triple the recipe (6 to 6.5 lbs. roast) | 30-40 |
Tip: Use the slide bar next to the recipe yield in the recipe card to automatically calculate how much of each ingredient you will need.
Tacos Recipes
Make more of my favorite Mexican Beef Recipes!
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Birria Tacos
My Birria Tacos recipe has all the flavors you're looking for in birria: they're earthy and mildly spicy, with fall-apart tender chuck roast beef and Mexican cheese! Of all the birria tacos recipes, this is the best!
Servings: 12 to 15 tacos
Calories: 311kcal
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Kitchen scissors
- Medium pot
- Skillet
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds boneless chuck roast cut into large chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 2 roma tomatoes quartered
- 1 medium onion halved
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ inch cinnamon stick up to 2-inch
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 to 2 cups beef broth
For Tacos
- 12-15 corn tortillas
- 1 cup diced onion
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- ½ cup Mexican melting cheese such as oaxaca
- 1 lime cut into wedges
See our Beef Temperature Chart for helpful tips on cooking any cut of beef!
Instructions
- Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When hot, season beef with salt and pepper and add to pot. Sear on all sides. Add half of the onion to the pot and cook two minutes more. Remove dutch oven from heat and set aside while you make the sauce.2 to 2 ½ pounds boneless chuck roast, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 medium onion
- Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile peppers.3 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles
- In a medium pot, add the chiles, tomatoes, half onion, garlic cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Pour in enough water to cover all ingredients, about 4 to 5 cups. Place on stove over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.3 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles, 2 roma tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 1 ½ inch cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf, 3 cloves garlic
- Add remaining seasonings to the sauce pot: dried oregano, cumin seeds, dried thyme, and salt and peppercorns. Give it a stir and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes.1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt
- Strain the contents of the sauce pot into a large wire-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and discard. Place remaining solids into a blender.
- Add 2 cups of the broth from the sauce into the blender, plus 1 cup of beef broth. Whirl until well blended. Taste and add more salt if needed and blend just until mixed in.
- Place the pot with the beef and onion back on the stove at medium heat. Pour the contents of the blender over the beef. If the sauce is not enough liquid to cover the beef, pour in enough beef broth to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and lower heat. Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 2½ to 3 hours.1 to 2 cups beef broth
Making the tacos
- Turn off heat, remove beef from the sauce, and shred.
- Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the top of the stew (where the fat floats), then place in the hot skillet. Top with some shredded beef, cheese, and cilantro.12-15 corn tortillas
- Fold tortilla over and fry for about one minute on each side, until crispy. Remove taco to plate or baking sheet and keep warm. Repeat above steps with remaining tortillas.
- Serve warm with a small bowl of the birria stew for dipping. Serve with lime wedges and sliced jalapenos if desired. Top tacos with diced onion, more cilantro and more cheese if desired.1 cup diced onion, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ½ cup Mexican melting cheese, 1 lime
Video
Notes
For more heat, try adding dried chiles de árbol when cooking the beef, or jalapenos after making the tacos.
Nutrition
Serving: 1taco | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 573mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1913IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 3mg
Hi! I’m Isabel Laessig, also known as Family Foodie, creator of Sunday Supper Movement and author of the Boujee Steak Cookbook. Sunday Supper is my mission to bring family back around the dinner table. Join me in making family meal-time a tradition to celebrate!
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Amanda Anderson says
This was SO GOOD. I'm going to make it again soon, I need to add more dried chiles de árbol to make it more spicy!! 🥵
Em Beitel says
Amanda, we're so glad you enjoyed it! Adding more chile peppers sounds incredible. We do love the spice!
Gloriann says
Hello,
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Em Beitel says
Hi Gloriann! If you make this in the crockpot, I recommend cooking on low for 8 to 10 hours. Thank you for your question!
Kathy says
Love this recipe! Added chile de Arbol for heat. Making a bigger batch next time!
Em Beitel says
Thanks so much, Kathy! We're so glad you enjoyed it!
Bill Harod says
They were delicious! I'm a big onion fan, so I doubled the amount; the consomme came out thicker and slightly chunky (small fine bits, but nonetheless, not a thin consomme texture). So I added beef broth and strain it through a fine sieve, kept the flavor, lost the chunks and it turned out beautiful.
Em Beitel says
Thank you for sharing, Bill! We're so glad you enjoyed it! Your adjustments sound delicious.
Aja says
I’ve been obsessed with these tacos lately so when I found a recipe, I was so excited! And Omg I’m in love with these! Made them for dinner last night and I cried happy tears cause they were so good! Made elotes as my side dish and oooh best thing ever! Definitely going to have these on the dinner table more often, thank you for your recipe!
Em Beitel says
That is so awesome, Aja! We're so glad you enjoyed them - thank you for sharing!
Jana R says
I've made these twice in two weeks! they are amazing and my husband has requested them once a week now. Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Jana! We are so glad you and your husband both enjoyed them!
Kathy says
Excellent recipe! My family loves it. Second time making this, but I doubled it to freeze for another meal. It’s a saver!
Emily says
Making it for a second time and doubling, so good! My blender is a little on the fritz but hopeful that my immersion blender will suffice. I’m sure I won’t get a response before I’m done, but anyone else try doing the sauce with an immersion blender.
Em Beitel says
Hi Emily! I've never tried making the sauce with an immersion blender myself, but am positive it will work just fine. I hope you enjoy it!
Pat says
For the most part went great and are delicious. Only question is advice for keeping the tortillas from sticking to pan. I had to break out a nonstick which I don’t like using if at all avoidable.
Em Beitel says
Hi Pat! Hmm, if you're seeing an issue with the tortillas sticking to the pan even after dipping them in the fat from the stew, I'd maybe add some of the fat from the stew to the skillet first to grease it, then dip and fry as normal.
Meredith says
I made these, they turned out great. Here are my comments…
- I seared the meat in a cast iron and then put it in a slow cooker for 8 hours. I made the sauce as directed and added it to the slow cooker for that time.
- I had to kind of destroy my dried chilis to get most of the seeds out, but that’s okay. They don’t need to be whole.
- You will have some leftover broth that you’ll toss after step 6, you won’t blend all of it into your sauce (unless I misunderstood the directions).
- I used a tortilla warmer to heat up the tortillas before dipping them in the sauce, otherwise they broke.
Em Beitel says
These are awesome notes, Meredith. Thanks so much for trying the recipe, and we're glad you enjoyed it!
Mike Y says
Just made these, tasted great. Will add some extra spice next time but made these as instructed as my wife is not a spicy food fan. Two complaints. The photo caption notes a full onion (Step 3), so I scrambled to add another 1/2 although instructions didn't state such. Not a biggie, but dislike inconsistencies. Second, Corn tortillas were a disaster (fell apart becoming something closer to a stir fry than a taco). I switched to flour which held together better, but they never got crisp as I expected. Next time (yes there will be!) I'll add a little oil to the fry pan to help crisp up the finished tacos (looks like this was a problem for you as in the video it appears you have added a second tortilla, I'm guessing to keep them together.
Em Beitel says
Hi Mike! We're so glad you enjoyed it! The ingredients automatically populate under each step to make it easier to track which you're using - but this does mean it will show 1 whole onion instead of just a half, since you need a whole one for the full recipe (which is why the step itself says half, but that section does not). As for the corn tortillas, they surely can be finicky... but I'm happy to hear there will be a next time and that you enjoyed it! Take care!
Jana R says
I love this recipe! I literally make these about once a week. My husband has said it's better than a few restaurants he's been too. So just wanted to thank you for this recipe.
Em Beitel says
Thank you so much, Jana! We're so glad you and your husband enjoyed it! That is awesome!
Danielle Bonner says
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it, can this work in the instant pot?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Danielle, thank you! I hope you enjoy it! You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot. Although I have yet to try it, these are the steps I would take:
1. Set your Instant Pot to Saute mode. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add it to the pot once hot. Sear on all sides. Add half the onion to the pot with the beef and cook another 2 minutes. Turn off saute mode, remove the beef and onion and set aside (but don't clean the pot).
2. Follow steps 2-6 as instructed in the recipe card to prepare the blended chilies for the sauce. Although you most likely can find a way, I don't recommend doing the steps to boil and simmer the peppers in the IP and I don't believe it would save you any time to do so.
3. Add the contents of the blender, plus the beef and onions, to the Instant Pot. As instructed in step 7 of the recipe card, if the liquid doesn't cover the beef completely, add more beef broth so it does.
4. Pressure cook on High for 40 minutes and release the pressure for 15 minutes using Natural Release.
That should do it. Let me know what you think whenever you give it a try!
Jenny says
Because beef is so expensive now, I tried this with a pork roast. Why not try? It was amazing! The meat was tender and juicy and it cooked in half the time.
Isabel Laessig says
Awesome, Jenny! Thank you so much for your comment. I'll have to try this with a pork roast next time myself.
BobT says
Made this substituting 1.5 cups of beef broth for OJ. Really great.
Isabel Laessig says
That's awesome, Bob! Thank you very much for your comment!
Cloyd Hyten says
Made a double recipe with 5 pounds of chuck roast last week for a party- truly outstanding recipe with many compliments. I used your tip about adding arbols for heat. The canela sticks I used were too weak, so next time I will use conventional cinnamon sticks for that background spice. Had lots of sauce left over, so made pork chunks in the sauce days later and it was delicious.
Isabel Laessig says
Cloyd, this is wonderful to hear. I am so glad you and your guests enjoyed it and very happy to hear you received compliments! Thank you so much for your comment!
Nikki says
I have made this recipe so many times now, its my go to!! Everything comes out perfect and I never gave to adjust anything. Everyone that eats it says it's better than any restaurant or tacos truck they've ever had!! The stew is bursting with flavor! Thank you for sharing such deliciousness with us!!
Isabel Laessig says
Thank you so much, Nikki! I'm so glad you enjoy it!
BreAnne Uselton says
I love this recipe. I have tried a couple other Birria taco recipes and this is by far the best recipe I have found…and not quite as complicated as the other recipes. I double the recipe so I have lots of leftovers. Tonight I think I will freeze half so I don’t have to make the full meal next time I want to make them.
Isabel Laessig says
BreAnne, I am so happy to hear this! Enjoy your leftovers, and thank you so much for your review!