Description
These authentic Birria Tacos feature tender, slow-cooked beef infused with a rich, smoky chili sauce, served on warm corn tortillas. Perfectly seared chuck roast is braised in a flavorful blend of dried guajillo, pasilla, and ancho chilies, garlic, onions, and aromatic spices, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth meat that’s shredded and loaded into tortillas for a deliciously satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 3 to 4 pounds beef chuck roast
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Chili Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chilies
- 3 dried pasilla chilies
- 3 dried ancho chilies
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
To Serve
- Corn tortillas, enough for 8-10 tacos
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for slow-braising the beef.
- Soak Chilies: Place the dried guajillo, pasilla, and ancho chilies into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes until they become soft and pliable.
- Season the Meat: Pat the chuck roast dry and season generously on all sides with salt and black pepper.
- Sear the Chuck Roast: Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chuck roast on all sides until deeply browned to lock in flavor. Remove the meat and set it aside.
- Sauté Aromatics: In the same pot, add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare Chili Mixture: Drain the soaked chilies, reserving some soaking liquid. Add the chilies to the pot along with a portion of the soaking liquid, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, dried oregano, and bay leaves. Stir everything to combine.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour in the beef broth, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer on the stovetop.
- Return Meat to Pot: Nestle the seared chuck roast back into the pot, making sure it is partially submerged in the liquid. Cover with a tight-fitting lid.
- Braise in Oven: Transfer the Dutch oven to the preheated oven and cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and shreddable.
- Shred the Meat: Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully take out the chuck roast and shred the meat using two forks, discarding large pieces of fat or connective tissue.
- Warm Tortillas: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Warm the corn tortillas on both sides until soft, pliable, and slightly toasted.
- Assemble Tacos: Fill each warm tortilla with a generous portion of shredded beef and spoon some of the rich cooking liquid over the meat for extra flavor and moisture.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the birria tacos hot with additional cooking liquid on the side for dipping, enhancing the authentic experience.
Notes
- For extra authentic flavor, garnish birria tacos with chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
- Leftover birria meat can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, simmer the cooking liquid on the stovetop after removing the meat to reduce it.
- Use fresh corn tortillas if possible, as they hold up better during dipping and folding.
- Adjust the number of chilies to control the heat level to your preference.
