Birria Tacos (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Birria Beef
01 -
3 lb beef chuck roast, fat trimmed
02 -
4 bone-in beef short ribs
03 -
8 dried guajillo chile peppers
04 -
3 dried pasilla chile peppers
05 -
2-3 dried arbol chile peppers
06 -
5 Roma tomatoes, quartered (about 680g)
07 -
1 white onion, roughly chopped
08 -
1 head garlic (10-12 cloves)
09 -
1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
10 -
1 Tablespoon whole cumin seeds
11 -
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
12 -
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
13 -
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seed
14 -
4 whole cloves
15 -
1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
16 -
1 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick or ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
17 -
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
18 -
2 bay leaves
19 -
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
→ For the Tacos
20 -
15 corn tortillas, white or yellow
21 -
2 1/2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese (or mozzarella or Monterey jack)
22 -
1/2 white onion, diced
23 -
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
24 -
2 limes cut into small wedges
# Instructions:
01 -
Cut chuck roast into a few large pieces and season with salt.
02 -
Rinse chiles (use gloves if desired) and use scissors to open and remove stem and seeds. For extra spice, leave arbol chiles whole.
03 -
Add tomatoes and onion to a large stock pot (at least 5.5qt pot or bigger) over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Add whole garlic cloves, chile peppers, and all of the spices except the bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add vinegar and 1 liter water. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered.
04 -
Add mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer, back into the pot. Add 1 liter of water to the blender and swirl it around to clean excess sauce from the blender, then add it to the pot.
05 -
Add 1 Tablespoon kosher salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add short ribs, chuck roast and bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 ½ hours until beef is fork-tender. Remove meat to a plate and shred. Discard bones and bay leaves.
06 -
Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with a small amount of oil. Dip a corn tortilla into the birria sauce and lay tortilla on hot pan. Quickly top with shredded meat, cheese, chopped onion and cilantro. Fold tortilla over, in half. Fry for several minutes, until crispy and browned on the bottom. Flip and cook until crispy and browned on the other side. Remove to a plate for serving.
07 -
Sprinkle remaining chopped white onion and cilantro on top of prepared tacos. Serve quesabirria tacos with a cup of warm consommé broth for dipping. Accompany with lime wedges for squeezing over tacos.
# Notes:
01 -
Leftover birria sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated to cook another roast.