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Slow-Cooked Spicy Mexican Birria Tacos Recipe

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4.7 from 8 reviews

This Slow-Cooked Spicy Mexican Birria Tacos recipe features tender, flavorful beef simmered in a rich, smoky chile sauce, served in crispy corn tortillas with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and lime wedges. Perfect for a hearty and authentic Mexican meal.

Ingredients

Meat and Broth

  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast or short ribs
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Chiles and Spices

  • 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Produce

  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
  • Diced onions, for serving
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Tortillas and Extras

  • Corn tortillas
  • Shredded cheese (optional)
  • Vegetable oil, for grilling

Instructions

  1. Toast Chiles: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles for 2 minutes until fragrant, avoiding burning them to prevent bitterness.
  2. Soak Chiles: Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak for 20 minutes until softened.
  3. Brown Beef: Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides, about 8 minutes.
  4. Prepare Sauce: Drain chiles and transfer to a blender. Add chopped onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar. Pour in 1 cup beef broth and blend until smooth.
  5. Simmer Beef: Pour the blended sauce over the browned beef in the pot. Add crushed tomatoes, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, and remaining 3 cups beef broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 3 hours until beef is tender and shreddable.
  6. Shred Beef: Remove beef from pot and shred with two forks. Return shredded beef to pot to soak up sauce flavors.
  7. Prepare Tortillas: Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and lightly oil the surface. Dip corn tortillas one at a time into the sauce in the pot to coat.
  8. Assemble Tacos: Place dipped tortillas on the hot skillet, add shredded beef, cilantro, diced onions, and cheese if using. Fold tortillas over to enclose filling and press gently.
  9. Grill Tacos: Cook each side for 3 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.
  10. Serve: Serve tacos hot with lime wedges and additional cilantro and onions on the side.

Notes

  • Toast chiles carefully to avoid burning, which makes the sauce bitter.
  • Soaking chiles softens them for blending and enhances flavor extraction.
  • Use beef chuck roast or short ribs for the best tender and flavorful results.
  • Optional shredded cheese adds extra richness to the tacos.
  • Dipping tortillas in the sauce before grilling infuses them with flavor and keeps them moist.
  • For spicier tacos, add more chipotle or include the seeds in the chiles.

Find it online: https://sweetworldcooks.com/slow-cooked-spicy-mexican-birria-tacos-recipe/