Birria tacos with chuck roast; crispy, cheesy, and dipped in rich consommé. This birria tacos recipe walks you through every step of making authentic birria at home, with both stovetop and Instant Pot options. Once you taste that smoky, chile-braised beef folded into a crispy tortilla, you'll understand why birrria tacos took over the internet! Serve with salsa macha and pickled serrano peppers for a bold flavor upgrade!
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
This birria tacos recipe walks you through every step, from building bold flavor in the broth to frying the tortillas until they are perfectly crisp. Whether you're making them for a weekend feast, Cinco de Mayo, or just want to see what all the hype is about, these tacos absolutely deliver!
After making this dish a few times, I can report that most likely you will have leftover sauce. Whatever you do, don't toss it! The sauce can be used to prepare more batches of birria. Just sear your meat and add it to an Instant Pot, then cover with sauce and cook for an hour. Who knew birria for dinner could be so easy?
Jump to:
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
Other Ingredients
- Meat: You can use chuck roast (preferably bone-in) or opt for goat for a more authentic version.
- Chiles: I used a combination of guajillo, ancho, California, and arbol chiles. Feel free to use a different combination or leave out the arbol chiles if you prefer less spicy.
- Onion/Cilantro: Two medium yellow onions (or 1 large) for the chile sauce, plus 1 white onion to dice and serve on the side with chopped cilantro.
- Garlic: 8 large cloves of garlic
- Seasoning/Spices: Sea salt, black pepper, ground cumin, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves.
- Herbs: Dried oregano, bay leaves, and avocado leaf (optional).
- Broth: I used 1 jar of beef bone broth, but you can also use canned broth if that's all you have.
- Tallow: Tallow for searing the meat and frying the tacos.
🌮 How to Make Juicy Birria Tacos
Step 1: Destem and seed the chile peppers and add to a hot cast-iron skillet. Toast, turning frequently, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add arbol chiles last since they tend to burn quickly.
Step 2: Add toasted chiles to a pot, then char tomatoes, onions, and garlic (unskinned) for a few minutes. Transfer tomatoes and onions to the pot, then cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, then turn off the heat and allow the chiles to soften for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Meanwhile, trim excess fat from the roast and chop it into 5 or 6 large portions. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, then sear on all sides over medium-high heat, in a hot cast-iron skillet with 2 tablespoons of melted tallow.
Step 4: Transfer chiles, tomatoes, and onions to a blender along with 2 cups of reserved chile-soaking liquid. Top with peeled garlic cloves, oregano, and ground cumin. Blend until smooth. If not using a Vitamix, strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
Step 5: Transfer the seared meat to a Dutch oven. Pour the blended chile mixture into the same skillet used to sear the meat, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the chile mixture and beef broth over the meat. Place the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and avocado leaf (if using) in a disposable tea bag or soup bag, then add it to the pot along with balsamic vinegar. Season with 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste), cover, and simmer on low for 2½ to 3 hours.
Step 6: Remove meat from the consommé, then shred or chop. Discard the spice bag. Skim the fat from the surface of the consommé and reserve it. Sear shredded beef in a skillet with some of the skimmed fat or tallow until the edges are crispy. Add 1 cup of consommé to the meat and mix to combine.
Pro Tip: Skimming the fat can be a pain. An easier way is to refrigerate the consommé until the fat hardens, then easily remove it from the top. Melt fat, and continue with the steps.
How to Build Your Birria Tacos
Step 7: Heat a tablespoon of tallow in a skillet, then brush tortilla on one side with the fat skimmed from the consommé. Add to the pan, top with approximately ½ cup of shredded beef and ¼ cup of cheese, then fold. Cook until crispy on both sides. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
Instant Pot Birria Tacos
Short on time? Use an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker and cut the cooking time by nearly 2 hours.
After searing the meat (step 3), transfer it to the pressure cooker and pour blended chile sauce over the top. Secure the lid and set the valve to "sealing." Cook on high pressure for 1 hour, then carefully quick-release the pressure.
Remove meat from the consommé and shred it, then continue with the recipe instructions.
🥑 What to Serve with Birria Tacos
Serve birria tacos with finely chopped white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
Other great sides include Mexican pickled carrots, Mexican rice, easy Mexican black beans, salsa ranchera, this 4 ingredient guacamole recipe, and a refreshing tamarind margarita.
🤷🏻♀️ FAQs
Birria tacos are Mexican tacos filled with slow-braised meat, usually beef or goat, that's cooked in a flavorful chile-based broth. The tortillas are dipped in the broth, fried until crispy, and served with a side of consommé for dipping.
Beef chuck roast is the most popular choice because it becomes tender and juicy when slow-cooked. Short ribs or a mix of cuts can add even more flavor.
Birria has a rich, savory flavor with smoky, slightly spicy notes from dried chiles. The broth is deeply seasoned but balanced, making it perfect for dipping.
They're typically served with chopped onions, cilantro, lime wedges, and sometimes radishes. Don't skip the consommé, that's the magic.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Toasting the dried chiles first wakes up their flavor and adds depth. Just don't burn them, or they'll be bitter.
- For a smooth, restaurant-quality consommé, strain out solids after blending.
- Don't rush the cooking time. Low and slow is the secret. If the meat isn't falling apart, it's not ready.
- Always dip the tortillas in consommé before frying; that's how you get that signature red, crispy exterior.
- Use Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese to get that glorious cheese pull!
- Store everything separately, meat, consommé, and tortillas, so nothing gets soggy. Reheat in a skillet (not the microwave) to bring back that crispy, just-made texture.
If there's one taco recipe worth the extra time, it's this one. Birria tacos are rich, comforting, and just plain fun to eat, especially when dipped into that bold, flavorful consommé. Once you make them from scratch, there's a good chance taco night will never look the same!
🍤 More Taco Recipes
I hope you enjoy this birria tacos recipe. Next, try these other unique and flavorful taco recipes!
Did you make this recipe?
📖 Recipe
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Destem and seed the chile peppers and add to a hot cast-iron skillet. Toast, turning frequently, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add arbol chiles last since they tend to burn quickly.
- Add toasted chiles to a pot, then char tomatoes, onions, and garlic (unskinned) for a few minutes. Transfer tomatoes and onions to the pot, then cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, then turn off the heat and allow the chiles to soften for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, trim excess fat from the roast and chop it into 5 or 6 large portions. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper, then sear on all sides over medium-high heat, in a hot cast-iron skillet with 2 tablespoons of melted tallow.
- Transfer chiles, tomatoes, and onions to a blender along with 2 cups of reserved chile-soaking liquid. Top with peeled garlic cloves, oregano, and ground cumin. Blend until smooth. If not using a Vitamix, strain through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Transfer the seared meat to a Dutch oven. Pour the blended chile mixture into the same skillet used to sear the meat, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the chile mixture and beef broth over the meat. Place the cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and avocado leaf (if using) in a disposable tea bag or soup bag, then add it to the pot along with balsamic vinegar. Season with 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste), cover, and simmer on low for 2½ to 3 hours.
- Remove meat from the consommé, then shred or chop. Discard the spice bag. Skim the fat from the surface of the consommé and reserve it. Sear shredded beef in a skillet with some of the skimmed fat or tallow until the edges are crispy. Add 1 cup of consommé to the meat and mix to combine.
- Heat a tablespoon of tallow in a skillet, then brush tortilla on one side with the fat skimmed from the consommé. Add to the pan, top with approximately ½ cup of shredded beef and ¼ cup of cheese, then fold. Cook until crispy on both sides. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve birria tacos with finely chopped white onion, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
Nutrition
Notes
- See the post for Instant Pot instructions that cut the cooking time by nearly 2 hours!
- Toasting the dried chiles first wakes up their flavor and adds depth. Just don't burn them, or they'll be bitter.
- For a smooth, restaurant-quality consommé, strain out solids after blending.
- Don't rush the cooking time. Low and slow is the secret. If the meat isn't falling apart, it's not ready.
- Skimming the fat can be a pain. An easier way is to refrigerate the consommé until the fat hardens, then easily remove it from the top. Melt fat, and continue with the steps.
- Always dip the tortillas in consommé before frying; that's how you get that signature red, crispy exterior.
- Use Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese to get that glorious cheese pull!
- Store everything separately, meat, consommé, and tortillas, so nothing gets soggy. Reheat in a skillet (not the microwave) to bring back that crispy, just-made texture.
Reyna Stoken says
When I tasted this recipe I just couldn’t imagine getting enough of it! So much flavor, layers of flavor! Yumm!!!
Hilda Sterner says
Same, girl, same! Thank you for the review!
Kim says
These birria tacos were fantastic. Such great flavor. Thanks Hilda, for a wonderful meal. Spectacular as always.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Kim! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! As always, thanks for the feedback! 😘
Hilda Sterner says
I hope you try this recipe soon and let me know what you think!