
Birria Tacos
About this recipe
The viral sensation that took social media by storm — crispy, cheese-crusted corn tortillas stuffed with fall-apart tender braised beef birria, dipped in a rich, smoky consommé. This home-cook-friendly version delivers the full experience: deeply spiced adobo marinade, slow-braised chuck roast, and that iconic orange-red dipping broth. Messy, bold, and absolutely unforgettable.
Instructions
- 1
Toast the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and chiles de árbol in a dry skillet over ^[medium heat] for 30–45 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened — don't let them burn. Transfer to a mixing bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 15 minutes until softened. Drain and add the rehydrated chiles to a blender along with the peeled tomatoes, garlic, medium white onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 60 seconds. Set aside.
- 2
Preheat your oven to ![325°F]. Season the beef chuck roast (and beef short ribs if using) generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large Dutch oven over ^[medium-high heat]. Working in batches, sear the beef chuck roast on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Return all the beef chuck roast to the pot, pour the adobo sauce over the top, and add the beef broth and bay leaves. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven.
- 3
Braise in the oven for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the beef chuck roast is completely fall-apart tender and shreds easily with two forks. Remove the bay leaves. Transfer the beef chuck roast to a cutting board and shred it, discarding any large pieces of fat or bone. Skim the excess fat off the top of the braising liquid (consommé) — but save it! That red-orange fat is what you'll use to fry the corn tortillas. Taste the consommé and adjust kosher salt as needed. Keep warm on the stovetop over ^[low heat].
- 4
Heat a large skillet or griddle over ^[medium-high heat]. Ladle a small amount of the skimmed birria fat (or neutral oil) into the pan. Dip a corn tortilla briefly into the warm consommé to coat it in the red broth, then lay it flat in the hot skillet. Immediately add a small handful of shredded Oaxaca cheese to one half of the corn tortilla, then top with a generous spoonful of shredded birria beef chuck roast. Fold the corn tortilla in half and press gently. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side until the corn tortilla is crispy and the cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining corn tortillas.
- 5
Ladle the warm consommé into small bowls for dipping. Serve the crispy birria tacos immediately alongside the consommé, topped with diced medium white onion and fresh cilantro, with limes cut into wedges on the side. Dip each taco into the consommé before every bite for the full viral experience.








































