Beef Birria Tacos
Chilli-braised beef, griddled in crisp tortillas with melted cheese and dipped in the rich red broth.
At a glance: These birria tacos take about 3 hours 20 minutes and serve 6, mostly as a slow braise. Guajillo and ancho chillies are toasted briefly and blended into a sauce, then the beef chuck braises in it with stock for 2 hours 30 minutes. Each tortilla is dipped in the red fat skimmed from the broth before it is fried.
- Total
- 3 h 20 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Project
By Lupe @masa.mama · Cookt Kitchen · 21 October 2026
Ingredients
Quantities for 6. Tick things off as you go.
Method
Toast the chillies
Warm a dry pan over medium-low heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chillies for 10 to 20 seconds per side, turning often, until fragrant but not browned. Cover with 500 ml boiling water and soak for 15 minutes.
Blend the sauce
Blend the soaked chillies and soaking water with the onion, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, chipotle, pepper and salt until smooth. Strain into a bowl.
Marinate the beef
Toss the beef with the sauce in a large heavy pot. Cover and leave for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Braise the beef
Add the stock, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours 30 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.
Shred the beef
Lift the beef from the pot and discard the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves. Shred the meat with two forks, then stir in 150 ml braising broth to moisten it.
Season and reserve the broth
Skim the red fat from the broth into a bowl. Taste the broth and add salt as needed, then keep it at a gentle simmer over low heat for dipping.
Fill and fry the tacos
Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the reserved red fat and lay it in the pan, then add about 2 tablespoons beef and 10 g cheese to one half.
Crisp the tacos
Fold each tortilla over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side over medium heat, until crisp and golden and the cheese has melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, beef and cheese.
Serve
Top the tacos with diced onion and coriander. Serve immediately with hot broth for dipping and lime wedges.
Tips
- The meat does not need to be fully submerged; turn the chunks once during braising if they are not covered by liquid.
- Blend the sauce until smooth before straining, and check the broth seasoning after cooking.
- Use about 2 tablespoons shredded beef and 10 g cheese per taco. Fry in batches with space between tacos so they crisp rather than steam.
Swaps
- Use beef shin instead of chuck, cut into 5 cm chunks.
- Use grated Oaxaca or Monterey Jack instead of low-moisture mozzarella.
Storing
Refrigerate the beef and broth separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and fry the tacos just before serving.
Kitchen notes
- Toast the chillies only until fragrant, 10 to 20 seconds per side. They should not brown.
- The beef does not need to be fully submerged during the braise; turn the chunks once if the liquid does not cover them.
- Stir 150 ml of the braising broth into the shredded beef so the filling stays juicy.
- Fry the tacos in batches with space between them so they crisp rather than steam. About 2 tablespoons of beef and 10 g of cheese per taco is enough.
Beef Birria Tacos FAQ
What cut of beef is best for birria tacos?
Beef chuck, cut into 5 cm chunks, which turns fork-tender after 2 hours 30 minutes of braising. Beef shin works as a swap.
What do you serve with birria tacos?
Hot consomé for dipping, finely diced white onion, chopped coriander and lime wedges.
How do you make the consomé for birria tacos?
It is the braising liquid: the blended chilli sauce plus beef stock, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves, cooked with the beef. Skim off the red fat for frying the tortillas, season the broth and keep it at a gentle simmer for dipping.
How do you make beef birria tacos at home?
Toast and soak dried guajillo and ancho chillies, blend them into a sauce and braise beef chuck in it with stock until it shreds. Dip corn tortillas in the red fat, fill with beef and cheese, fry until crisp and serve with the broth.
Nutrition per serving
780 kcal · protein 52 g · carbs 56 g · fat 36 g · fibre 7 g. This is an estimate, not a lab measurement.
Allergens
Read the label on every ingredient you buy. We can't account for how a product was made or packed.
How this page was made
Written by the Cookt team for the Cookt app, following our recipe standards. AI tools help us draft, check and illustrate recipes. No star ratings until enough people have rated this recipe in Cookt.
