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Birria Tacos

Birria Tacos

Delicious and flavorful Birria Tacos made with spiced shredded beef and crispy tortillas.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Course Main
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 25 tacos
Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

  • large saucepan
  • heavy based pot
  • Non-stick pan
  • stick blender

Ingredients
  

Birria adobo (paste)

  • 25 g guajillo chillies, dried (~4 pieces, heaped ¾ cup once chopped)
  • 45 g ancho chillies, dried (~2-3 pieces, 1 cup once chopped)
  • 6 g chillies de arbol, dried (~6 pieces, 2 tablespoon once chopped)
  • ½ cup chilli soaking water (reserve after simmering)
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 small onion roughly sliced (~tennis ball size)
  • 1 medium tomato roughly sliced (180g)
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • teaspoon black pepper

Birria braising

  • 5 tablespoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
  • 1.3 kg chuck beef cut into 6 large pieces
  • 2 cups beef stock / broth low sodium
  • 1 stick cinnamon (substitute ¼ teaspoon powder)
  • 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or regular white vinegar, red or white wine vinegar)
  • 2 ½ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +30% for flakes)

Beef seasoning

  • ½ teaspoon cooking salt / kosher salt

Birria Tacos

  • 20 – 25 pieces corn tortillas (14.5cm/6" wide)
  • 1 white onion diced
  • ½ cup finely chopped coriander / cilantro leaves
  • 3 ½ cups shredded Colby, Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese (if you can get it)
  • Lime wedges optional
  • Your favorite salsa or hot sauce optional

Instructions
 

Preparation and Cooking

  • Simmer chopped chillies for 10 minutes, strain, then blitz adobo paste.
  • Brown beef and cook off adobo paste.
  • Slow-cook beef for 2 ½ hours with lid on.
  • Remove meat, shred, skim fat off braising liquid.
  • Toss beef in skillet with 1 cup of braising liquid (aka Consomme).
  • Heat 1 teaspoon birria oil over low heat, wipe pan with tortilla, remove, and repeat twice more using ½ teaspoon oil each time.
  • Top tortilla with cheese, beef, onion, and coriander, fold over, and pan fry until crisp.
  • Serve with birria consomme for dunking!

Notes

Makes 22 – 25 tacos depending on how generously you stuff with beef. Keep leftovers separate for best quality.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tacoCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 15gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 3mg
Keyword authentic tacos, beef tacos, Birria Tacos, Mexican Tacos, spicy tacos, taco recipes
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