Birria Tacos (Quesabirria Tacos)
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This authentic Mexican recipe for birria tacos features tender, juicy beef cooked in a rich homemade adobo sauce. Spicy stewed meat is added to pan fried tortillas, topped with fixings, and served with an adobo-infused consommé for dipping.
This birria taco recipe is your ticket to authentic Mexican flavor — right at home. Also known as quesabirria taco, this classic Mexican dish has been around for centuries, and it’s easy to see why! I first posted my recipe for this back in August of 2020 and have since refined it to this version.
Beef chuck roast is not only melt-in-your-mouth tender, but it’s also infused with the bold flavors of another Mexican classic: adobo sauce. Boasting ancho chiles, garlic, ginger, cloves, oregano, cumin, and more, my homemade adobo sauce recipe is a treasure unto itself!
Shredded birria is not only perfect for making birria tacos. You can add cheese to make a simple queso birria taco, or you can even enjoy birria in a bowl with extra consomme as a stew.
Don’t let the list of ingredients deter you from trying this. There are several steps, but I assure you, each one is worth the extra layer of flavor it delivers. In fact, the truly traditional way of preparing birria de res is a multi-day process, but today it’s 4 hours or even less if using my Instant Pot method (see recipe card).
For more taco recipes, check out my Navajo Tacos, Tacos Al Pastor, and these Chicken Mole Tacos.
Table of Contents
- Adobo Sauce – A very flavorful pureed sauce featuring guajillo and ancho chiles, garlic, vinegar, and loads of warming, aromatic spices.
- Meat – I prefer beef chuck roast for this recipe, but beef shank or short ribs are also great options. Actually, birria de res is traditionally made with goat or lamb, so feel free to incorporate either if it is available.
- Corn Tortillas – The traditional choice any taco, corn tortillas hold together better while infusing the dish with the sweet earthiness of corn.
- Consommé – A wildly tasty combination of meaty juices, adobo, roasted tomatoes, and garlic takes these tacos to the next level.
- Fixings – Birria tacos are best on traditional corn tortillas with a sprinkling of Oaxaca cheese and a bit of cilantro and fresh onion. For a tangier topping, try out these Pickled Red Onions.
- Make the adobo paste. You can make this up to 5 days ahead of time if you’d like. Just be sure to cover the container well and refrigerate.
- Soak the chiles. Dried chiles are very lightweight. Use a heavy plate to keep them submerged.
- Toast the spices. You’ll be toasting them in a dry pan. Watch them closely to prevent them from burning.
- Puree into a thick paste. Use 1 cup of the soaking liquid to puree and tap water to help get the right consistency if more is needed. Some people like to use all of the soaking liquid, but I think it adds a bitter taste.
- Sear and cook the meat. Sear the meat in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, which will causes it to steam rather than become browned.
- Place all the beef back into the pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves to the seared beef. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 4 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Fry the tortillas, add shredded meat, garnish and serve! Dip the tortillas in the consommé and pan fry them until they’re pliable. Then to make the birria tacos all you need to do is fill them with cheese, shredded birria and your favorite taco toppings.
- Serve with a bowl of consommé for dipping and enjoy the best birria tacos!
Birria de res has roots in Jalisco, Mexico. While commonly made with beef today, this rich and hearty chile pepper-infused stew meat is traditionally made with goat or lamb.
Birria tacos are intended to be on the wetter side, but nobody likes a soggy tortilla!
First of all, be sure you are adequately straining the liquid out of the meat. This stew-like birria taco recipe is incredibly juicy by nature. Take the time to gently press down and remove as much liquid as possible.
Secondly, when dipping your tortillas in the consomme before pan frying, aim for the top layer of liquid with the most fat. This will set you up for crispy, perfectly pan-fried birria tacos every time!
Absolutely! I give instructions to oven bake in the recipe card below. Preheat oven to 375°F and give yourself 4 hours!
Shredded Oaxaca cheese, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack work the best.
Almost all corn tortillas are naturally gluten free. The same goes for most hard taco shells, but there are always exceptions, so it’s important to read labels before consuming.
To shorten what is otherwise a 4 hour process, this recipe skips the braising. Instead, we pressure cook the meat, which locks the flavor into the meat. Instant Pot birria cooks in less than 30 minutes! If you prefer a Slow Cooker method, cook on High for 4 hours or until meat is easily shredded.
Other Mexican Taco Recipes
If you like this birria recipe, try Yucatan pork. It’s prepared in a similar way, and the meat is just as tender and flavorful.
Or, here are some other recipes that you can use to make tacos:
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Birria Tacos Recipe (Quesabirria Tacos)
Ingredients
Adobo Paste
- 10 dried guajillo chiles
- 10 dried ancho chiles
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp whole cloves (or 1/2 tsp ground cloves)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 roma (plum) tomatoes halved
- 1 4-inch cinnamon stick (broken) (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder)
- 4 tsp dried thyme
- 4 tsp Mexican oregano or regular oregano
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
Birria
- 5-6 lbs beef chuck roast (See Note 1)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- adobo paste (see above)
- 1 white onion peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups water (or beef broth)
Serving
- 16 corn tortillas
- 1 lb Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack (shredded)
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 medium white onion diced
- Quick pickled red onion optional
- Escabeche Rojo optional
Instructions
Adobo Paste
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles and break into pieces. Transfer dried chiles to a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and set chiles aside. Reserve 1 cup soaking liquid.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat toast the sesame seeds, peppercorns and cloves. Sesame seeds should be a light brown and spices aromatic.
- Transfer toasted seeds and spices, garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, thyme, oregano, ginger and cumin, drained chiles, 1 cup soaking liquid and vinegar to a blender and puree. Add water as needed for a smooth, thick paste consistency. Strain through a sieve and discard any debris if needed (I use a Vitamix that does a great job, so no need to strain).
Birria
Oven Cooking Option
- Preheat oven to 375°F. This can be made on the stovetop as well (see below), but I feel the oven method works better for a more even cooking.
- Season beef all over liberally with salt and pepper. Sear meat all over in a Dutch oven with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to over crowding pot.
- Place all the beef back into the pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves to the seared beef. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Place in lower rack of oven and cook for 4 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the meat, reserving the cooking liquid (consommé), and shred with 2 forks. Add 2 cups water or beef broth to cooking pot and stir if needed to thin it down to broth consistency after cooking 4 hours.
Stove Top Option
- Season beef all over liberally with salt and pepper. Sear meat all over in a Dutch oven with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to over crowding pot.
- Place all the beef back into the pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves to the seared beef. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 4 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the meat, reserving the cooking liquid (consommé), and shred with 2 forks. Add 2 cups water or beef broth to cooking pot and stir if needed to thin it down to broth consistency after cooking 4 hours.
Serve
- Dip tortilla in consommé and pan fry, turning to cook both sides. Add some birria and shredded Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack to each tortilla to melt.
- Top with cilantro, onion and optional pickled onions. Using a spatula, fold tortilla in half for taco and remove from pan. Serve with a cup of the consommé to dip the tacos in. Tear tacos in half and dip into consommé.
Quesabirria Tacos
- For Quesabirria tacos dip tortilla in consommé and pan fry, turning to cook both sides, 30 seconds. Add a few tablespoons of cheese to the tortilla and flip to melt the cheese for the outside of the taco (it will get crispy).
- Add some birria, shredded cheese, cilantro and onion to half the tortilla. Using a spatula, carefully scrape cheesy side up and over filling – essentially folding tortilla in half. Press gently and remove from pan. Serve with a cup of the consommé to dip the tacos in. Tear tacos in half and dip into consommé.
Instant Pot Option
- Set to Saute setting. Season beef all over liberally with salt and pepper. Sear meat all over with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to over crowding pot.
- Place all seared meat into the Instant Pot along with onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Cook on Meat/Stew setting, High, for 45 minutes. Allow for Natural steam release. If you prefer a Slow Cooker method, cook on High for 4 hours or until meat is easily shredded.
- Remove the meat, reserving the cooking liquid (consommé), and shred with 2 forks. Add 2 cups water or beef broth to cooking pot and stir if needed to thin it down to broth consistency.
Notes
- Birria is traditionally made with goat or lamb. Some recipes use beef, chicken or pork. Beef shank or short ribs work well too. If using beef short ribs, purchase 8 pounds total weight. For lamb, loin chops, leg or shoulder are great.
- Thin with water, not the soaking liquid, as I find it gets too bitter.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
If i want to half this recipe, what should the cooking time for the instant pot be??
Generally speaking Rachel, the cook time will remain the same for the recipe whether you are making a full batch or a half batch. Here is a great post with more info if you’re interested.
These were absolutely fantastic. Pretty hard to come across the dried Mexican chillies in Melbourne so I had to use another variety, but it still came out so well. Thanks!
Appreciate you coming back to let me know Aaron. Glad this worked for you. Which dried chiles did you use?
Hi Kevin, they were dried red Kashmiri chillies. I’m sure it’d be better with the right Mexican kind, but this was still delicious!
Is there any way you can cook it on stove top?
Definitely Merissa. Cook for 3-5 hours (depending on meat used), or until the meat is very tender and pulls easily with a fork. I would stir it occasionally, too. While placing it in the oven allows for a more even heat as it circulates all around the dutch oven.
These were great, but I found that both the beef and the consomme needed seasoning.
I find these quite flavorful, but a season to taste with salt never hurts to make it your own. Thanks for giving these a go Michael.
Made this over the weekend and I must say it was incredible. I finally feel like I made a authentic Mexican dish. I used chuck roast due to beef short ribs being out of site expensive and impossible to find right now. Came out great. Thank You
SO glad you enjoyed the birria, Gary and thank you for rating the recipe. I completely understand why you wouldn’t use short ribs right now. Expensive is an understatement. 😉