Birria Tacos Recipe (Birria De Res)

These savory and juicy Birria tacos are simply THE best! Birria de res is a chili pepper-based meat adobo made from garlic, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and thyme, and cooked at a low heat until the meat is tender and falls apart. The resulting braising liquid is the consommé that the tortillas are dipped in then fried and stuffed with the birria meat, cheese, onions and cilantro. Make this birria taco recipe for authentic Mexican tacos!

What is Birria de Res?

Birria is a hearty red stew, originating from Jalisco, Mexico, and traditionally made with lamb or goat.

Traditionally, the meat marinates in a rich adobo sauce, then it’s braised in banana leaves and soaked in more sauce for serving. To shorten what is otherwise a multi-day 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!

Because both lamb and goat can be expensive and are more difficult to find, it’s become common for people to use beef instead. Regardless of the meat used (beef shank, beef chuck or beef short ribs), each bite of this dish is full of flavor from the chiles and spices used throughout the cooking process.

Difference between birria and barbacoa

The traditional cooking method for both birria and barbacoa beef is the same – lamb or goat is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground oven until tender.

However, barbacoa is essentially just cooked meat, while birria also flavors the meat by submerging it in a spiced sauce. The end result is a stew that can be eaten as-is, served with rice, or pan fried in tortillas dipped in the sauce created when cooking.

Add cheese to the tortilla and you have Quesabirria Tacos!

Ingredients for Birria Tacos

• Beef chuck roast – For a less expensive option, use beef shank or short ribs. Keep in mind though, you’ll need to purchase more per weight to have the same amount of meat at the end.
  
• Ancho chiles– If you don’t have enough ancho chiles, you can use a combination of ancho and guajillo chiles. Just be sure to use 20 chiles total. Watch the video in the recipe card and you’ll see that I used 16 ancho and 4 guajillo chiles.
  
• Cascabel chiles – These round chiles are bright or deep red in color, with a sweet flavor. You can find them at most Mexican markets. Otherwise, guajillo chiles are the closest substitute.
  
• Mexican oregano – While any oregano you have on hand will do just fine, this particular variety is preferred. It has notes of citrus and licorice, as opposed to mint, which is in traditional (Mediterranean) oregano. This variety creates a more authentic Mexican flavor in the adobo.
  
• Herbs, Spices and Seeds – Black peppercorns, cloves, ground cumin, ginger, thyme, bay leaves and sesame seeds.

Video: Making Birria de Res

Birria de res does take quite a bit of prep work but the flavor of this authentic dish is worth the effort! To see the process from start to finish, watch the video located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Birria Tacos

1. 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 fresh water as needed to get the right consistency. Some people like to use the soaking liquid, but I think it has a bitter taste.

2. 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.
NOTE: Searing is optional but it results in juicier birria.

3. Make the consommé.

This is what you’ll dip the tortillas into before pan frying. You can make the consommé up to 3 days ahead of time if you’d like.

4. 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!

Storing and Reheating Birria de Res

• Storage – Keep leftover meat and sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Or, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
  
• Reheating – Heat in the microwave on medium power so the meat doesn’t dry out, or simmer in a pot on the stove until warmed through.

Birria Tacos Recipe FAQ

What cheese should I use?

Shredded Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack work the best.

Are Birria tacos Gluten-Free?

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.

Why use an Instant Pot for Birria Tacos?

To shorten what is otherwise a multi-day 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:

• Mojo carne asada
• Tinga de pollo
• Al pastor
• Instant Pot chicken mole

The Best Birria Tacos (Birria De Res Recipe) + Video

These savory Birria Tacos start with my Birria de res recipe, tender beef in a rich adobo sauce, served in fried tortillas and beef consomme.

5 from 24 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinners

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 794kcal

Author: Kevin Is Cooking

Ingredients

Adobo Sauce

• 20 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded (See Note 1)
• 8 cloves garlic
• 6 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cloves
• 4 tsp thyme
• 4 tsp Mexican oregano or regular oregano
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup vinegar

Birria

• 6 lbs beef chuck roast (See Note 2)
• 3 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 adobo paste (see above)
• 1 white onion peeled and cut into quarters
• 6 garlic cloves
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns

Consommé

• 12 cascabel chiles stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 adobo paste (see above)
• 28 oz roasted tomatoes
• 3 cloves garlic

Serving

• 16 corn tortillas
• 1 lb Oaxaca cheese (shredded) or Monterey Jack
• 1 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 medium white onion diced
• pickled red onions optional

Instructions

Adobo Sauce

• 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.
• In a skillet over medium high heat toast the garlic, bay leaves, sesame seeds, peppercorns and cloves. Sesame seeds should be a light brown and spices aromatic.
• Transfer toasted garlic and spices, thyme, oregano, ginger and cumin, drained chiles, water and vinegar to a blender and puree. Add water as needed for a smooth, thick paste consistency (See Note 3). Strain through a sieve and discard any debris if needed (I use a Vitamix that does a great job, so no need to strain). This can be made 1 week in advance stored covered in refrigerator.

Birria

• Season lamb or beef all over liberally with salt. Searing meat first is optional (I prefer the browned meat myself, but to save time skip this step). Sear meat all over in a Dutch oven or large skillet with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to over crowding pot.
• Remove meat if seared and or place salted meat into the Instant Pot along with onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Pour in half of 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, and shred. Transfer shredded meat back into the Instant Pot and cover to keep warm. Set reserved cooking liquid aside.
• To a skillet over medium high heat, add the cascabel chiles. Cook and turn often, chiles should turn a bright red color, for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, roasted tomatoes and remaining half of the adobo paste and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Transfer tomato chile mixture and half of the reserved cooking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a sieve and discard any debris if needed.
• To the Instant Pot add half the strained chile puree to the shredded meat. Set to Saute and cook meat and chile sauce, uncovered for 20 minutes.

Consommé

• Add the remaining half the strained chile puree to the remaining half of the reserved cooking liquid, this is your consommé for dipping. Thin with water or beef stock if needed.

Serve

• Dip tortilla in consommé and pan fry with some oil, turning to cook both sides. Add some birria and shredded Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack to each tortilla to warm. Using a spatula, remove from pan and top with cilantro, onion and pickled onions (optional). Serve with a cup of the consummé to dip the tacos in. Tear tacos in half and dip into sauce. Can be eaten as a stew as well.

Oven Cooking Option

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Season meat liberally all over with salt. Searing meat first is optional (I prefer the browned meat myself, but to save time skip this step). Sear all sides of meat in Dutch oven with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to overcrowding the pot.
• Add all meat, onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns to Dutch oven. Pour in half of the adobo sauce and cover with water by 1 inch. Cover with lid and transfer to oven. Bake for 3-5 hours (depending on meat used), or until the meat is very tender and pulls easily with a fork.
• Remove meat, reserving the cooking liquid, and shred. Transfer shredded meat back into the Dutch oven and cover to keep warm. Set reserved cooking liquid aside.
• To a skillet over medium high heat, add the cascabel chiles. Cook and turn often, chiles should turn a bright red color, for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, roasted tomatoes and remaining half of the adobo paste and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Transfer tomato chile mixture and half of the reserved cooking liquid to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a sieve and discard any debris if needed.
• To the Dutch oven add half the strained chile puree to the shredded meat. Simmer meat and chile sauce, uncovered for 20 minutes.

Consommé

• Add the remaining half of strained chile puree to the remaining half of the reserved cooking liquid, this is your consommé for dipping.

Serve

• Dip tortilla in consommé and pan fry with some oil, turning to cook both sides. Add some birria and shredded Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack to each tortilla to warm. Using a spatula, remove from pan and top with cilantro, onion and pickled onions (optional). Serve with a cup of the consummé to dip the tacos in. Tear tacos in half and dip into sauce. Can be eaten as a stew as well.

Notes

1. If you do not have enough ancho chiles, you can also use guajillo chiles, just be sure to use 20 chiles total (as seen in video; I used 16 ancho and 4 guajillo chiles).
2. Birria is traditionally made with lamb or goat. 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.
3. Thin with water, not the soaking liquid, as it gets too bitter.

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 794kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 1296mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 11872IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 7mg

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