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Merry

Crispy Birria Tacos with Dipping Sauce

Birria is a traditional Mexican dish known for its tender, slow-cooked meat and deeply flavorful broth. Made with a blend of dried chiles, aromatic spices, and slow-simmered beef, this dish is comforting, hearty, and packed with bold flavors. Enjoy it as a stew or use the meat to make crispy, cheesy birria tacos with a side of rich consommé for dipping.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 -8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 pounds beef chuck roast cut into chunks
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles seeds removed
  • 3 dried ancho chiles seeds removed
  • 2 dried chiles de árbol seeds removed
  • 1 large white onion quartered
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 Roma tomatoes halved
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Corn tortillas for serving
  • Chopped fresh cilantro diced onions, and lime wedges, for garnish

Method
 

  1. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Add guajillo, ancho, and chiles de árbol, letting them soften for 10 minutes.
  2. Transfer the softened chiles to a blender, along with the onion, garlic, tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until smooth.
  3. Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, sear the beef on all sides over medium-high heat until browned.
  4. Place the seared beef in a slow cooker. Pour the blended chile sauce over the meat, add the bay leaves, and pour in the remaining beef broth.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours (or high for 4-5 hours) until the beef is tender and shreds easily.
  6. Remove the beef from the broth, shred it with two forks, and return it to the consommé to soak up the flavors.
  7. Serve as a stew or use the shredded meat for birria tacos, garnishing with cilantro, diced onions, and fresh lime juice.

Notes

  • For a milder version, reduce the amount of chiles de árbol.
  • If you don’t have a slow cooker, simmer the birria on the stovetop for 3-4 hours over low heat.
  • The broth (consommé) is perfect for dipping tacos or enjoying as a soup.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

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