If you love taco recipes, you have to try Tacos Al Pastor, Korean Beef Tacos, Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos, or Salmon Tacos!
Ingredients Needed:
Sauce Ingredients: Dried chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and spices. Beef: I like a combination of bone-in short ribs and chuck roast. Corn Tortillas: use my recipe to make your own or buy soft white or yellow corn tortillas. Oaxaca Cheese: The most authentic choice and melts perfectly. Mozzarella and Monterey jack cheese are good substitutes. White Onion: chopped finely. Red onion would also work. Cilantro and lime: for a must-have garnish. Optional Homemade Hot Salsa: the best way to elevate these tacos even more! You’ll need dried pasilla chiles and arbol chiles, tomatillos, garlic, onion, salt & pepper.
How to make Birria Tacos (in a nutshell):
Prep Meat and Chiles: Trim fat from roast and cut into a few large pieces. Use gloves to remove stems and seeds from chiles. This recipe isn’t difficult, but if you’re taking the time to make homemade birria tacos you may as well double the batch and freeze the leftovers for another meal. You can also make beef birria a few days ahead of time, so it’s ready to go for you tacos. Make Sauce: It comes together quickly and simmers for 15 minutes before blending smooth, and straining it back into the pot, to cook the meat. Add Beef and cook until tender, about 2 ½ hours. Assemble Tacos: Dip corn tortillas in the broth, top with shredded meat, cheese, onion, and cilantro, then fry that beauty until crispy. Serve quesabirria tacos with a cup of consommé broth for dipping.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The birria meat and broth can be made a few days in advance, stored in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to assemble and serve. To Freeze: Store leftover beef birria and broth in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then warm and assemble your tacos.
Recipe Variations:
Chicken Birria Tacos: Make the broth as instructed, and instead of adding beef, add bone-in, skinless chicken thighs to the sauce. Cook chicken for 30 minutes, or until tender and cooked through. Shred chicken and assemble and serve tacos as instructed. Crockpot Birria Tacos: Make broth, as instructed, then add to slow cooker with beef. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until meat is tender. Assemble tacos as instructed.
Serve Quesabirria tacos with:
Elote (Mexican Corn) Authentic Mexican Rice Borracho Beans Charro Beans Horchata Sopapillas Tres Leches Cake
I originally shared this recipe May 2022. Updated October 2024.
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