• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok

Jo Cooks

Simple - Easy - Comfort

  • All Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
      • Appetizers
      • Lunch
      • Dinner
      • Desserts
      • Side Dishes
      • Soups
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches
      • Drinks/Cocktails
      • Sauces & Dressings
    • Method
      • Crockpot
      • Instant Pot
      • One Pot
      • Air Fryer
      • Casseroles
    • Season
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
      • Winter
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
      • Italian
      • Mexican
      • European
      • Indian
      • Romanian
      • Mediterranean
      • Middle Eastern
      • American
    • Ingredient
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Beef
      • Seafood
      • Lamb
      • Vegetarian
      • Pasta
      • Spices
    • Holiday
      • Christmas
      • Easter
      • Thanksgiving
      • Game Day
      • Valentine's Day
      • St. Patrick's Day
      • Cinco de Mayo
      • Mother's Day
      • Memorial Day
      • Father's Day
      • 4th Of July
      • Labor Day
      • Halloween
    • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
    • The Big Book of Jo’s Quick and Easy Meals
    • 30-Minute One-Pot Meals
  • Shop
  • About Jo
FREE recipe eBook!
Search...
All Recipes
Instant Pot
30 Minute
One Pot Meals
Soups
Dips & Dressings
Baking
Pasta
Sandwiches
Sides
Lunch Dinner Beef Mexican
4.8 from 12 votes

Birria Tacos

Jump to RecipeVideoPrintRate
By: Joanna Cismaru •5/5/23 Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

pin for birria tacos.

These Birria Tacos have an incredible depth of flavor made with a combination of two meats slowly cooked in an incredible chili-spiced sauce. With my easy recipe, you’ll master the art of making beef birria! Although you’ll need some time to make these, they’re pretty simple to do, plus you’ll have lots of leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.

a few birria tacos on a platter with a bowl of birria sauce.
Table of Contents Open
  • The Best Beef Birria Tacos
  • Why You Should Make These Birria Tacos
  • Ingredients You’ll Need
    • For Beef Birria
    • For Tacos
  • How To Make Birria Tacos
    • Prep The Ingredients
    • Cook The Meat
    • Assemble Birria Tacos
  • What Is Beef Birria?
  • Can I Cook The Beef Birria In An Instant Pot?
  • Beef Birria In The Slow Cooker
  • Are Birria Tacos Spicy?
  • How To Serve Birria Tacos
    • 3 Ingredient Mexican Rice
    • Mexican Street Corn Salad
    • Homemade Salsa
    • Pico de Gallo Recipe
  • Expert Tips
  • Leftovers
  • More Must Try Taco Recipes
  • Birria Tacos
    • Video
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Equipment
    • Notes
    • Nutrition Information
  • Did You Make This?

The Best Beef Birria Tacos

Have I got a treat for you today! While I usually love giving you my quick and easy recipes, sometimes I love to give you guys something different, like this beef birria. Although this recipe will take you a bit of time, it’s really not that difficult to make. But what I love about this recipe the most, is that you end up with lots of leftovers!

I love challenging you guys sometimes, because it’s these times when you get to discover something incredible. Trust me, if you make this recipe, you will fall in love with this type of dish. What’s there not to love about slowly cooked beef in the most incredible sauce that has the most depth of flavor you’ll ever try!

a hand dipping a birria taco in sauce.

Why You Should Make These Birria Tacos

  • Ultimate Flavor. It’s the slow cooking, the incredible ingredients and all the love you’ll put into making this dish, that will give you the most flavorful beef you’ll ever taste.
  • Lots Of Leftovers. Not only can you make lots of tacos with this meat, but you can make burritos, quesadillas or even enjoy it as a stew/soup.
  • Incredibly Satisfying. And I don’t mean just getting your belly full, I’m talking about feeling satisfied for making such a spectacular dish! Your family will love you!

Ingredients You’ll Need

For Beef Birria

overhead shot of ingredients needed to make birria tacos.
  • Beef – You’ll want to use two different cuts of meat such as beef short ribs and chuck roast. You’ll get the most flavor this way. You can also use lamb if you wish, such as lamb shanks, lamb shoulder or leg.
  • Dried Chiles – You’ll need dried Ancho chiles and dried Guajillo chiles. I find them on amazon, but sometimes you can even find them at your local grocery stores. This is where a lot of that depth of flavor comes from.
  • Onion And Garlic – You’ll need lots of onion and garlic for extra flavor.
  • Spices And Herbs – I used cloves, a cinnamon stick, paprika, black peppercorns, ground coriander, bay leaves and Mexican oregano. I recommend using Mexican oregano in this recipe for a more authentic taste. Mexican oregano has lemon and citrus flavors with some tones of licorice. Regular oregano is slightly sweet with bitter and peppery notes. You can also use coriander seeds instead of ground, you’ll just have to toast them with the rest of the spices.
  • Tomato Paste – I love adding tomato paste to sauces/stews like this because it really can intensify and deepen umami flavors.
  • Salt – You’ll need lots of coarse salt to season your meat with and also for the sauce.

For Tacos

overhead shot of various toppings for birria tacos.

Obviously, you can make your tacos how you like but here are my recommendations.

  • Tortillas – Corn tortillas are probably best, but flour tortillas will work as well.
  • Limes – Squeezing some lime juice on the final tacos will really take these birria tacos to a whole new level.
  • Oaxaca Cheese – This is a Mexican cheese but it’s quite similar to mozzarella cheese, so if you can’t easily find it, don’t worry about it. Mozzarella works just fine.
  • Red Onions – Or green onions.
  • Cilantro – What’s a good Mexican taco without some fresh cilantro.
  • Radishes – Slice up some radishes for some extra crunch.

How To Make Birria Tacos

process shots showing how to prep ingredients for making birria tacos.

Prep The Ingredients

  1. Prep The Beef. Place the chuck roast and short ribs on a baking sheet and generously season it with salt all around. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Prep The Peppers. Add the ancho and guajillo chillies to a pot with boiling water. Cover with lid and let them soak for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Transfer the chillies to a cutting board and carefully remove the seeds and stems. Set aside. I recommend using gloves.
  3. Toast The Spices. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and cloves. Toast for about 2 minutes or until aromatic. Transfer them to a spice grinder or blender including the bay leaves and blend into a fine powder.
  4. Sear The Beef. In a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chilled meat to the Dutch oven and sear on all sides until golden brown, working in batches. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
process shots showing how to cook the meat for birria tacos.

Cook The Meat

  1. Cook Onion And Garlic. In the same Dutch oven add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
  2. Add Remaining Ingredients And Cook. To the Dutch oven, add the tomato paste, the ground spices, oregano, lemon juice and chiles. Add the meat back to the pot, pour in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
  3. Prep The Oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  4. Blend The Chiles. Carefully remove the chiles from the pot using tongs and place them in a blender with a couple cups of the broth from the Dutch oven. Blend until smooth. Pour this pepper mixture back into the Dutch oven and stir well.
  5. Cook Beef In The Oven. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat shreds easily with 2 forks.
process shots showing how to assemble birria tacos.

Assemble Birria Tacos

  1. Shred The Beef. Transfer the meat from the Dutch oven using tongs to a large bowl. Reserve the broth (this is called consommé). Shred the beef using 2 forks. Set aside. Strain the consommé through a sieve.
  2. Fry Tacos. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Dip a tortilla into the consommé then place it in the skillet. Top with some shredded Oaxaca cheese, and shredded beef. Fold the taco in half then flip it over to cook until the cheese melts, another 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Serve And Enjoy. Serve tacos with leftover consommé topped with some red onion, cilantro and a wedge of lime.
shredded beef for birria tacos in a plate.

What Is Beef Birria?

Beef Birria is a really popular Mexican dish that is usually made with lamb or beef. It consists of slowly cooked meat with lots of spices and herbs. It’s served a few different ways. One is as tacos and another way is as a stew or soup, known as a “consommé”. The meat is shredded and served in the soup with toppings some as cilantro and onion.

Can I Cook The Beef Birria In An Instant Pot?

Absolutely! As a matter of fact, if you want to save some time, the Instant Pot or any pressure cooker is perfect for cooking this beef birria. Simply prep the ingredients as directed, including searing the beef directly in the instant pot or in a pan or skillet. Add the rest of the ingredients and secure the Instant Pot lid and turn the valve from VENT to SEAL. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then let the pressure release for 15 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure. That’s it, shred the beef and serve it as instructed.

Beef Birria In The Slow Cooker

The slow cooker is another great option to cook this beef. It will take about 8 hours on low, or 4 to 6 hours on high. You’ll also need to sear the beef first and follow all the other steps as directed.

Are Birria Tacos Spicy?

Surprisingly they are just slightly spicy and have an earthy and smoky flavor. I think it all depends on how well you remove the seeds from the dried peppers. I did a really good job in removing all the seeds, because I can’t handle a lot of spice, so my tacos just had a hint of spice. If you like them spicy, leave more seeds on or just add some hot chili powder or cayenne pepper to the sauce.

a few birria tacos on a platter with a bowl of birria sauce.

How To Serve Birria Tacos

freshly made mexican rice in a skillet garnished with cilantro.
20 minutes mins

3 Ingredient Mexican Rice

mexican street corn salad in a bowl garnished with cilantro and cotija cheese.
20 minutes mins

Mexican Street Corn Salad

side view shot of a hand scooping up some salsa on a tortilla chip
25 minutes mins

Homemade Salsa

a hand lifting some pico de gallo with a tortilla chip.
20 minutes mins

Pico de Gallo Recipe

Expert Tips

  1. Leftover beef birria is perfect for not only tacos, but on burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc.
  2. The cooking time can vary on many different factors such as your oven, which cut of beef you used or what pot you used. Dutch ovens cook faster because they can retain heat better, but if you don’t have one, make sure to use an oven safe pot with a lid.
  3. While making tacos, keep them warm in a preheated oven at 200°F on a baking sheet. As you make them, add them to your baking sheet in the oven.

Leftovers

Bring the birria and consommé to room temperature before storing it in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat over medium heat until warmed through. If the beef birria seems dry, add some of the consommé to it.

a few birria tacos on a platter with a bowl of birria sauce.

More Must Try Taco Recipes

  • Steak Tacos
  • Easy Ground Beef Tacos
  • Fish Tacos
  • Cajun Shrimp Tacos
  • Breakfast Beer Braised Pork Tacos
  • Mexican Beer Chicken Tacos
  • Barbacoa
  • Tacos Al Pastor
  • Chicken Tacos

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

a few birria tacos on a platter with a bowl of birria sauce.
4.84 from 12 votes

Birria Tacos

Prep 30 minutes minutes
Cook 4 hours hours
Total 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
12
Rate Recipe Print Recipe
These Birria Tacos have an incredible depth of flavor made with a combination of two meats slowly cooked in an incredible chili-spiced sauce. With my easy recipe, you'll master the art of making beef birria! Although you'll need some time to make these, they're pretty simple to do, plus you'll have lots of leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.
Prevent your screen from going dark

Video

Ingredients

  • 2 pound beef chuck roast (boneless, cut into big 2-inch cubes)
  • 2 pound beef short rib (about 4 pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 6 ancho chiles (dried)
  • 6 guajillo chiles (dried)
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 6 bay leaves
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 6 cloves garlic (sliced)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 8 cups water
  • salt (to taste)

For Tacos

  • 24 smal corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)
  • 4 cups oaxaca cheese (shredded, or mozzarella cheese)
  • 1 large red onion (chopped)
  • 6 radishes (sliced)
  • 2 limes (cut in wedges)
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • Prep The Beef. Place the chuck roast and short ribs on a baking sheet and generously season it with salt all around. Transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Prep The Peppers. Add the ancho and guajillo chillies to a pot with boiling water. Cover with lid and let them soak for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Transfer the chillies to a cutting board and carefully remove the seeds and stems. Set aside. I recommend using gloves.
  • Toast The Spices. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and cloves. Toast for about 2 minutes or until aromatic. Transfer them to a spice grinder or blender including the bay leaves and blend into a fine powder.
  • Sear The Beef. In a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chilled meat to the Dutch oven and sear on all sides until golden brown, working in batches. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
  • Cook Onion And Garlic. In the same Dutch oven add the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
  • Add Remaining Ingredients And Cook. To the Dutch oven, add the tomato paste, the ground spices, oregano, lemon juice and chiles. Add the meat back to the pot, pour in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for salt and adjust as necessary.
  • Prep The Oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  • Blend The Chiles. Carefully remove the chiles from the pot using tongs and place them in a blender with a couple cups of the broth from the Dutch oven. Blend until smooth. Pour this pepper mixture back into the Dutch oven and stir well.
  • Cook Beef In The Oven. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to the preheated oven. Cook for 2 to 3 hours or until the meat shreds easily with 2 forks.
  • Shred The Beef. Transfer the meat from the Dutch oven using tongs to a large bowl. Reserve the broth (this is called consommé). Shred the beef using 2 forks. Set aside. Strain the consommé through a sieve.
  • Fry Tacos. Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Dip a tortilla into the consommé then place it in the skillet. Top with some shredded Oaxaca cheese, and shredded beef. Fold the taco in half then flip it over to cook until the cheese melts, another 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Serve And Enjoy. Serve tacos with leftover consommé topped with some red onion, cilantro and a wedge of lime.

Equipment

  • Ninja 72 oz Countertop Blender
  • 6 Quart Dutch Oven

Notes

  1. Leftover beef birria is perfect for not only tacos, but on burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc.
  2. The cooking time can vary on many different factors such as your oven, which cut of beef you used or what pot you used. Dutch ovens cook faster because they can retain heat better, but if you don’t have one, make sure to use an oven safe pot with a lid.
  3. While making tacos, keep them warm in a preheated oven at 200°F on a baking sheet. As you make them, add them to your baking sheet in the oven.
  4. Bring the birria and consommé to room temperature before storing it in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat over medium heat until warmed through. If the beef birria seems dry, add some of the consommé to it.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2tacosCalories: 602kcal (30%)Carbohydrates: 22g (7%)Protein: 45g (90%)Fat: 38g (58%)Saturated Fat: 23g (144%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 113mg (38%)Sodium: 2018mg (88%)Potassium: 903mg (26%)Fiber: 7g (29%)Sugar: 9g (10%)Vitamin A: 5291IU (106%)Vitamin C: 13mg (16%)Calcium: 100mg (10%)Iron: 4mg (22%)

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

a few birria tacos on a platter with a bowl of birria sauce.

Did You Make This?

We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @jocooks or hashtag #jocooks so we can see your creations!

Rate Recipe
Add Your Photo!
  • 184
Home Recipes
Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Through Jo Cooks, I invite you to join me in my kitchen as we explore delicious recipes from around the globe, celebrate the joy of cooking, and make every meal a memorable one. Happy cooking!

Read More
iPad showing title of ebook 30 recipes from around the world
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

guest
Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Please read and accept our website Terms and Privacy Policy to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

sidebar

Headshot of Joanna Cismaru

Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is the place where I share my passion for easy and delicious recipes. From comforting classics to global flavors, I believe that cooking should be fun, approachable, and most importantly, rewarding. Join me on this culinary journey and let’s get cooking!

Read More
Collage of recipe ebooks
Subscribe

Get our FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Pasta Favorites

baked mac and cheese in a black cast iron skillet.
45 minutes mins

Baked Mac And Cheese

freshly made crack chicken penne with a wooden spoon in a skillet.
40 minutes mins

Crack Chicken Penne

chicken pot pie pasta in a white serving bowl with a wooden serving spoon.
50 minutes mins

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

freshly made one pot pasta in a dutch oven.
20 minutes mins

One Pot Pasta

tomato spinach chicken pasta in a white bowl.
30 minutes mins

Tomato Spinach Chicken Pasta

homemade hamburger helper lasagna from scratch in a skillet.
30 minutes mins

One Pot Hamburger Helper Lasagna

baked feta pasta in a white bowl garnished with fresh basil.
50 minutes mins

Baked Feta Pasta (Tik Tok Pasta)

sideview shot of chicken fajita pasta in a white bowl with a fork inside
45 minutes mins

Chicken Fajita Pasta

side close up shot of swedish meatball pasta in a beige braised garnished with parsley
30 minutes mins

Swedish Meatball Pasta

overhead shot of a bowl of haluski
40 minutes mins

Haluski (Cabbage and Noodles)

A stack of cookbooks
Grab a copy!

My Cookbooks

Order Now: Amazon | Indigo | Barnes & Noble | Indie Bound | Books-A-Million

Dinner Favorites

smothered pork chops in a skillet garnished with parsley.
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Smothered Pork Chops

a wooden spoon lifting a salisbury steak out of the skillet
30 minutes mins

Salisbury Steak

beef lo mein in a black wok.
30 minutes mins

Beef Lo Mein

side shot of beef and broccoli in a skillet
15 minutes mins

Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

skillet shepherd's pie in a cast iron skillet with a portion taken out.
1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie

a serving spoon inside a skillet with chicken broccoli rice casserole.
30 minutes mins

One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole

side view shot of two italian stuffed peppers in a bowl
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Italian Stuffed Peppers

a serving of spaghetti bolognese in a white bowl garnished with parsley.
1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Spaghetti Bolognese

Facebook
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
TikTok
Visit our Other Site: Craving Home Cooked

Explore

Recipes
Cookbooks
About Jo
Contact

Legal

Privacy Policy
Accessibility
Disclaimers
© 2023 Jo Cooks
Site Credits
Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top
wpDiscuz