Beef Birria Tacos
Total Time Prep: 9 hrs.
Cook: 30 min.
Makes: 20 Tacos
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Ingredients
- 8 dried guajillo chiles, wiped clean and stems removed
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, wiped clean and stems removed
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, sliced in big pieces
- 1 medium white onion, halved, divided
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 roma tomato, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tablespoon chicken bouillon
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon whole cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 black peppercorns
- 20 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese or other melting cheese
- Toppings: chopped onion, chopped cilantro, radish slices and limes, for juicing
Directions
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Place the chile skins in a medium bowl and add 4 cups hot water to cover. Soak for 30 minutes or until skins are soft and tender.
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Place beef, half an onion and bay leaves in a 5-quart Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
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Place the remaining onion half, tomato, garlic, bouillon, oregano, cumin, thyme, peppercorns and soaked chiles with water in a blender. Blend until smooth.
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Run the red sauce through a fine mesh sieve into the Dutch oven with beef. Add 2 cups water and stir, making sure beef is submerged in red sauce.
Cover. Place in refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours. -
Cook beef (covered) over medium heat for 90 minutes or until the beef is tender enough to pull apart with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, remove garlic cloves, bay leaves and pieces of onion.
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Using two forks, pull the beef apart into bite-size pieces.
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To Make tacos:
- To start, dip an entire corn tortilla in the red chile broth.
- Transfer the dipped tortilla to a griddle, comal or skillet over medium heat. If you decide to make your birria tacos into quesabirria tacos, add 2-3 tablespoons of Oaxaca cheese to the tortilla.
- As soon as the cheese melts, top with shredded beef. Top the beef with chopped onion and cilantro.
- Fold tortilla over filling to make it into a taco.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Top with radish slices, a squeeze of lime and a side of red chile broth for dipping. Serve!