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Beef Birria Tacos (Birria de Res)

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PREP TIME
20 min
COOKING TIME
225 min
TOTAL TIME
255 min
SERVINGS
18 servings
Dinner Mexican
Beef Birria Tacos (Birria de Res)
Ingredients
  • 6 dried guajillo chile peppers, seeded
  • 4 dried chile de arbol peppers, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
  • 4 medium Roma tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch ground cumin
  • 1 pinch ground thyme
  • 1 pinch dried marjoram
  • 1 pinch dried oregano
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 4 pounds beef chuck roast
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 18 corn tortillas
  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup shredded queso asadero (white Mexican cheese)
Instructions
1
Gather all necessary ingredients and equipment before proceeding. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
2
Begin preparing the sauce by adding guajillo, arbol, and ancho chile peppers to the boiling water; allow them to simmer for 5 minutes.
3
Once the pot has cooled, remove it from the heat and let the peppers soak until they are no longer hot. Drain the peppers, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water that was used.
4
Meanwhile, prepare the meat: Rinse beef and pat it dry with paper towels. If desired, cut the beef into smaller pieces and season with salt and pepper.
5
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until it is browned on all sides, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the beef from the heat.
6
While the beef is cooking, continue with the sauce: Line a heavy cast-iron skillet or griddle with aluminum foil and place it over high heat. Arrange tomatoes in a single layer on top. Cook until the tomato skin is charred on all sides and begins to peel, about 3 to 5 minutes.
7
Place the cooled chile peppers into a blender. Add vinegar, garlic, 2 teaspoons black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and salt in the blender. Pour in the reserved 1/4 cup of chile water and blend until smooth.
8
Strain the chile sauce through a mesh strainer and pour it over the browned meat in the Dutch oven, making sure to cover the roast completely with sauce; cover with a lid.
9
Bake in the preheated oven, basting the meat every 45 minutes with sauce, until birria begins to fall apart, approximately 3 to 4 hours. Remove the lid and bake, uncovered, until birria is crispy on top, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover with 2 layers of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes.
10
Remove the meat to a cutting board and strain off any excess fat from the sauce. Shred the meat with two forks, then return it to the pot and stir with the sauce to combine.
11
Assemble and heat tacos: Fill each tortilla with birria and top with Mexican cheese, chopped onion, and cilantro. Warm tortillas on a griddle, flipping until both sides are crispy and cheese is melted.
12
Serve with extra sauce on the side for dipping.