These birria tacos are crisp, cheesy corn tortillas stuffed with tender beef that has slowly braised in a deep red chile broth, served with a cup of that broth, the consommé, for dunking. This recipe makes six tacos, three for each of you, from one pound of beef in a small pot, so you get the full birria experience without a giant batch. The key is a smooth adobo of guajillo and ancho chiles and a long, gentle simmer, which turns an inexpensive chuck roast into meat that falls apart at a touch. I designed it as a weekend project for two that is mostly hands-off, with a very satisfying finish at the stove.
Why you’ll like it
- Made for two: 1 pound of beef chuck makes six generous tacos and enough consommé for two dipping cups.
- Real chile flavor: dried guajillo and ancho chiles give the broth its color and its fruity, smoky depth, with heat you control.
- One small pot: the beef browns, braises and becomes consommé in the same 3-quart saucepan.
- Mostly hands-off: about 20 minutes of prep, then the pot simmers quietly while you get on with your day.
- Easy to split over two days: braise the beef ahead and fry the tacos fresh when you are ready to eat.
What are birria tacos?
Birria is a slow-braised meat dish from the Mexican state of Jalisco, traditionally made with goat and now very often with beef. The meat cooks gently in a broth seasoned with dried chiles, garlic and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves and cumin until it is tender enough to shred.
Birria tacos, often called quesabirria, are the version that spread far beyond Mexico. Tortillas are dipped in the red fat that rises to the top of the braise, filled with cheese and shredded beef, folded and fried until crisp. The braising liquid becomes consommé, a rich broth served alongside for dipping each bite. That dunk is a big part of the appeal, and it is why this recipe saves plenty of broth.
What makes it work
A smooth chile adobo. Simmering the dried chiles for 10 minutes softens them so they blend completely with garlic, onion, tomato, oregano and cumin. A smooth purée seasons every strand of beef and gives the consommé its body and color.
Browning first. About 6 minutes of browning on all sides adds savory depth to the broth. Frying the chile purée in the same pan for 2 minutes deepens its flavor before the stock goes in.
A long, gentle simmer. Chuck is full of connective tissue, which is exactly what you want here. After 2 hours at a gentle, covered simmer it melts into the meat, so the beef shreds easily and stays juicy.
The red fat. The fat that floats to the top of the braise carries the chile flavor. Dipping the tortillas in it before frying makes them crisp, red and full of flavor.
How it’s sized for two
Most birria recipes braise two and a half to three pounds of beef in a large Dutch oven for a crowd. For two, 1 pound of chuck cut into four large chunks is the sweet spot: three tacos each, with a little beef left if someone is extra hungry.
The pot matters. In a big Dutch oven, a small amount of beef sits in a shallow puddle of liquid that reduces too fast. A 3-quart heavy saucepan keeps the chunks snug in one layer with the broth about halfway up, so they braise evenly. The chile amounts are rounded to whole chiles, two guajillo and one ancho, so you are not left with half a chile, and there is a little more stock than a straight third of a large recipe so the small pot does not run dry.
Ingredients for birria tacos
Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. These are the choices that matter most.
- Dried chiles: guajillo chiles are bright and fruity with mild heat; ancho chiles are sweet and smoky. The single chile de arbol is optional and adds real heat. Look for chiles that are pliable, not brittle.
- Beef chuck: a boneless chuck roast is affordable and becomes meltingly tender. Cut it into large chunks rather than small cubes so it stays juicy during the long braise.
- Tomato, onion and garlic: blended into the adobo for body and sweetness.
- Spices: oregano and cumin go into the adobo; whole cloves, a small cinnamon stick and a bay leaf perfume the broth and are removed before serving.
- Low-sodium beef stock: it becomes the consommé, so low-sodium lets you control the salt.
- Apple cider vinegar: a spoonful brightens the rich broth.
- Corn tortillas: small 6-inch corn tortillas hold up to dipping and frying.
- Melting cheese: Oaxaca cheese is traditional and stretchy; Monterey Jack melts beautifully too.
- To finish: diced white onion, cilantro and lime wedges.
How to make birria tacos
- Simmer the stemmed, seeded chiles until soft.
- Blend the chiles with soaking water, garlic, onion, tomato and spices.
- Brown the beef, then fry the chile purée in the same pot.
- Add the stock and whole spices and braise until the beef is tender.
- Shred the beef, skim the red fat and keep the consommé warm.
- Dip, fill, fold and fry the tortillas until crisp.
- Serve with lime and cups of consommé for dipping.
Step-by-step notes
Preparing the chiles. Snip off the stems, slit the chiles open and shake out the seeds. After 10 minutes of simmering they should be soft and pliable. Save a little of the soaking water to help the blender, and blend until no flecks of skin remain.
Checking the beef. After 2 hours, press a chunk with a fork. It should pull apart with almost no effort. If it resists, cover the pot and give it up to 30 minutes more, adding a splash of water if the liquid has dropped below halfway up the beef.
Skimming the fat. Once the beef is out, the red fat floats to the top of the broth. Tilt the pot and spoon it into a small bowl; this is what you dip the tortillas in. The broth left behind is your consommé.
Frying the tacos. Use medium heat so the cheese melts before the tortilla burns. After 2 to 3 minutes per side, the tortilla should be crisp with darker spots and the cheese should be melting out at the edges.
Tips for the best birria tacos
- Keep the simmer gentle. A few lazy bubbles are all you need; a hard boil makes the beef tough and stringy.
- Warm the tortillas first. A few seconds in a dry skillet makes stiff tortillas pliable so they fold without cracking.
- Fill only one half. Cheese and beef on one side make a neat fold and keep the filling from spilling into the pan.
- Fry two or three at a time. A crowded skillet steams the tortillas instead of crisping them.
- Taste the consommé. Add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime before serving if it needs it.
How to serve birria tacos
Set out two small cups of hot consommé, topped with a little diced onion and cilantro, next to the tacos. Each bite gets a dunk, so the broth soaks into the crisp tortilla and the melted cheese.
- Lime wedges to squeeze over the tacos and into the broth.
- Salsa or hot sauce if you like more heat.
- Simple sides: sliced radishes, a crunchy cabbage slaw or Mexican-style rice.
There is something special about sitting down to a plate of red, crackling tacos and two steaming cups of broth, and it turns an ordinary Saturday into a small celebration for two.
Making it ahead and storing leftovers
Birria is ideal for making ahead. Braise the beef and make the consommé a day early, then reheat them and fry the tacos fresh when you are ready to eat.
Refrigerate the beef and consommé separately in airtight containers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Reheat the beef until it is hot throughout (165°F) and bring the consommé to a boil before serving. Fried tacos are best eaten right away; they lose their crunch in the fridge.
A small pot of slow-braised beef, six crisp tacos and two cups of rich consommé: this is the kind of dinner worth a lazy afternoon. Pull up a chair and start dunking.
Frequently asked questions
What is a birria taco made of?
Shredded beef braised in a chile broth, melted cheese, onion and cilantro, folded into a corn tortilla that has been dipped in the red fat from the braise and fried until crisp. It is served with the braising broth, the consommé, for dipping.
What cut of meat is birria made of?
Traditionally goat, but beef is now the most common choice. Boneless chuck roast works best for this small batch because it turns tender and shreds easily after a long braise; boneless short ribs work too.
What are common mistakes to avoid when making birria?
Keep the simmer gentle and give the beef enough time to become fork-tender, blend the chile purée until completely smooth, and fry the tacos over medium heat so the cheese melts before the tortilla burns.
Can I make birria ahead?
Yes. Braise the beef and make the consommé up to a day ahead, refrigerate them separately, then reheat and fry the tacos just before serving.
Print
Birria Tacos for Two
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 6 tacos
Description
Birria tacos made for two: beef chuck braised in a guajillo and ancho chile broth, folded into cheesy corn tortillas, fried crisp and served with consommé for dipping.
Ingredients
- 2 dried guajillo chiles
- 1 dried ancho chile
- 1 dried chile de arbol (optional, for heat)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 small white onion, plus 1/4 cup diced white onion for serving
- 1 Roma tomato, quartered
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican if you have it)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut into 4 large chunks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef stock
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 whole cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick and 1 bay leaf
- 6 corn tortillas (6-inch)
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Simmer them in a small saucepan of water for 10 minutes, until soft. Reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking water and drain the chiles.
- Blend the chiles, the reserved soaking water, the garlic, the 1/4 small onion, the tomato, oregano and cumin until completely smooth.
- Season the beef with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Heat the oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides, about 6 minutes. Pour in the chile purée (stand back, it spatters) and stir for 2 minutes.
- Add the beef stock, vinegar, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat at a gentle simmer for 2 hours, turning the beef once. If a fork does not shred it easily, simmer up to 30 minutes more, adding a splash of water if the liquid drops below halfway up the beef.
- Lift out the beef and shred it with two forks. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cloves. Skim the red fat from the surface of the broth into a small bowl, then keep the broth (the consommé) warm.
- Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the red fat, lay it in the skillet, and top one half with cheese, beef, diced onion and cilantro. Fold it over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until crisp and the cheese melts. Repeat with the rest, 2 or 3 at a time.
- Serve the tacos with lime wedges and two small cups of the hot consommé for dipping.
Notes
Equipment: small saucepan, blender, 3-quart heavy saucepan or small Dutch oven with a lid, 10-inch nonstick skillet, two forks
- Chuck roast shreds best; boneless short ribs also work but may need the extra 30 minutes.
- For milder birria, leave out the chile de arbol; guajillo and ancho chiles are fruity rather than very hot.
- Warm stiff tortillas for a few seconds before dipping so they do not crack.
- The beef and consommé can be made a day ahead; reheat them before frying the tacos.
- Doneness: The beef is ready when it pulls apart easily with a fork.
- Doneness: The tacos are ready when the tortillas are crisp and browned in spots and the cheese has melted.
- Refrigerate the beef and consommé separately in airtight containers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat the beef to 165°F and bring the consommé to a boil before serving. Fry tacos fresh; assembled tacos lose their crunch.
- Braised until fork-tender, the beef is cooked well past the USDA minimum of 145°F for beef.
- Do not leave the cooked beef or consommé at room temperature for more than 2 hours (USDA FSIS).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Braised
- Cuisine: Mexican
