Barista Tacos with Authentic Birria de Res Recipe
Birria de Res (Beef Birria) is a Mexican rich & flavorful slow stew in a pot, infused with spices and Mexican chilies. Every region in Mexico has its own variation of Birria, but it’s known to have originated from the state of Jalisco. It is traditionally made from a combination of goat meat, chili peppers, garlic, and bay leaves served as a stew on holidays and special occasions. Nowadays goat meat is often replaced with beef, lamb, or vegan meat substitutes. It is commonly accompanied by homemade tacos and seasoned and garnished with onion, cilantro, and lime.
More recently, this dish has become quite popular in Southern California thanks to the Quesabirria (Quesatacos or barista tacos) very much in hype these last 2 years also thanks to Instagram.
These beef birria tacos originated in Tijuana Mexico in the early 2000s. Technically it’s the traditional Birria de res stew but they use a different approach in creating tacos by staining the taco in the broth/sauce, filling it with cheese, birria beef, onion, cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and then frying it for a few seconds.
Why You’ll Like It
- Summing it up is they are juicy, cheesy, crispy, and finger-licking goodness! I must warn you that once you taste them it’s life-changing! You start thinking about Birria Tacos on weekends, and weekdays when you feel like eating cheat food on birthdays, and even on Christmas.
- Birria Tacos are in such high demand now, that you can find a food truck selling them anywhere in Southern California. Eventually, they will get more and more popular worldwide.
For the BEST Birria
✔️ I highly recommend the addition of beef bones to your broth for extra flavor. The fat that comes from the bones will completely transform your consome and taste amazing.
✔️ The key to the perfect Birria is slow cooking and not skipping any steps.
✔️ Cuts of meat that work for birria
- Beef chuck
- Beef shank
- Beef short ribs
- Oxtails
- Lamb’s shoulder
- Lamb’s leg
- Lamb’s ribs
- Goat shoulder
Choose one or a combination of the meats above. It is all really just based on preference. Out of all these, I prefer beef chuck, but if I feel like splurging, I’ll add some oxtails to it as well.
What You Need
- 4 lbs Beef chuck roast (cut into 4 pieces)
- 2 lbs Short ribs with bone (recommended)
- 6 cups Hot water (enough to cover beef)
- 1 Carrot
- 6 Guajillo chilies
- 1-2 tsp Ancho chili powder
- 1 Onion
- 6 Garlic cloves (smashed)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp Chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp Oil
To Serve
- 14-16 White corn tortillas
- 2 cups Quesadilla cheese (or any good melting cheese)
- 2 tbsp Chopped cilantro
- ½ Onion (sliced in rings)
- 2 Limes (cut into wedges)
Authentic Beef Birria Tacos Recipe
Cooking the Birria de Res (Beef Birria)
This recipe is very simple if you follow these suggestions.
Prepare the Beef
STEP 1 First, you need to bring the chuck roast for half an hour. Then pat dry and season generously with Kosher Salt on top, bottom, and sides.
STEP 2 Meanwhile, deseed the dried chiles, prep all your ingredients, and heat a large Dutch oven.
Cook the Birria de Res
STEP 3 In the large Dutch oven, add 1-2 tbsp oil and sear all sides of the beef, pull, and cut into chunks.
STEP 4 Add water, onion, carrot, guajillo chilies, garlic, bay leaves, ancho chili powder, Mexican oregano, chicken bouillon, and kosher salt.
STEP 5 Let everything simmer for 45 mins and once the carrot and onion are well cooked then remove all veggies and blend them into a sauce.
STEP 6 Now add your chuck roast in the Dutch oven, add the sauce and leave to cook, and turn the meat every 45 min. Ensure the Dutch oven is hot enough and if the sauce is thickening up then add some water.
STEP 7 When the chuck roast is tender remove it from the dutch oven and shred. Then add the shredded beef back in and cook for another hour.
STEP 8 Stir everything and then add salt to taste. Add more chile water if the stew is too thick.
Prepare our Authentic Birria Tacos
STEP 9 Add oil to a pan (or flat-top cast iron). If you used beef bones for your broth, you can use this oil on the broth surface for frying the tortilla- it will add amazing flavor.
STEP 10 Dip a corn tortilla into the consome (broth) and put it in the pan or flat top, crisp on the side for 30 seconds, and then flip.
STEP 11 First, add shredded cheese, then beef, then close your taco over and press down to push a little bit of the cheese out for crispy cheesy edges.
STEP 12 Top with cilantro and chopped onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Serve
STEP 13 Serve with a side of the consome to dip your birria tacos into.
Serving Birria Tacos
Here’s how to enjoy these birria tacos to the fullest:
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Dip & Crisp: Start by dipping a corn tortilla into the rich, flavorful consomé. Place it on a hot pan, crisp one side for about 30 seconds, and flip it over.
-
Cheesy Gooey: Add a layer of shredded cheese, then pile on the juicy shredded beef. Fold the taco over and give it a press so a bit of cheese spills out, creating those golden, crispy edges we all love.
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Top It Off: Garnish with fresh cilantro, chopped onions, and a squeeze of lime for that perfect burst of freshness.
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Dip & Enjoy: Serve with a side of warm consomé for dipping. Each bite gets better as you dunk your taco, soaking up all that rich, savory broth.
More Mexican Recipes:
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Birria De Res Tacos Recipe
Description
Ingredients
Birria de Res
- 4 lbs Beef chuck roast cut into 4
- 2 lb Short ribs with bone highly recommended
- 6 cups Water hot (enough to cover beef)
- 1 Carrot
- 6 Guajillo chillies
- 1-2 tsp Ancho chilli powder
- 1 onion
- 6 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 2 tsp Chicken bouillon
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tbsp oil
QuesaBirria Tacos
- 14-16 white corn tortillas
- 2 cups quesadillla cheese (or good melting cheese)
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- ½ onion rings
- 2 limes cut in wedges
Instructions
- First, you need to bring the chuck roast for half an hour. Then pat dry and season generously with Kosher Salt on top, bottom and sides.
- Meanwhile, deseed the dried chiles, prep all your ingredients and heat a large dutch oven.
- In the large dutch oven, add 1-2 tbsp oil and sear all sides of the beef, pull and cut into chunks.
- Add water, onion, carrot, guajillo chillies, garlic, bay leaves, ancho chilli powder, Mexican oregano, chicken bouillon, and kosher salt.
- If you are using beef bones, now would be the time to add them.
- Let everything simmer for 45 mins and once the carrot and onion are well cooked then remove all veggies and blend them into a sauce.
- Now add your chuck roast in the dutch oven, adding the sauce and leave to cook and turning the meat every 45 min. Ensure the dutch oven is hot enough.
- If the sauce is thickening up then add some water.
- When the chunk roast is tender remove it from the dutch oven and shred. Then add the shredded beef back in and cook for another hour.
- Add oil to a pan (or flat top cast iron). If you used beef bones for your broth, you can use this oil on the broth surface for frying the tortilla- it will add amazing flavor.
- Dip a corn tortilla into the consome (broth) and put it in the pan or flat top, crisp on the side for 30 seconds and then flip.
- First add shredded cheese, then beef, then close your taco over and press down to push a little bit of the cheese out for crispy cheesy edges.
- Top with cilantro and chopped onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
- Serve with a side of the consome to dip your birria tacos into.
FAQs
Actually, the important thing is that you use a cheese that melts easily like starting with the Mexican cheeses first:
⭐Oaxacan cheese (quesillo),
⭐Chihuahua,
⭐Asadero
⭐Monterrey Jack or Pepperjack
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