Birria tacos are currently enjoying a massive moment in foodie circles and all over social media. However, this deeply flavorful Mexican dish actually has quite a long history.
Birria is a rich meat stew originating in Jalisco, a western state in Mexico. The modern “birria taco” trend traces its origins to Tijuana, a busy Mexican border city. The dish was then highly popularized and re-created across California.
Historically, goat or mutton were the primary meats used in this preparation. The recipe was originally prepared in the traditional underground ‘barbacoa’ style. The meat would be marinated with salt and dried chiles, wrapped tightly in agave leaves, and allowed to marinate for 12 hours.
What Makes Birria Tacos So Special?
Today, the meat is placed in a large pot and simmered in its own juices until incredibly tender. The resulting cooking broth is then mixed with roasted tomatoes and aromatic spices.
The meat is shredded and served in corn tortillas. It is topped with fresh cilantro, diced onions, and the juice of a lime. In the U.S., birria tacos are primarily made with beef. The corn tortillas are typically dipped directly into the rich red consommé before being placed on the hot griddle to fry.
There are two critical factors in creating high-quality birria tacos: the choice of meat and the cheese.
- The Meat: Many chefs use beef chuck because it has a high fat content. After simmering, it is incredibly tender, which is essential for a high-quality taco.
- The Cheese: A good-quality Mexican melting cheese, such as queso Oaxaca (made in the mozzarella style), allows for soft, stretchy bites. However, traditional birria served in a bowl usually does not contain cheese.
Birria is the ultimate comfort food. There is a perfect symphony of flavors and textures. You have the crisp, fried shell paired with the soft, melted cheese. You have long-simmered, earthy beef, balanced with sharp, fresh lime notes. The absolute triumph is dipping the hot taco directly into the steaming bowl of consommé broth.
Authentic Birria Tacos With Chile Broth Recipe
Yield: 8 plates
Total time: 4 hours (mostly unattended simmering)
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds bone-in goat, lamb shoulder, or beef chuck (cut into 3-inch sections)
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 6 teaspoons of fine sea salt (plus extra to taste)
- 4 to 5 broad dried avocado leaves
- 3 oz dried guajillo chiles (10 to 15 total), stemmed and heavily seeded
- 16 fresh corn tortillas
- 2 cups finely diced white onion
- 2 cups freshly chopped cilantro leaves
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
Step-by-Step Preparation
- Prep the Meat: Place the meat in a wide bowl and cover it with cold water. Include the vinegar and two teaspoons of salt. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
- First Simmer: Put the rinsed meat in a heavy Dutch oven. Top with at least 3 quarts of water, add four teaspoons of salt, and stir well. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Turn the heat down low, skim the grey foam from the surface, and simmer gently for 2 hours.
- Toast Leaves: Meanwhile, heat a dry skillet on medium-low. Once hot, toast the avocado leaves for about 1 minute until highly aromatic. Remove them from the skillet.
- Rehydrate Chiles: Put the dried chiles in the frying pan, top with water, and simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer until the chiles are fully soft and expanded (about 10 minutes). Transfer the wet chiles to a blender, add 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and purée until perfectly smooth.
- The Braise: Uncover the meat pot. Mix in the guajillo chile purée and drop in the toasted avocado leaves. Cover again and simmer until the meat is incredibly tender. It should easily fall apart when poked with a fork (about 1.5 to 2 extra hours).
- Shredding: Remove the avocado leaves and season the final broth to taste with salt. Transfer the meat from the broth to a large tray. Dispose of any bones and tear the meat with two forks. Wet the shredded meat with a few ladles of broth so it stays juicy.
- Assemble and Serve: Dip the corn tortillas lightly into the fat sitting on top of the broth. Fry them on a griddle. Add cheese (optional), meat, onion, and cilantro. Fold and fry until crispy. Serve the tacos with a small cup of the hot broth as a dipping chaser.
How Do Local Restaurants Make Birria?
The time invested in cooking is the most significant factor. Restaurants often have their own secret blends of meat.
For example, at Taco Rock on Pensacola Boulevard, owner Odette Diaz makes her popular birria using rich cow cheek. “We put cheese in there and fold them like a quesadilla, but they’re tacos,” said Diaz. “You add the meat, the cheese; you fry the tortilla a little bit to make them crispy. Then you put the consomé on the side.”
Other popular food trucks and restaurants use very lean top round beef. “We use a mix of cheek and knuckle, but it’s like top round; it’s very lean,” said one kitchen manager. “The cheek has a slightly gamey flavor. Any head meat in there will significantly enhance the final flavor’s boldness. That’s why we use a mix of cheek and lean meat.”
No matter where you eat them or how you cook them at home, the demand for authentic, juicy birria tacos shows no signs of slowing down.
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