Looking for the perfect beef taco filling? Look no further with these Authentic Birria Tacos. Slow braised and seasoned with traditional herbs and spices, this birria makes the perfect filling or topping for your quesadillas, tacos, nachos, you name it.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Ingredients
- Birria Ingredients:
- 7 Guajillo Chilis
- 4 New Mexico Chilis
- 4 Ancho Chilis
- 2000g (2 quarts) Water
- 180g (6 oz) Tomato Paste
- 454g (1 lb) Onion, Quartered
- 10 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
- 7.5g (1 Tbsp) Ground All Spice
- 7.5g (1 Tbsp) Cracked Black pepper
- 7.5g (1 Tbsp) Ground Cumin
- 15g (2 tbsp) Mexican Oregano
- 50g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) Salt
- 2 Limes, juiced
- 120g (½ cup) Neutral Flavored Oil
- 906g ( 2 lbs) Short Ribs
- 906g ( 2 lbs) Chuck
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- Garnish:
- 1 Sweet Onion, Diced
- 1 Bunch of Cilantro
- 4 Limes, Quartered
- 454g (1 lb) Oaxaca Cheese
Equipment
- Blender
- Heavy Bottom Sauce Pot
Timing
Active Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 24 Hours
Yield
4 Pounds
-
Prepare Birria Ingredients
Place the three types of chilis into the water and allow them to hydrate for 10 minutes. Remove the chilis once hydrated but DO NOT discard the water. You will need it later in the recipe.In a blender, combine the tomato paste, onions, garlic cloves, allspice, black pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, lime juice, and the hydrated chilis. Add 1 cup of the chili water to this and blend it until smooth. Set aside until needed.Place a large heavy bottom pot over medium high heat. Sear each side of the short ribs and beef chuck. Once all the sides of the meat are browned remove them from the pan and set aside.Add the blended mixture to the pan and deglaze all the browned beef bits from the bottom. Cook the sauce for 1 minute before adding the beef chuck and short ribs back to the pan. Be sure to include any drippings.Add the remaining water that was used to hydrate the chilis and reduce the heat to low. The braise should be at a very gentle simmer. Do not remove any fat from the top of the pan during this process.
-
Cook and Chill
Cook this for 4-6 hours or until “fork tender” and remove the pan from heat.Fill a sink with 2-4 inches of ice water, place the pan in the ice water to rapidly cool it. Do this for 1 hour or until the contents of the pan have reached 70°F.Cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Do not skip this step as it is important to achieve the perfect texture.Once the mixture is completely cooled you will find a layer of orange fat on top. Remove ¾ of the fat. This will be used for cooking the tacos.
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Cook Tacos
When you are ready to make the tacos gently heat the pan back up to a simmer.In a separate large sauté pan over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the orange fat. Place 1-2 tortillas into the pan, depending on the size of the pan. Make sure to coat the bottoms in the fat.Grate some fresh Oaxaca cheese over the top of the tortillas. Cook until the edges become crispy, and the cheese begins to melt. This should take about 1 minute.Use a fork to shred some birria meat and add ~1 ounce to each taco. Fold the tacos over and cook until crispy on each side. About 1 minute per side.Garnish the tacos with fresh onions, cilantro, and lime wedges. To finish the plate, add a small cup of the birria braising liquid. Garnish the liquid with onions and serve.Goes great with our Keto Taco Tortilla recipe!
Summary
Recipe Name
Authentic Birria Tacos
Author Name
Modernist Pantry
Published On
Preparation Time
Total Time
