Birria de Res & Birria Tacos are super trendy, and if they’re not on your radar yet, let this be a sign to make them! Birria de Res is a classic, a Mexican “stew” of beef, slowly cooked, earthy, rich, fragrant, and just a little spicy. And the tacos made from it? Quesabirra, out of this world delish.
Birria de Res & Birria Tacos
It’s said two teenagers bought Birria north of the border and took it next level. They turned that guisado (stew) into quesabirrias, essentially birria beef and cheese tacos. But they went all extra: the tortilla is first dipped into the cooking liquid, then filled with the luscious beef and cheese, then griddled until hot and crispy, the cheese melty. Just for good measure, the spicy cooking liquid, the consomme, is served for dipping.
About Birria de Res & Birria Tacos:
The story of the Birria Taco is on Eater. It’s the stuff the American struggle and the American dream are made of. Speaking of dreams, I made these with a friend last weekend (yes, I have a friend now in Georgia, lol!) and am still dreaming them!
You can’t go wrong with Birria, except it’s a production. The stew is perfect to make ahead and, like most stews, will only get better with some fridge time. Garnishes can be prepped ahead. The dipping and griddling is messy, but an actual griddle helps.
Hints for Making the Birria de Res:
I’d recommend that before you start, your sink and dishwasher are emptied, the stovetop is cleared, and there’s plenty of counterspace available.
If you’ve ventured into Mexican and Southwestern cooking, or if you follow my site, you might be familiar with a time-honored technique: chiles, spices, and/or vegetables are toasted or roasted, sometimes soaked, then blended into a sauce. Allow time: This is a multi-step process, including a 30-minute marinade.
When prepping the beef, remove excess fat, sinew, or silverskin, but leave softer fat and marbling. When the stew is done, the fat floats to the top. The tortillas for the tacos are dipped in it, then griddled. That gives them color, flavor, and the signature crispiness.
Ancho, Chile de Arbol & Guajillo Chiles
Adjusting the Flavor & Heat:
I chose three peppers; they’re the base of the classic birria flavor, and they’re readily available in most areas. If other chiles suit you, go for it.
- The Ancho, a dried Poblano, is one of the most common, mild, smoky, and earthy. They provide the background flavor. Anchos range in heat from 1,000 to 1,500 on the Scoville scale.
- The Guajillo is a dried form of the Mirasol Pepper (The Mirasol is grown extensively in Pueblo, Colorado, and often used in Colorado Green Chili .) It’s hotter than the Ancho, with an almost sweet, raisiny flavor. It adds complexity and ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 on the Scoville scale.
- The heat is from Chile de Arbol, one of the few chiles with the same name for fresh and dried. They’re six times the heat of a Jalapeno, 15,000 to 30,000 on the Scoville scale.
Vary the heat level with the number of Chile de Arbol. Six was just right for me. I like a bit of heat, but I don’t go for over-the-top heroics! My partner in crime, who isn’t used to much heat, broke out in a sweat.
Making the Tacos:
It took us a couple of tries to find the best griddling method. For a good crisp, you’ll need fat; if you removed too much from the stew, add oil to the griddle. This works for flour or corn tortillas.
- Set heat to medium-low. The tacos need time to heat through and melt the cheese, and you want a beautiful golden brown.
- Dip one side of the tortilla in the fat floating on the top of the birria. Scrape off any excess (Clean fingers are the easiest way!)
- Place dipped side down on the griddle. Cover the surface of the tortilla with cheese, then pile (using less than you think) the beef just a little off center.
- As the tortilla browns, fold over the side with no meat. Sear the sauce into the tortilla, then turn over and do the other side.
You Might Also Like:
A few of my fave recipes on this site use the same cooking techniques as the stew!
- Pueblan Style Chicken Tinga We make on repeat.
- Puerco con Chili Verde. Stolen from Diner’s Drive-Ins and Dives!
- New Mexican Carne Adovada Similar to Birria, and another fave.
New Mexican Carne Adovada
The Garnishes for Birria de Res & Birria Tacos:
The accompaniments are vital; the rich beef and cheese “make” the taco, but a fresh vibe is needed, especially from the lime. Include also:
- Greenery: Cilantro.
- Onion: White is traditional; any will do.
- Radishes: Thinly sliced, they give a nice bite and crunch. Trust me!
What to Serve with the Birria:
Refried beans and rice make it a “meal.” I have multiple recipes here, but my favorites are Restaurant Style Refried Beans (from a can!) and Restaurant Style Mexican Red Rice.
Leftovers!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for three to five days. Reheat in the microwave, covered. Add water if needed. Birria freezes well. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge.
If you’re “over” tacos, use leftovers for Birria Ramen, quesadillas, or layer into Nachos.
Saving Money on Groceries:
Chuck Roast:
Chuck has risen dramatically, but it’s still one of the cheaper roasts. Stock up and freeze when it’s on sale.
- Watch for sales in the fall after beef goes to market and January – February; there’s great demand for better roasts and steaks during the Winter Holidays (and Valentine’s Day). The market is flooded with lesser cuts, and the price drops.
- Throughout summer, increased use of ground beef (often made from chuck) keeps demand high; prices follow. Sales are sporadic, far and few between.
Mexican/Southwestern Items:
You may have access to a Latino market or have grocery stores with a variety of products.
- While typically not expensive, where the chiles, cheese (if using Oaxaca) are purchased makes a difference. They’ll be fresher and cheaper from a market.
- Most markets have a huge variety of spices and herbs, usually cheaper than at the grocery.
- If a market isn’t an option, the location and demographics of the grocery, even the same chain, can make a difference in pricing.
Birria de Res & Birria Tacos
Birria de Res and Birria Tacos
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours plus
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 15 to 25 tacos 1x
- Category: main dish
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Ingredients
For the Birria de Res
- 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast cut in 1 1/2 to 2″ cubes, excess fat and sinew removed
- 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar
- salt & pepper (recommend 1 1/2 teaspoons salt & 1 teaspoon pepper)
- 1” piece of cinnamon, broken
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 allspice berries
- 3 ancho chiles, stems removed and seeded
- 6 guajillo chiles, stems removed and seeded
- 4 to 8 Chile de Arbol, stems removed and seeded
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 large onion, peeled and root & stem end removed
- 2 large or 4 plum tomatoes, halved
- 6 fat cloves of garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the tacos:
- corn or flour tortillas
- shredded cheese, Oaxaca or Monterrey Jack, or another good melting cheese
- lime
- garnishes: lettuce or cabbage, red or white onion or pickled onions, cilantro, thinly sliced radishes
Instructions
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Marinate the beef: Add beef to cooking pot, drizzle with vinegar and add a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
Add the cinnamon, cloves and allspice to blender and pulse to break down.
Place the onion, tomatoes, and garlic on a foil-lined sheet pan and place under broiler. Broil, turning as necessary, and remove items when softened and slightly charred.
In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Ancho and Guajillo chiles and toast, turning often, until fragrant and beginning to puff. (Some older chiles may not puff but will become more pliable. Place in a bowl, cover with 2 cups of very hot water and add weight to submerge them. Leave for 15 minutes then add to the blender along with the soaking water and blend, pulsing as necessary. Add the charred vegetables, and the Chile de Arbol and pulse again. Strain the mixture for a smoother consomme (the dipping sauce) later. Then mix in the remaining spices and herbs (oregano, marjoram, ginger, salt & pepper) .
Pour mixture over beef, adding enough water to reach the top but not cover the beef. Cover tightly. Place in preheated oven and bake for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until meat holds together but shreds easily. If at any point, the level of the liquid drops low, add a little additional water. If, when finished, the sauce isn’t a pourable consistency, add a little water.
Serve in tacos with some of the juice as a dipping sauce.
To prepare tacos:
Dip one side of tortilla in the juices on the top of the stew and add, coated side down to a griddle set to medium-low heat. Add the cheese (be generous) across the top. Add beef (shredded or in chunks) in a line just off-center. Once the taco begins to brown on the bottom, use a spatula to flip the half without beef over the top of the beef, forming a taco. Continue to cook slowly until the bottom half is crispy and browned, then turn over and cook the other side.
Serve warm with some of the juices from the Birria (the consomme) as a dipping sauce, along with your favorite garnishes. Strain the sauce first if desired.
Notes
The number of servings is a guestimate & dependent on how you serve (as a main dish stew or a taco) and how much you serve.
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