Birria Tacos

Taco night at home? Give your tacos a twist with this insanely delicious and unique Birria Tacos. Bursting with flavor and oh-so-savory taste- this beef Birria tacos recipe is a must-try for taco enthusiasts. Whenever I have tacos at night at home, I usually turn to this meaty and delicious recipe, and everyone loves them!! VIDEO below.

Have you had Birria Tacos before? It’s crazy delicious and I’m covering all the details and how to. PLUS –there’s another MUST TRY Lamb Birria recipe that YOU NEED to make! SO SO GOOD!

There’s so much to cover here, so Let’s dig right in! 

Birria Tacos – What is Birria Tacos?

Birria literally means ‘’Exquisite savory dish, full of culture and tradition.”  The dish “Birria” is an old Mexican dish traditionally made from goat, but you can also make it with lamb, pork, veal, and beef.

The classic Birria is a meaty stew that is slow-cooked to perfection and is a combination of spicy, sweet, tangy, smokey and savory flavors. 

When you stuff this meaty birria goodness in the crunchy tacos and top the tacos or dip the tacos in the sauce, you pan fry the tacos and what you get is delicious, crunchy, and juicy flavors.

Birria Tacos went viral on social media, and hence became a staple at many restaurants and food trucks. unlike other viral food, this one is addictively addictive that people cannot get enough of birria tacos.

The state of Original Birria stew Jalisco is the hometown of original Birria stew, but Birria tacos have taken over the world, and taco lovers across the globe cannot get enough of this delicious dish.

When did Birria Tacos become popular?

Did you know Birria tacos were the most searched food on google in 2021? Yup, according to google, Birria tacos topped the most popular dish in 2021 with nearly 4 million searches. That’s something phenomenal!

The Mexican-American delicacy is making waves in the food world, and for all the right reasons. We know Birria is an old Mexican dish, but Birria Tacos blew up recently when it caught the attention of food bloggers and influencers. 

In the United States, Birria tacos caught the attention of the masses when a commercial from a Hispanic restaurant aired during the 2019 super bowl. Suddenly everyone started talking about the red, meaty tacos that looked heavenly.

Tiktok also played a significant part in making Birria tacos go viral. The hashtag birria tacos have more than 660 million views on TikTok alone. 

Birria Tacos Ingredients

• Guajillo chilies — These are one of the main components and flavors of a Birria taco. It’s a dried type of Mexican chilies that have a sweet, fruity, tangy and smoky flavor.  Guajillo chillies are mild to medium spicy, so they won’t overwhelm the birria tacos recipe with spice.

• Chipotle in Adobo  — Smoky canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a deep flavor
• Crushed tomatoes — Slight tangy and tomato taste to the sauce
• Vinegar — Breaks down the meat
• Garlic and Onions — flavor to the sauce
• Dried spice — Mexican oregano, cumin and chilli powder
• Whole Spice — cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves
• Stock — to create a sauce

Birria Tacos Recipe

There are two main components to this recipe. There’s the Birria Stew which consists of cooking the marinated meat in the sauce along with other spices and stock. And then there’s the tacos itself–the making and flavoring of the final taco. 

So let’s start!

How to Make Birria Stew

• The very first step is to soak the Guajillo chillies in hot boiling water and allow it soften slightly for 15 minutes.
• It should look softened as above when ready.
   
  
• The remaining ingredients will all go into a blender including the chipotle, tomatoes, vinegar, garlic and dried spice.
• The soaked and ready Guajillo chillies go right into the blender to make the sauce.
• Blend the sauce together in a high speed blender until smooth. You may adjust seasoning if you’d like.
• Now you’ll toss in the beef chuck meat in to the tasty sauce you’ve made in the blender and let it marinade anywhere between 2 hours and overnight.
• now using an instant pot or using a regular heavy pan (for stove top) you’ll sauté the onions until they’re translucent – about 5 minutes.
• Add in the meat and whole spice such as cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves.
• Now you’ll add in stock (use beef, chicken or vegetable stock).
• Let the stew cook until the beef is fall apart and tender. This takes 45 minutes in your instant pot and about an hour and a half on the stove or in the oven covered with foil.

How to Make Birria Tacos

• Now that your birria stew is ready, you’ll remove the meat from the sauce carefully and catch any fallen pieces of tender beef!
  
• Keep the sauce in a large bowl separately as it will be used for dipping and flavoring the tortillas!
• Use a fork to shred the beef into fine shreds and place it in a deep bowl.
• Add three ladles of the sauce over the meat bowl to flavor it some more.
• Dip the tortilla (corn or flour) into the bowl of sauce for just a second. You’re just trying to flavor up the tortilla rather than getting the tortilla soggy.
• Place the dipped tortilla in a heavy duty pan and add shredded cheese on to half of it.
• Add a good amount of birria meat over the cheese
• Now fold over the other half of the tortilla over the beef to create the tacos shape.
• Let the tacos sear for 2 minutes and then flip them carefully.
• They should be crunchy on both sides and completely stuck together from the melted cheese.

Birria Dipping Sauce

This sauce is so very unique to Birria tacos, as it’s used for serving. You’ll need the remaining sauce from the cooked meat and add some if it in a small bowl. To that you’ll add some fresh chopped cilantro and diced white onions. Mix and it’s ready!

Birria Tacos TIPS + Q&A

• Use Beef chuck for the best tasting recipe! They have the perfect taste, level of fat and the meat cooks so beautifully!
• Look for Guajillo chillies at your ethnic aisle or from a Mexican store–they are a crucial flavor to the sauce.
• Add in more spice to your taste such as chilli flakes to the sauce
• Marinade the meat for up to 24 hours–the more the better. However you may still proceed without any if you’re rushed.
• this recipe can be ade in an instant pot (saving you half the cooking time), however it works just as well in the oven (in an oven safe dish covered with foil at 400 degrees F). You may slo cook the meat on the stove.
• Make sure to keep the sauce when the met is ready as it will be used to dip the tacos in!
• The tortillas have to be dipped in the sauce for that distinct orange color!
• Use your favorite cheese here!
• Freeze the remaining meat and sauce and have birria tacos next time in a breeze!

What do Birria tacos taste like?

Birria tacos have a unique taste which is why people can’t get enough of them. The tortilla is smothered in the sauce and then fried on the griddle until nice and crispy. The tender meat of birria makes for a great filling and gives it a sweet, savory, and spicy taste. The birria sauce can also be used as a dipping sauce and takes the taste to another level. Bursting with so many flavors, the birria taco is an ultimate treat.

What is Birria tacos sauce made of?

Birria sauce is a rich and palatable concoction of rich spices, herbs, guajillo, chipotle peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. The sauce is cooked to perfection and then added to the chuck meat to give the beef more flavor. It is also served as the dipping sauce once the tacos are ready to serve.

What is used for Birria meat?

Goat meat was preferred originally, but over the years, the birria recipe has evolved. Nowadays, you can use any type of meat according to your preference. I like beef chuck meat personally to make the stew. When it is tender, I simply shred it using a fork. Chuck meat is affordable and gets tender quickly, which is why I prefer it. You can use veal, beef, goat, or pork as well.

What do Birria tacos contain?

Birria tacos are simple to make, and they taste delicious. The meaty flavor of juicy beef, the spiciness of chilies, the tangy taste of onions, and the crunchy corn tortillas make birria tacos a dish that can be savored at weddings, parties, get-togethers, and even at home for breakfast.

Why are they called birria tacos?

During the conquest of Mexico, the Spanish conquerors looked down upon goat meat because of its strong smell and hard texture. So they decided to give goats to the Mexicans. Unlike their masters, Mexican people happily accepted the goat meat and made it appetizing by adding different sauces and herbs to it. The dishes produced by Mexicans were termed as ”Birria” meaning worthless in Spanish, as the goat meat was worthless to the Spanish conquerors.

Why are Birria tacos red?

Birria tacos are also called red tacos because of their bright red color. The tacos are dipped in a sauce that has a menagerie of spices and then fried on the skillet over medium heat, which gives the tacos their signature red color.

How do you make birria tacos crunchy?

Crunchy, crispy, spicy- that’s how tacos should be. Eating soggy tacos is not the way to eat tacos at all. To make your birria de res tacos crunchy, I am gonna share a trick with you. Using tongs, dip the corn tortillas in the stew sauce.  Now place the tortilla on the griddle, press it nicely, and let them fry in the grease until it’s crispy and red. Top it off with onions and cilantro, shredded meat, and some Oaxaca cheese.

What is birria dipping sauce?

Birria dipping sauce that is served with the tacos is the reserved stew from cooking the meat. It’s a mix of spicy, smokey and pure deliciousness! Just add a bunch of fresh cilantro and diced white onions to the sauce last minute before serving.

Are Birria tacos made with corn or flour tortillas?

Birria tacos are made from corn tortillas that are filled with shredded birria meat, however you can make it any way you’d like!

Mexican Recipes

Chicken Flautas

Crunchwrap Supreme

Sheet Pan Fajitas

Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe

Fajita Bowl

Air Fryer Fish For Air Fryer Fish Tacos

Chicken Fajita with Mango Salsa

Juicy Burger with Fajita Toppings

30 Mins Mexican Tilapia Fish Dinner

Smashed Potatoes With Spicy Lamb