About This Recipe

Birria tacos — or quesabirria — are the most exciting thing to happen to tacos in decades. Originating from Jalisco, Mexico, birria is a slow-braised stew of beef simmered for hours in a deep red chile broth of guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles until the meat is impossibly tender and the broth becomes a rich, gelatinous consomé. The taco magic happens when you dip a corn tortilla into that fat-laden consomé, slap it on a screaming hot griddle, load it with shredded braised beef and Oaxaca cheese, fold it, and press it until the outside is lacey-crispy and the inside is gooey. Then you dip the whole taco into a bowl of that hot consomé. Every single person at the table loses their mind. This recipe took over TikTok for a reason — and now you can make it at home better than any food truck version.

Nutrition estimates based on USDA FoodData Central. Values are per serving (3 tacos) and may vary.

Why You'll Love It

  • The consomé — a deeply spiced, gelatinous chile-beef broth — is one of the most flavorful things you'll ever make
  • Crispy cheese-fried tortillas with a molten Oaxaca center that stretches on every pull
  • Makes a huge batch — feeds 6 easily, leftovers freeze perfectly for months
  • Works in an Instant Pot for a weeknight-friendly version (45 minutes vs 3 hours)
  • The overnight marinade does all the work — braising day is mostly hands-off

Authentic Birria Tacos Recipe

Birria tacos with consomé dipping broth
20 min
Prep
3 hours
Cook
3h 20min
Total
6
Servings
⭐ 5.0
Rating
580
Calories

Ingredients

  • The Birria
  • 1.4kg (3 lb) beef chuck, large chunks
  • 3 dried guajillo chiles
  • 2 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried chiles de árbol
  • 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 litre beef broth
  • Salt and black pepper
  • For the Tacos
  • 18 corn tortillas
  • 200g Oaxaca cheese, shredded
  • White onion, finely diced
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Lime wedges

Instructions

  1. 1Toast chiles Dry-toast in skillet 30 sec per side. Do not burn.
  2. 2Rehydrate Soak in boiling water 20 min. Reserve soaking liquid.
  3. 3Blend adobo Blend chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices, vinegar + 250ml chile water. Strain.
  4. 4Marinate Season beef, coat in adobo. Marinate overnight (min 2h).
  5. 5Braise Add beef + broth + bay leaves. Simmer covered 2.5–3h until fork-tender.
  6. 6Shred & strain Shred beef. Strain liquid = consomé. Season, skim fat (save some).
  7. 7Fry tacos Dip tortilla in fat layer, griddle until crispy. Fill, cheese, fold, press 2 min each side.
  8. 8Serve With hot consomé for dipping, diced onion, cilantro, lime.

Ingredients

1.4kg beef chuck Guajillo chiles Ancho chiles Chiles de árbol Crushed tomatoes White onion 6 garlic cloves Cumin + oregano Apple cider vinegar 1L beef broth 18 corn tortillas 200g Oaxaca cheese Fresh cilantro Lime wedges

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. 1

    Toast the dried chiles

    Tear the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles open and remove all seeds and stems (wear gloves if sensitive to capsaicin). Heat a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat. Toast each chile flat for 30 seconds per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until they smell smoky and toasty. Watch carefully — burned chiles make bitter birria. The moment they're fragrant and slightly darkened, remove them.

  2. 2

    Rehydrate and blend the adobo

    Place the toasted chiles in a bowl and pour 500ml of boiling water over them. Press them under with a spoon and soak for 20 minutes until completely soft and pliable. Transfer to a blender with the crushed tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic cloves, cumin seeds, oregano, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, and 250ml of the reserved chile soaking water. Blend on high for 2 minutes until completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing hard — this gives you a silky, deep-red adobo marinade with no fibrous bits.

  3. 3

    Season and marinate the beef

    Cut the beef chuck into large chunks (about 7–10cm). Season aggressively with salt and black pepper on all sides. Place in a large dish or zip-lock bag and pour the adobo marinade over the beef, turning to coat every surface. For the best birria tacos, marinate overnight in the refrigerator — the acids in the tomatoes and vinegar tenderize the meat further and allow the chile flavors to penetrate deep. Minimum marinating time is 2 hours.

  4. 4

    Braise low and slow

    Transfer the marinated beef and all the marinade to a large Dutch oven. Add the beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce to the absolute lowest simmer — you want barely a bubble. Cover tightly and braise for 2½ to 3 hours, turning the beef once at the 1.5-hour mark. The beef is done when a fork slides through each piece with zero resistance and the meat pulls apart in shreds. Instant Pot shortcut: pressure cook on HIGH for 45 minutes, natural release 15 minutes.

  5. 5

    Shred the beef and prepare the consomé

    Remove the beef chunks from the pot and shred them using two forks into rough, chunky pieces — not too fine, you want texture in the taco. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Strain the braising liquid through a fine sieve into a large pot — this silky, spiced broth is your consomé. Bring it to a simmer, taste, and season with salt. Let the consomé sit for 5 minutes and skim most (but not all) of the orange fat that rises to the surface. Save that fat — it's liquid gold for frying the tortillas.

  6. 6

    Fry the quesabirria tacos

    Heat a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Scoop a spoonful of the orange fat from the surface of the consomé and add it to the pan. Dip a corn tortilla briefly into the consomé (just the surface dip, 1–2 seconds — enough to coat with flavor and fat, not soak it). Place the consomé-dipped tortilla on the hot griddle. Immediately add a generous heap of shredded beef and a handful of Oaxaca cheese to one half of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over the filling and press flat. Cook for 2 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Flip and cook another 2 minutes on the other side. The cheese will be fully melted and the tortilla shatters when you bite into it.

  7. 7

    Serve with consomé and toppings

    Ladle hot consomé into small bowls — one per person. Arrange the crispy birria tacos on a plate or board. Set out small dishes of finely diced white onion and fresh cilantro. Wedge the limes alongside. The correct way to eat birria tacos: dip the entire taco corner-first into the consomé, then take a bite. The contrast of crispy exterior, molten cheese interior, and the deep chile broth is what makes birria tacos the most talked-about taco in America right now.

Pro Tips

🏆 Secrets to the Best Birria Tacos
  • Don't skip the overnight marinade. The chile flavors intensify dramatically after 8+ hours and the acid pre-tenderizes the collagen. Same-day birria is good. Next-day birria is transcendent.
  • Skim fat, but not all of it. The orange fat floating on the consomé is flavor. Leave 20% in — it's what makes the tortilla crisp when you fry it.
  • Use corn tortillas, not flour. Corn tortillas crisp properly and don't become soggy during the consomé dip. Flour tortillas turn mushy. Street-style corn tortillas (the smaller 15cm ones) are ideal.
  • Double-stack the cheese. Add cheese under the beef AND on top of the beef before folding — full-melt coverage from both sides.
  • Serve within 2 minutes of frying. Birria tacos lose their crisp fast. Fry in batches and serve straight off the griddle.

Birria Variations

🔄 Ways to Serve Your Birria
  • Birria Ramen: Pour hot consomé over ramen noodles with shredded birria beef, sliced jalapeño, and a soft-boiled egg. Absolutely unhinged in the best way.
  • Birria Pizza: Use consomé as a pizza sauce, top with birria beef, Oaxaca cheese, and red onion. Bake at 230°C until crispy.
  • Birria Burritos: Fill large flour tortillas with birria beef, rice, beans, and Oaxaca cheese. Griddle the outside. Dip in consomé.
  • Birria Quesadillas: No beef — just cheese melted between two consomé-dipped corn tortillas. Serve with consomé for dunking.
  • Lamb or Goat Birria: The traditional Jalisco version uses goat (chivo). Goat or lamb birria has a deeper, gamier flavor that serious birria fans prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beef chuck is the ideal cut for birria — it has the perfect fat marbling that breaks down into silky gelatin during the long braise, creating a rich, deeply flavored consomé. You can also use short ribs (add incredible richness), oxtail (even more collagen), or a combination of chuck and short rib. Avoid lean cuts like sirloin — they dry out and lack the connective tissue that makes birria broth gelatinous.
Yes — pressure cooker birria is excellent. After making the adobo and marinating the beef, add everything to the Instant Pot with the beef broth. Pressure cook on HIGH for 45 minutes, then natural release for 15 minutes. The result is indistinguishable from the 3-hour stovetop version. This makes birria tacos achievable on a weeknight.
Oaxaca cheese is the traditional choice — it melts like mozzarella with a milky, slightly tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with the chile-rich beef. If you can't find Oaxaca cheese, shredded low-moisture mozzarella is the best substitute. Avoid pre-shredded bags that contain anti-caking agents — they prevent proper melting and create a grainy texture.
Dipping the tortilla in the fat layer of the consomé serves two purposes: (1) it infuses the tortilla with the deep, earthy chile flavor of the braise, and (2) the fat creates a barrier that crisps the tortilla golden rather than steaming it soft. This technique is what makes quesabirria tacos unique — without the consomé dip, you just have regular tacos.
Store the shredded beef and consomé separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The consomé will gel overnight — this is normal (it's the gelatin from the beef collagen, exactly what you want). Reheat the consomé on the stovetop until liquid, then warm the beef in it. Both freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Per Serving (3 tacos)

580
Calories
46g
Protein
38g
Carbs
26g
Fat
4g
Fiber
4g
Sugar
820mg
Sodium
9g
Sat. Fat