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    Home · Recipes · Tex-Mex | Mexican Food · Beef Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)

    April 25, 2022

    Beef Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)

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    There's no denying it -- really good Beef Birria Tacos take more than a little kitchen dedication to achieve. That's why this quesabirria taco recipe eliminates any and all frivolous steps and takes you straight to that end result you can't stop thinking about.

    A plate of Beef Birria Tacos and someone is dipping on in a bowl of guajillo sauce

    That's right --the daydream is over and you don't need a taco truck nearby to end it. Red-stained, crispy corn tortillas stuffed with melty cheese and juicy shredded beef, rich in chile flavor, are in your very near future.

    Close up of Birria Tacos with cilantro and a bowl of guajillo sauce on the side

    The slow cooker does half the work for you and the preassembled, quesadilla-like form of these tacos makes them easy to serve without having to set up an entire taco bar. Make these for a weekend family dinner or even hosting a few friends.

    Looking for more awesome Mexican recipes to try? Bookmark our cheesy Shrimp, Steak, or Pulled Pork Quesadillas in your internet browser for next time!

    WHAT IS A QUESABIRRIA TACO?

    There has been a recent foodie-driven social media explosion and the spotlight is shining bright on the quesabirria taco (also called a Birria Taco). If you've yet to see or read about it, think quesadilla in taco form. Like a quesadilla, it comes equipped with melted cheese that keeps all of that savory filling intact. Only these tacos come equipped with more meat than your standard quesadilla, and they are served folded over rather than cut into triangles.

    Beef Birria Tacos with a bowl of guajillo sauce on the side

    Another distinct factor when it comes to Birria Tacos is the red tortilla. The tortilla (and the meat) take on their red coloring from the consomé, a guajillo pepper-based sauce.

    ABOUT THE CHILES

    The sauce for your Birria Tacos will be used for braising and dipping. It is what adds that distinct Birria flavor and coloring to the dish.

    To make the sauce for your Birria Tacos, you will need to prep some dried chiles for hydrating! For simplicity's sake, this recipe calls for guajillo chiles only, although it is not uncommon to find pasilla and ancho chiles in a sauce recipe for Birria de Res.

    an overhead shot of dried guajillo peppers

    Guajillo chiles are a fruity, full-bodied chili with tons of flavor, and they do the job just fine on their own!

    WHICH CUT OF BEEF IS BEST FOR BIRRIA DE RES?

    As far as the meat goes for Beef Birria you'll find it's often a toss-up between short ribs and chuck roast. While short ribs are an excellent cut for slow cooking, imparting a ton of beefy flavor thanks to that bone, you'll get a lot more meat for your buck with a chuck roast.

    When cooked low and slow, chuck roast breaks down into an incredibly beefy, super tender cut of meat and is, therefore, our go-to beef cut of choice for making the best quesabirria tacos!

    very close up shot of shredded beef birria with cilantro and a lime wedge

    HOW TO MAKE BEEF BIRRIA TACOS

    1. Make the guajillo sauce and reserve about ¾ cup for dipping later.
    2. Cook beef and sauce on low in a crockpot for 8-10 hours.
    3. Skim fat from the top of the cooking liquid and set it aside.
    4. Shred the beef and return it to the sauce. 
    5. Dip the tortilla in the grease and place in a hot pan.
    6. Add cheese and beef to the tortilla, fold over, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.
    7. Serve with reserved sauce and enjoy!

    1. MAKE THE GUAJILLO SAUCE

    To prepare the chiles, cut away the stems, knock out any loose seeds, and gently tear the chiles open. Lay them flat on your work surface and use a paring knife to scrape away any seeds sticking to the interior.

    a close up of hands scraping seeds out of a guajillo pepper

    Once you have your chiles ready, you can add them to a saucepan along with broth, tomatoes, white onion, garlic, and a bay leaf. Bring this mix to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Allow everything to simmer together until the onions, and the chiles are fork-tender. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes.

    cooked guajillo peppers, onions, garlic, and tomatoes in a saucepan of broth

    Then, you'll remove the bay leaf from the mix and transfer the contents of the saucepan to a blender or food processor. Next, add the remaining guajillo sauce ingredients – sugar, vinegar, salt, oregano, cloves, and cumin. Blend until the sauce is smooth to your liking and set it aside to prepare the beef. Note that this exact same sauce can also be used for delicious Chicken Birria Tacos!

    overhead view of guajillo sauce in a food processor

    2. PREP AND SLOW COOK THE BEEF

    To prepare the chuck roast for your Beef Birria Tacos, pat away the excess moisture from the exterior of the beef and rub it down with a spice rub that consists of salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin.

    spices being sprinkled onto a raw chuck roast

    Now it's time to do a little slow cooking. To make sure you have some sauce reserved for dipping, set aside about ¾ cup of your sauce. Then, add a half cup of guajillo sauce to the slow cooker, followed by the chuck roast, and pour the remaining sauce over it.

    Guajillo sauce being poured onto a chuck roast from a glass pitcher

    Cover the slow cooker and cook for 8 to 10 hours on low heat.

    3. RESERVE THE FAT

    Once your chuck roast is fork-tender, skim away the fat/grease accumulated across the top of your cooking liquid and transfer it to a shallow dish, such as a pie plate.

    overhead look at cooked chuck roast in the crockpot with sauce

    Reserving the grease is an essential step in making Beef Birria Tacos; it is the grease that gives your tortillas that red Birria coloring!

    4. SHRED THE BEEF

    Remove the beef from the slow cooker and use two forks to make great, big shreds. Return the meat to the slow cooker and squeeze in the juice of a lime. Stir, and it's time to make some Birria Tacos! If you're a fan of shredded beef tacos, be sure to check out our Beef Barbacoa Tacos as well!

    hands using forks to shred beef

    5. READY A HOT PAN AND DIP THE TORTILLAS

    Your Beef Birria Tacos will cook for about 2 minutes per side, and you'll have enough beef to cook 12 of them. Using a large skillet will allow you to cook two tacos at a time and significantly decrease your cook time.

    Drizzle a scant tablespoon of oil into a large skillet over medium heat. I found a nonstick skillet is best for this task! Once the pan and the oil have come to temperature, dip a corn tortilla in the reserved grease and place it directly in the pan.

    A hand dipping a tortilla in birria grease

    6. ASSEMBLE AND CRISP UP THE BIRRIA TACOS

    Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of shredded Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese across the entire face of the tortilla, and scatter about ⅓ cup of shredded beef over only half the tortilla. 

    a tortilla in a pan with cheese on top and shredded beef on half of it

    Once the cheese begins to melt, fold the tortilla over the beef and use a spatula to press it down and hold it in place for a few seconds. Let it cook on that side for about 1 minute. Then, carefully flip the taco and allow it to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes more. 

    a spatula pressing a folded taco closed in a pan

    7. SERVE AND ENJOY!

    Serve your Beef Birria Tacos with a garnish of onions and cilantro and a bowl of guajillo consomé on the side.

    An overhead view of Birria Tacos on a plate with a bowl of guajillo sauce

    6 MORE BEEFY MEXICAN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

    • Steak Ranchero
    • Mexican Shredded Beef
    • Carne Asada Tacos
    • Steak Fajitas
    • Tacos al Carbon
    • Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas

    • Sliced steak in ranchero with a cilantro garnish

      Easy Beef Steak Ranchero Recipe | One Pan and DONE!

    • Mexican Shredded Beef

    • A carne asada taco topped with crumbled cheese, cilantro, and white onion, wrapped in a corn tortilla.

      Carne Asada Tacos

    • A close up shot of grilled fajita steak.

      Steak Fajitas

    • Tacos al Carbon

      Tacos al Carbon

    • Tex Mex Beef Enchiladas

      Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas | Recipe

     

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    Close up of Birria Tacos with cilantro and a bowl of guajillo sauce on the side
    Print
    Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)
    Prep Time
    30 mins
    Cook Time
    8 hrs 40 mins
    Total Time
    9 hrs 10 mins
     

    Delicious and vibrant, these Beef Birria Tacos are loaded with bold, authentic flavor, melty cheese, and perfectly tender meat.

    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: Birria Tacos, Quesabirria
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 738 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    FOR THE GUAJILLO SAUCE:
    • 8 Guajillo chiles, stem and seeds removed
    • 2 ½ cups unsalted chicken broth
    • 4 tomatoes, seeded and cut into quarters
    • ½ white onion, cut into chunks
    • 4 garlic cloves
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • 2 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    FOR THE BEEF:
    • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
    • 2 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • 3 pound chuck roast
    • Juice of a lime
    FOR THE TACOS:
    • Canola or avocado oil for drizzling
    • 12 corn tortillas
    • 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
    Instructions
    MAKE THE GUAJILLO SAUCE:
    1. Add the chiles, broth, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and bay leaf to a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.

    2. Stir occasionally and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the onions and chiles are fork-tender.

    3. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to a blender or a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, and add the sugar, vinegar, salt, oregano, cloves, and cumin.

    4. Cover, remove the small blender cap or feed tube, cover with a dishtowel, and blend until smooth. Reserve about a ¾ cup of guajillo sauce for dipping.

    COOK THE BEEF:
    1. In a small bowl, mix the Kosher salt, cumin, pepper, and oregano.

    2. Add about a half cup of guajillo sauce to the crockpot and set it aside. Pat the exterior of the beef dry with a paper towel and sprinkle with the seasoning. Rub all over to adhere and transfer the seasoned meat to the crockpot. Pour the remaining guajillo sauce over the beef.

    3. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook for 8-10 hours on the low setting.

    4. Once the beef is fork-tender, skim the grease off the top of the cooking liquid and place it in a shallow dish, like a pie plate. Then, transfer the beef to a work surface and shred it using two forks. Add it back to the crockpot, along with the juice of fresh lime, and stir.

    MAKE THE BIRRIA TACOS:
    1. Have ready a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat with a scant drizzle of oil. Once the pan has come to temperature, dip a tortilla in the reserved grease and place it directly in the hot pan.

    2. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cheese across the tortilla and add about a ⅓ cup of shredded beef over half of the tortilla.

    3. Once the cheese has melted, fold the tortilla over the beef and hold it closed with a spatula for about 30 seconds. Flip the taco and allow it to cook for about 2 minutes more, or until crispy to your liking.

    4. Once all of the tacos are assembled, serve with guajillo sauce on the side and enjoy!

    Nutrition Facts
    Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 738 Calories from Fat 360
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 40g62%
    Saturated Fat 19g119%
    Trans Fat 2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
    Monounsaturated Fat 17g
    Cholesterol 190mg63%
    Sodium 2219mg96%
    Potassium 1304mg37%
    Carbohydrates 38g13%
    Fiber 6g25%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 59g118%
    Vitamin A 2270IU45%
    Vitamin C 14mg17%
    Calcium 409mg41%
    Iron 7mg39%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    « Beef Birria (Birria de Res)
    Chicken Birria Tacos (Birria de Pollo) »
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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

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