Authentic Birria Tacos Recipe (Step-by-Step with Consommé)

These birria tacos are flavorful, juicy, and packed with tender, slow-cooked beef that melts in your mouth! Inspired by the traditional Jalisco-style stew, this birria simmers low and slow in a rich chile and spice-infused broth until the meat is fall-apart tender and infused with flavor.

These birria tacos will beat anything from a restaurant. We ladle the consommé into a dipping bowl and sear the tacos in a bit of that same broth until they're golden and crispy on the outside. They're perfect for taco night, a weekend cooking project, or a freezer stash of next-level leftovers.

We make tacos often, and we go back and forth between this birria tacos recipe and our beer-battered fish tacos. And we always serve our tacos with a side of Mexican sweet corn cake!

Ingredients

For the Birria (Meat + Broth)

• 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil (e.g., avocado or vegetable oil)
• 6 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 4-5 large pieces
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 (1-inch) pieces of carrot
• 2 (1-inch) pieces of celery
• 6 garlic cloves, stem ends removed
• 6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 1 dried chipotle Morita, stem and seeds removed
• 1 dried chipotle Meco, stem and seeds removed (learn the difference between Morita and Meco chipotle chiles)
• 5 tablespoons beef bouillon (granulated or paste)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 9 cups water
• 1 cup tomato purée
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano

For Serving

• Corn tortillas (5-6 inch size recommended)
• Lime wedges
• Chopped white or yellow onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Oaxacan cheese (optional, but highly recommended)

Instructions

1. Sear the meat: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef generously with the kosher salt. Working in batches, sear the meat on all sides until it's well-browned. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
2. Sauté the aromatics & chiles: In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and dried chiles. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until everything is lightly toasted and fragrant.
3. Make the broth: Add the beef bouillon, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to coat the vegetables and toast the spices for about a minute. Return the seared meat and its juices to the pot. Add the water, tomato purée, bay leaves, additional salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Short simmer: Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Blend the chiles: Remove the softened chiles from the pot and place them in a blender. Add a small amount of the broth and blend it until it's smooth. Pour the chile puree back into the pot and stir it well to combine.
6. Long simmer: Cover the pot and simmer for 3 to 3½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes and stir in the oregano. The meat should be fork-tender and shred easily.
7. Shred the beef: Remove the meat from the pot. Discard any bones or connective tissue, if using bone-in beef. Shred the beef and return it to the pot to soak in the broth. Remove bay leaves and discard.
8. Assemble the Tacos: Fill each tortilla with shredded birria and top with chopped onion, cilantro, and optional Oaxacan cheese. Fold it gently and dip each tortilla lightly into the surface of the birria consommé. Sear the tacos in a hot skillet until crispy on both sides.
9. Serve with a side of the warm consommé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.

Slow Cooker Instructions

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, sear the seasoned beef in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker. In the same skillet, toast the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and dried chiles for 4-5 minutes to enhance their flavor. Add to the slow cooker.
2. Add all remaining broth ingredients to the slow cooker (bouillon, chili powder, cumin, water, tomato purée, bay leaves, salt, pepper). Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
3. Remove the softened chiles and blend with a few ladles of broth until smooth. Pour the purée back into the slow cooker and stir to combine.
4. Remove the beef, shred it, and discard any bones or connective tissue. Return the meat to the broth and stir. Remove the bay leaves.
5. Fill each tortilla with shredded birria and top with chopped onion, cilantro, and optional Oaxacan cheese. Fold it gently and dip each tortilla lightly into the surface of the birria consommé. Sear the tacos in a hot skillet until crispy on both sides.

Instant Pot Instructions (Make sure your Instant Pot is large enough to hold all of the ingredients! You can cut the recipe in half if necessary).

1. Turn Instant Pot to Sauté and heat the oil. Brown the beef in batches, then set aside.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and chiles. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add chili powder, cumin, and bouillon. Stir for about a minute longer.
3. Return the beef to the pot and add the water, tomato purée, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Lock the lid and pressure cook on High Pressure for 45 minutes.
4. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
5. Remove the chiles, blend with the broth, and return the purée to the pot. Stir to combine.
6. Remove meat, shred, discard any bones, and return to broth. Remove bay leaves.
7. Fill each tortilla with shredded birria and top with chopped onion, cilantro, and optional Oaxacan cheese. Fold it gently and dip each tortilla lightly into the surface of the birria consommé. Sear the tacos in a hot skillet until crispy on both sides.

Substitutions

• Beef chuck roast: Swap with short ribs, beef shank, oxtail, or even a mix for deeper flavor. Traditional birria is often made with goat or lamb, so feel free to use those if preferred.
• Dried chiles (guajillo, Morita, meco): Guajillo is essential, but if Morita or meco are unavailable, substitute with ancho chiles (mild and smoky) or chiles de arbol (for more heat). If you're in a pinch, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce can provide smokiness, but use them sparingly.
• Beef bouillon: Substitute with beef stock or broth (use 9 cups total liquid). You can also add 1 tablespoon soy sauce or Worcestershire to boost the umami if using broth instead of bouillon.
• Tomato purée: Use canned crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes, or 2-3 fresh tomatoes, roasted and blended.
• Oaxacan cheese: Substitute with shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack.
• Corn tortillas: Use flour tortillas if preferred, as they hold up well to the dipping and frying, though they'll be less traditional.
• Oil: Any neutral oil like canola or avocado can be used for searing and cooking.

Equipment Needed

• Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, for searing the beef and simmering the birria
• Tongs, for turning meat and handling tortillas
• Blender or food processor, to puree the softened chiles into a smooth sauce
• Cutting board and sharp knife, for prepping the meat and vegetables
• Ladle, for transferring the consommé and serving
• Skillet or griddle, for crisping the tortillas (cast iron works best)
• Measuring cups and spoons, for spices, bouillon, and liquids
• Mixing bowl, for holding seared meat before it returns to the pot
• Serving platter or plates, for assembling and serving tacos
• Napkins, because these are deliciously messy!

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerator:
Store leftover birria (meat and consommé together) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Keep the tortillas and toppings separate for the best texture when reheating.

Freezer:
Birria freezes really well. Cool it completely, then store it in freezer-safe containers (with the consommé) for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating:

• Stovetop: Reheat birria and broth in a pot over medium heat until hot. Add a splash of water or broth if it has thickened too much.
• Microwave: Place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-60 second increments, stirring in between until warmed through.
• For tacos: Reheat filled tacos in a skillet over medium heat until crispy again, or air fry at 375°F for 4-6 minutes.

Save extra consommé to use as a flavorful base for ramen, soup, or even to moisten shredded birria for future tacos or burritos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related

Looking for more recipes like this? Try these:

Pairings

These are my favorite things to serve with birria tacos:

Continue to Content

Birria Tacos Recipe (Stovetop, Slow Cooker, and Instant Pot Instructions)

Yield: 20+ Tacos

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef with a rich flavorful broth is the foundation for these drool-inducing birria tacos that are better than any restaurant in town!

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Ingredients

For the Birria

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil of choice
• 6 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 4-5 large pieces
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 (1-inch) pieces of carrot
• 2 (1-inch) pieces of celery
• 6 garlic cloves, stem ends removed
• 6 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 1 chipotle Morita, stems and seeds removed
• 1 chipotle meco, stems and seeds removed
• 5 tablespoons granulated beef bouillon
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 9 cups water
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano

For the tacos

• Corn tortillas
• Lime wedges
• Chopped white or yellow onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Oaxacan Cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season the beef generously with the kosher salt. Working in batches, sear the meat on all sides until it's well-browned. Transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and dried chiles. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until everything is lightly toasted and fragrant.
3. Add the beef bouillon, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to coat the vegetables and toast the spices for about a minute. Return the seared meat and its juices to the pot. Add the water, tomato purée, bay leaves, additional salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the softened chiles from the pot and place them in a blender. Add a small amount of the broth and blend it until it's smooth. Pour the chile puree back into the pot and stir it well to combine.
6. Cover the pot and simmer for 3 to 3½ hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes and stir in the oregano. The meat should be fork-tender and shred easily.
7. Remove the meat from the pot. Discard any bones or connective tissue, if using bone-in beef. Shred the beef and return it to the pot to soak in the broth. Remove bay leaves and discard.
8. Fill each tortilla with shredded birria and top with chopped onion, cilantro, and optional Oaxacan cheese. Fold it gently and dip each tortilla lightly into the surface of the birria consommé. Sear the tacos in a hot skillet until crispy on both sides.
9. Serve with a side of the warm consommé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.

Slow Cooker Instructions
1. Sear the beef in a large skillet as directed, then transfer it to the slow cooker.
2. Sauté the aromatics and chiles in the same skillet, then transfer to the slow cooker along with the spices.
3. Add the tomato puree, bouillon, water, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
4. Cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
4. In the last hour of cooking, remove the chiles, blend with broth, and stir the puree back into the slow cooker. Add oregano in the final 30 minutes.
5. Continue with Step 8 of the instructions.
Instant Pot Instructions
1. Use the Sauté function to brown the beef and aromatics directly in the Instant Pot.
2. Add the spices, tomato puree, bouillon, and water to the pot.
3. Pressure cook on High for 45 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then release the remaining pressure with a quick release.
4. Remove the chiles, blend with some broth, and stir the puree back into the pot.
5. Continue with Step 8 of the instructions.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 365Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 587mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 35g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

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Monique McArthur

Monique McArthur is a mother of two, writer, fan of home cooking, and creator of delicious recipes. She envisions herself as a self-taught cook who also learned extensively from a family of restaurateurs. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, shopping, running with her dogs and spending time with family.

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