Birria is a stew or soup and can be made from goat but also from beef. I made my Birrio Beef Tacos with chuck roast cooked slowly until the meat becomes tender and juicy. The beef is then shredded like pulled pork and used to pack a toasted corn tortilla. I added some cheese and then toasted the tortilla again until the cheese was ‘ooey gooey’. Perfect with a bowl of the spicy dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Braising Beef
- 2.5 lb boneless beef chuck or blade roast
- kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled and chopped
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 whole poblano or banana pepper
- 6 cloves chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- beef stock to cover about 3/4 of the roast
- 6 slices American white cheese or Oaxaca cheese grated
- 12 corn and flour tortillas
- 1 tbsp olive oil to brush the tortillas
Garnish
- 8-10 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 whole lime cut into wedges
Instructions
Gather all ingredients before starting recipe.
Braising Beef
- Season roast with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and set aside for about an hour before braising beef.
- Pre heat oven to
300 °F - Heat a Dutch oven or a roasting pan with a tight fitting lid over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat for another 2 minutes or until the oil is shimmering.
- Add the beef and sear evenly on all sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the beef is caramelized.
- Remove roast to a plate and add 1 medium yellow onion and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to brown, about 6-7 minutes. Add 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp dried thyme, 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp chili powder, 6 cloves chopped garlic and 1 whole poblano or banana pepper and stir to combine. Cook for another minute, or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Season with kosher salt, then add 1/2 cup dry red wine stir, then cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
- Return the beef to the pan, and lay over the vegetables. Add beef stock to cover about 3/4 of the roast.
- Cover pan with a lid and transfer to a pre heated oven and braise for 2 hours. After 2 hours, check to see if the beef is tender and can be easily pulled apart. If done, remove cover from the pan and braise for another 30 minutes.
Preparing the Dipping Sauce
- Once the beef is done, remove to a baking sheet and allow to cool sightly, then using 2 forks, shred the beef into small sections and reserve.
- Strain the pan juices through a fine sieve, pushing the solids through to the sauce. Degrease the surface with a spoon and set aside.
Preparing the Tortillas
- Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat for 2 minutes.
- Brush one side of the tortillas with olive oil and transfer to the hot skillet, oiled side down.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the tortillas begin to brown. Brush the second side with oil.
- Remove tortilla and using tongs, spread some of the shredded beef on the toasted side of the tortilla being careful not to go to the edge completely, then add cheese, fold the tortilla in half and return to the skillet.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are golden brown.
- Top with cilantro leaves and serve with a bowl of the dipping sauce.
Author Notes
I had made a slow cooked chuck roast earlier in the week and had some left over. Then I saw this recipe for Birria Beef Tacos and thought with a little more spice, the remaining beef would be a perfect filling for these tacos. They were brilliant, so if you have some left over, make these delicious tacos for a lunch or a dinner.
