Wausau Pilot & Review
Feeling like spicing up your dinner routine? This recipe relies on beef chuck roast stewed in its braising liquid until it reaches a melt-in-your-mouth texture, with a burst of flavor from dried chile peppers and a blend of spices. Birria can be served alone as a stew, though we prefer it with corn tortillas.
Birria Tacos
Ingredients:
- For the Birria:
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 4 dried Guajillo chiles
- 3 dried Ancho chiles
- 1 dried Chipotle chile
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups beef broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- For the Tacos:
- Corn tortillas
- Diced onions
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Queso fresco or shredded mozzarella (optional)
- Diced avocado (optional)
- Thinly sliced red onion (optional)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Chiles: Remove stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Toast them briefly in a dry pan over medium heat until they start to puff up. Soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes to soften.
- Make the Marinade: In a blender, combine the softened chiles, onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, and some of the beef broth. Blend until smooth.
- Cook the Beef: Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper. In a large pot, sear the beef on all sides. Add the blended chile sauce, remaining beef broth, bay leaves, and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
- Shred the Beef: Once cooked and tender, remove the beef from the pot and shred it with two forks. Skim off any fat from the surface of the sauce in the pot.
- Prepare the Consommé: Return the shredded beef to the pot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add fresh cilantro. Keep the pot on a low simmer while you prepare the tacos.
- Assemble the Tacos: Dip tortillas in the hot consommé to lightly coat them, then fill with shredded beef. Fry tacos in a pan over medium heat until crisp. Serve with diced onions, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, and additional consommé on the side for dipping.