Description
Smoked Beef Birria Tacos combine tender, slow-smoked beef cheeks and short ribs with a rich, flavorful chile and tomato broth. The smoky meat is simmered until fall-apart tender, then shredded and served in corn tortillas dipped in the savory consommé, topped with Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and onion for an authentic Mexican taco experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 2 pounds beef cheeks
- 2 pounds beef short ribs
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1/2 large white onion
- 5 cloves garlic
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/4 cup cilantro
Chiles & Spices
- 3 ancho chiles
- 3 guajillo chiles
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt, pepper, garlic powder (to season meat)
Liquids
- 4 cups water (divided: 3 cups for boiling vegetables, 1 cup reserved for blending)
- 4 cups beef broth
Other
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese
- 8 yellow corn tortillas
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Trim excess fat and silver skin off the beef cheeks and short ribs. Season the meat generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to enhance flavor.
- Smoke the Meat: Smoke the seasoned beef at 250°F for 2 hours to infuse it with a deep, smoky aroma and flavor.
- Prepare the Chile Broth: In a dutch oven, combine the half white onion, garlic cloves, roma tomatoes, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, and chipotle peppers with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes to soften and meld the flavors.
- Blend the Broth: Remove the softened vegetables and chiles from the dutch oven and place them in a blender along with 1 cup of the braising liquid. Blend thoroughly until smooth to create a rich sauce base.
- Braise the Meat: Place the smoked meat back into the dutch oven and pour in the blended chile sauce along with 4 cups of beef broth. Add the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Simmer on low heat for 2 to 3 hours until the meat is tender and easily shredded.
- Shred the Meat: Remove the meat from the broth and shred it finely. Keep some of the consommé (the flavorful broth) aside to moisten the shredded meat.
- Prepare the Tacos: Dip each yellow corn tortilla briefly into the consommé to soak up the rich flavors. Place it in a hot skillet, then add shredded Oaxaca cheese, smoked shredded beef, cilantro, and diced onion. Fold the tortilla over the filling and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until the cheese melts and the tortilla crisps slightly.
- Serve: Serve the tacos hot with a bowl of the consommé on the side for dipping. Enjoy the authentic smoky and savory flavors of the beef birria tacos.
Notes
- Use beef cheeks and short ribs for the perfect balance of meat and fat, ensuring tender and flavorful birria.
- Smoking the meat before braising adds a unique depth of flavor not achieved by slow cooking alone.
- Dipping tortillas in the consommé before frying enhances flavor and adds moisture, preventing dryness.
- If unavailable, dried chiles can be toasted lightly before soaking and blending for better flavor.
- Oaxaca cheese can be substituted with mozzarella or Monterey Jack in a pinch, but Oaxaca gives the authentic melt and flavor.
- Leftover consommé makes a delicious soup or base for other Mexican dishes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Smoking and Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: beef birria tacos, smoked birria, Mexican tacos, rich beef stew, Oaxaca cheese tacos
