Birria tacos are usually made with the sauce and meat from a Mexican stew called Birria de Res. I have a recipe for that on my other site and there is a link to that recipe below. Today I decided to make birria tacos using the meat and broth from this Chili Colorado recipe. I adjusted this recipe some so that you will get the same delicious flavour as using Birria de res. The adjustments are all explained below.
About this recipe for birria tacos.
So, as I explained above, I used Chili Colorado to make these tacos. Chili Colorado is very similar to birria de res but it does not usually have cinnamon or tomato sauce in it.
That was easily fixed by adding it in this recipe. Just note that if you do make birria de res, you can use it as it is without adding anything else to the sauce.
Ingredients
The ingredients for this birria tacos recipes are simple. It's a great way of using up the leftover sauce and meat from a birra de res or Chili Colorado. For best results, blend the consume until smooth to get out any chunks. I didn't do that this time as a bit of an experiment. So I can confirm that if you don't blend the consume, your birria tacos will still be amazing but I do prefer the blended option.
- beef from Birria de res or Chili Colorado
- broth from the stew
- Mexican cheese like Oaxaca (or any melty cheese)
- 12 corn tortillas
See recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Photos
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- Step 1: Heat oil, pork lard or beef tallow in a pot over a medium-high heat and let it sizzle for a minute or so.
- Step 2: Stir in the pasatta and bring it to a simmer. Then stir in the sauce from the Chili Colorado or Birria de res along with the finely chopped chipotles in adobo sauce.
- Step 3: Bring this sauce to a simmer and season with salt to taste. Then let is slowly cook over a low heat while you heat up the shredded meat.
- Step 4: In a separate pan, heat the shredded meat in a little oil, lard or tallow until heated through.
- Step 5: Dip the tortillas in the heated sauce and then top with the shredded meat and cheese.
- Step 6: Heat up your grill (flat cooking surface) or frying pan until smoking hot , then your burger patties. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottom side is seared well.
- Step 3: Serve it up and enjoy.
What Are Birria Tacos?
Birria de res is a traditional Mexican stew, originally from the state of Jalisco. Traditionally made with goat, it’s more commonly made these days with beef, especially in the taco version. It’s slow-braised in a chilli-based sauce flavored with spices like cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano.
What makes birria tacos special is that instead of just spooning the meat into tortillas, you:
- Dip the tortillas in the birria broth,
- Fill them with the shredded meat and cheese,
- Then fry them until golden and crisp.
They’re often served with a little bowl of that same rich broth (called consomé) for dunking. It’s messy, but that’s the point. Get stuck in.
How do you make the optional consume?
That's easy too. Just take some of the broth from you stew and thin it some with water or beef stock.
Bring this to a simmer with a bay leaf. It should be about the same consistency as milk and it's great for drinking, eating with a spoon or dipping your birria tacos in.
Tips for Making the Best Birria Tacos
Use a good blender – a smooth marinade makes a huge difference to the final dish. to another blogger with a similar recipe that fits a different diet.
Use a mix of meats – a combination of fatty and lean cuts gives the best flavour and texture.
Don't skip the cheese – mozzarella melts well and adds richness.
Save that fat – skim it from the stew and use it to fry the tacos for that signature red crispness.
Make ahead – the stew actually tastes even better the next day. Perfect for parties.
Variations
Birria Ramen: Add cooked ramen noodles to the leftover consomé and top with shredded birria. I have a recipe for that on my other blog here.
Birria Quesadillas: Use the same filling in toasted quesadillas.
Goat Birria: Traditional and full of flavor if you can get goat meat.
Equipment
All you need is a good frying pan and sharp spatula for flipping the tacos. You will, of course need to first prepare the birria de res or Chili Colorado and you will need more pots for that.
Storage
That's a difficult one because it all depends on when you make your beef and chili stew. That will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Use it immediately or safe it for another day to make birria tacos.
Top Tip
When preparing your birria de res or chili Colorado, use a mixture of meats. A mixture of fatty and lean meats gives the best flavour and texture.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never tried birria tacos before, now’s the time. It’s not a quick 15-minute meal — but trust me, the end result is worth every second.
Once you make birria tacos at home, they’ll become one of your go-to showstoppers for parties, weekends, or just when you want something seriously satisfying.
Make them messy. Make them spicy. Make them yours.
Related
Looking for other taco recipes? Try these:
Pairing
You are going to want a few good salsas to go with your fish tacos. Try some of these.
Recipe
Birria Tacos
Please note that this is an approximate recipe. Once you make birria de res or chili Colorado, you can make birria tacos to your hearts content. No need to stop at one. Keep buiding and frying them. Birria tacos are addictive!
Ingredients
- 2.2lb (1 kg) beef from Birria de res or Chili Colorado, shredded
- 3 cups (750ml) broth from the stew
- 300g Mexican cheese like Oaxaca
- 12 corn tortillas
Instructions
- You can cook these in batches and enjoy them right from the pan. Take a couple of corn tortillas and dip them in the chilli sauce from your birria de res or chili Colorado.
- Top these chili sauce soaked tortillas with a good mound of shredded beef and cheese.
- Heat about a tablespoon of light olive oil or neutral vegetable oil over a medium-high heat. I prefer to use vegetable oil as it has a higher smoking poing.
- Fold the tacos over and fry on one side until crispy. Then flip them over to crisp up the other side.
- Serve hot and keep those birria tacos coming. Once you eat one, you will want more!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 467Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 574mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 30g