Quick Skillet Beef Birria Tacos

النسخة العربية

Birria tacos that taste like they came from a Mexican restaurant, ready in about an hour and a half instead of hours of slow cooking. Small pieces of beef cook in the skillet with a dried chili sauce and spices until tender and easy to shred. Then we dip the tortillas in the red fat from the broth, fill them with beef and cheese, and crisp several at once until they turn crunchy and reddish-orange. Serve them with a bowl of hot consommé for dipping, plus onion, cilantro and lime. A perfect recipe for a weekend dinner with the family.

⚠️ Allergy note: contains Dairy (mozzarella cheese), Wheat/gluten (if using wheat tortillas; may be in store-bought beef stock), Celery (may be in store-bought beef stock).

Um Ghaith’s tips

• Cutting the beef into small cubes (1.5 cm) is the secret to the speed; big chunks need two hours or more to get tender.
• If you can’t find dried guajillo or Kashmiri chilies, use sweet paprika with a little ground chili, and add 1 teaspoon of pomegranate molasses for deeper flavor.
• Don’t crowd the skillet when browning the beef; pieces packed together release water and boil instead of browning.
• Don’t dip the tortillas in the broth for long or they’ll fall apart; a quick dip of one side in the red fat is enough.
• If the sauce gets too thick while cooking, add half a cup of hot water so you still have enough broth for dipping.

Quick Skillet Beef Birria Tacos

Birria tacos that taste like they came from a Mexican restaurant, ready in about an hour and a half instead of hours of slow cooking. Small pieces of beef cook in the skillet with a dried chili sauce and spices until tender and easy to shred. Then we dip the tortillas in the red fat from the broth, fill them with beef and cheese, and crisp several at once until they turn crunchy and reddish-orange. Serve them with a bowl of hot consommé for dipping, plus onion, cilantro and lime. A perfect recipe for a weekend dinner with the family.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Main course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 700 g boneless beef chuck or shank cut into small 1.5 cm cubes, excess fat trimmed
• 1 tsp salt plus more to taste at the end
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil 30 ml
• 4 dried red chilies (guajillo or Kashmiri) stems and seeds removed; or 2 tbsp sweet paprika + 1 tsp ground chili
• 1 medium tomato quartered
• 1/2 medium onion roughly chopped
• 4 clove garlic peeled
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 whole cloves or a pinch of ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 15 ml
• 750 ml beef stock 3 cups, hot
• 12 small corn tortillas about 15 cm across; small wheat tortillas also work
• 200 g shredded mozzarella cheese about 2 cups
• 1/2 white onion finely chopped, for garnish
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
• 2 limes cut into wedges
• 3 radishes optional, thinly sliced

Method

 

1. Soak the dried chilies in 1 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes until soft, then drain.
2. In a blender, blend the soaked chilies with the tomato, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of the stock until you have a smooth sauce.
3. Season the beef cubes with the salt and black pepper.
4. Heat the oil in a wide, deep skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
5. Brown the beef in two batches, leaving space between the pieces, 3 to 4 minutes per batch until browned on all sides, then return all the beef to the skillet (about 8 minutes).
6. Add the chili sauce and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant and the sauce darkens slightly.
7. Add the rest of the stock (2 cups) and the bay leaf, and bring to a boil (about 3 minutes).
8. Lower the heat to low, cover the skillet, and let the beef cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until very tender and it shreds with a fork (its internal temperature will be over 90°C, well above the safe minimum for beef of 63°C). Meanwhile, prepare the onion, cilantro, lime and radishes.
9. Lift the beef pieces onto a plate and shred them with two forks, and remove the bay leaf (about 5 minutes).
10. Spoon the layer of red fat from the surface of the broth into a small bowl, taste the broth (the consommé) and adjust the salt, and keep it warm over very low heat.
11. Heat a clean wide skillet or flat griddle over medium heat, dip one side of 4 tortillas in the red fat and place them together in the skillet, greased side down.
12. Sprinkle a little cheese and then shredded beef over half of each tortilla, and leave for 1 minute until the cheese starts to melt.
13. Fold each tortilla in half and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side until crispy and reddish-orange. Repeat with the remaining tortillas in two more batches (about 15 minutes for all three batches), or use two skillets at once to save time.
14. Ladle the consommé into small bowls and garnish with the chopped onion and cilantro.
15. Serve the tacos hot with the consommé for dipping and the lime wedges and radishes.

Notes

⚠️ Allergy note: contains Dairy (mozzarella cheese), Wheat/gluten (if using wheat tortillas; may be in store-bought beef stock), Celery (may be in store-bought beef stock)

Cutting the beef into small cubes (1.5 cm) is the secret to the speed; big chunks need two hours or more to get tender.

If you can’t find dried guajillo or Kashmiri chilies, use sweet paprika with a little ground chili, and add 1 teaspoon of pomegranate molasses for deeper flavor.

Don’t crowd the skillet when browning the beef; pieces packed together release water and boil instead of browning.

Don’t dip the tortillas in the broth for long or they’ll fall apart; a quick dip of one side in the red fat is enough.

If the sauce gets too thick while cooking, add half a cup of hot water so you still have enough broth for dipping.

Frequently asked questions

What is the consommé served with birria tacos?

It’s the beef’s own cooking broth after the meat is lifted out, rich with chilies and spices, served hot in a small bowl with onion and cilantro for dipping the tacos.

Can I make birria ahead of time?

Yes, keep the shredded beef and the broth in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days, and heat the broth until it boils before making the tacos.

What’s the best cut of beef for birria tacos?

Chuck, shank or neck, because they have connective tissue that melts during cooking, giving you tender meat and a rich broth. You can also use lamb.

Can I use wheat tortillas instead of corn?

Yes, small wheat tortillas work too, but they’re a little softer and need less time in the skillet so they don’t burn.