BIRRIA TACOS
From the kitchens of Jalisco, Mexico to the food trucks of Queens, New York to everyone’s social media feed; it seems the whole world is craving these deliciously savory Birria tacos. Try your hand at making these tempting bad boys in your very own kitchen. We can pretty much promise you there won’t be leftovers.
Method
Serves: 4-6
Birria Tacos Method:
Roughly rip the chiles into smaller pieces and add them to a medium saucepan along with the cumin seeds. Toast the chiles and cumin for 5 minutes until fragrant but not smoking.
Cover the chiles with about 2 cups of water and bring the water to a simmer. Cover the saucepan with a lid and turn off the heat, allow the mixture to steep for 10-20 minutes.
Transfer the chile mixture (water included) to a blender. Add the garlic, oregano, cloves, onion, and peppers. Add enough water to cover all of the ingredients.
Blend the mixture until completely smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Reserve until ready to use.
Salt chuck pieces on a large sheet tray and let sit at room temperature for 40 minutes
Meanwhile, place the oxtails in a roasting pan and toss them with vegetable oil.
Roast the oxtails at 475° F for 15-20 minutes, or until well browned.
Pour the tomatoes and the blended chile mixture over the roasted oxtails. Add enough water to come about halfway up the sides of the oxtails.
Add the beef chuck, cinnamon stick, fresh marjoram, onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
Braise the beef at 350°F for 3 hours, until the beef is tender enough to shred. Make sure to flip all of the pieces of meat halfway through the cook time and add more water if necessary.
Remove the beef from the roasting pan and shred it with two forks and reserve.
Strain the remaining braising liquid into a large bowl.
Add about 1 cup of the braising liquid to the reserved shredded beef.
Cover the remaining braising liquid and the beef with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the solidified fat from the top of the braising liquid and reheat it in a medium sized skillet.
Reheat the braising liquid in a medium pot. Season with salt or pepper if necessary. This will be the consomé.
Reheat the shredded beef in another medium pot.
Preheat a large cast iron skillet. Warm one tortilla on each side.
Dip the corn tortilla in the liquefied fat and then transfer to the cast iron skillet once again.
Top the tortilla with shredded oaxaca cheese and a generous portion of the beef.
Fold the tortilla in half, enclosing the beef and cheese. Continue frying the taco for about 1 minute and then flip it over. Cook for an additional minute.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
Serve the birria tacos with a cup of the consomé, white onion, jalapeno peppers, limes and (optionally) cilantro.
Ingredients
Birria Tacos Ingredients:
6-8 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
3-4 Chile de árbol, stems and seeds removed
2 tsp cumin seeds
As needed water
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
¼ tsp ground cloves
½ small onion
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or to taste)
3 ½ lb boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 2” cubes
1 tsp kosher salt
1 ½ - 2 lb oxtails
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 (14 oz) can whole tomatoes
1 stick Canela (Mexican cinnamon)
3 sprigs fresh marjoram
1 yellow onion, quartered
5 bay leaves
1 Tbsp black peppercorns
To taste kosher salt
To taste freshly ground black pepper
Corn tortillas (store-bought)
Oaxaca cheese
For Serving:
White onion, diced
Jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
Limes, quartered
Cilantro