There is a reason that Birria Quesatacos have been sensationalized and made popular all over the world. Tender beef birria shredded and pan fried with melty oaxaca cheese inside of corn tortillas and consomé (richly flavored birria broth). Get ready to make these insane taco truck worthy birria tacos right at home!

Birria Quesatacos with cilantro and onion on silver baking sheet

Ooooeeee, y’all. I cannot tell you how excited I am to share this post with you! These birria tacos have been in my drafts section for some time now and no more, nah. I wanted to make sure that I did plenty research and gave you a really informational post about what even is birria quesatacos. When developing recipes outside of my own culture, I believe it is of major importance to place an emphasis on not just doing the bare minimum for any kind of internet clout. Listen, I know how I feel when I see non-Caribbean’s making Island food, ha! It truly grinds my West Indian gears. But alas, let’s talk about these delicious tacos already.

Birria quesatacos have taken the world (mainly the internet!) by storm. They gained huge popularity over social media channels like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Tons of foodies everywhere ogled over that delicious stewed meat being fried up inside of corn tortillas with Oaxaca cheese and a side of broth for dipping. I’ve tried other folks’s birria tacos recipes and I can attest to seeing why many are obsessed with them. They are incredibly good and such a treat to make. While a bit more time consuming than your average recipe, these birria quesatacos have got to be on your next must-make list for sure!

black hand dipping birria taco into consomé

What Is Birria?

Birria is a meat stew dish gaining origin from Jalisco, Mexico. It is traditionally made using goat meat or lamb but also made from beef, too, since it is more easily accessible. Birria is an authentic dish commonly served at celebrations with no tacos anywhere in sight as it is a meat stew only. This flavorful stew is typically served in a bowl with broth (consomé) and topped with onion and cilantro, so comforting and cozy.

Furthermore, Birria de Res, translates to Mexican beef stew- which is exactly what we’re making here. And that is beef marinated in a variety of chiles/peppers, spices, and more. The end result is super tender beef with a deliciously rich and flavorful consomé broth. Beef birria can be served in a number of ways; served as a stew, inside of tacos, and even quesadillas. I’ve even seen (and tried!) birria ramen as well!

Meat For Birra Quesatacos (Tacos De Birria)

There are many cuts of meat to use for making homemade birria tacos. You can use different cuts of beef, goat meat, lamb, oxtails, and more! Regardless of the protein chosen, the outcome for your quesabirria tacos will be equally bomb. For this recipe, I am using beef chuck roast and beef short ribs (english cut). Both of them are widely accessible and create such a flavorful succulent combination together.

raw beef chuck roast and short ribs on wood cutting board

Ingredients For Making Birria de Res

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • Meat: As noted above, this recipe calls for both beef chuck roast and beef short ribs.
  • Dried chile peppers: You will find the majority of these chiles in your local Latin supermarkets like Bravo supermarket if you have one near you. This recipe is using árbol, ancho, pasilla, and guajillo chiles. The combination of peppers is nice and gives the birria that signature deep color. You will need to deseed the chiles as well by cutting off the stems- or keep them for more heat intensity if you’d like.
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Love the flavors from these so much!
  • Aromatics/spices: Nice big flavors from onion, Mexican cinnamon + Mexican oregano, black peppercorns, garlic powder, ground cumin, marjoram, ground cloves, coriander, bay leaves.
  • Beef stock: More added flavor and used for braising the birria.

What You’ll Need For Birria Quesatacos

So, you’ve made your birria- what do you need for birria quesatacos?

Corn Tortillas: Feel free to use either yellow or white corn tortillas. The tortillas are fried for these birria tacos which makes corn the very best choice here. I do not recommend using flour tortillas.

Oaxaca cheese: Also known as quesillo– a white semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from Mexico. Oaxaca cheese is a round-shape curd cheese that has a buttery mellow flavor very similar to string cheese. With phenomenal melting! The next best alternative to oaxaca cheese is monterey jack or mozzarella cheese.

Honorable mentions: Plenty of chopped cilantro! That fresh herby goodness compliments these tacos so much. I also like a touch of chopped red onion too. You can use it as a garnish and/or use it inside of the tacos. Additionally, I also love to have some fresh lime wedges on deck for a nice contrast in flavors.

dried Chile pods on wood cutting board

How To Make Birria Quesatacos At Home (Video!)

>>> For my visual learners out there, I got you. Watch this video and get ready to make ’em yourself!

  1. Cut the meat into pieces and combine together in a large bowl.
  2. Salt the meat very generously all over and then set aside.
  3. Cut the stems off the chiles and deseed each and every one.
  4. Boil the chiles along with the aromatics until tender.
  5. Add the chiles/aromatics into a blender will chipotle peppers, broth, and vinegar.
  6. Pulse together until completely smooth, set aside, and then preheat the oven to 300°F.
  7. Brown the pieces of meat on the stovetop until lightly seared all over.
  8. Pour in the liquid from the blender, tomatoes/broth/spices, and mix together.
  9. Cover the pot with a lid and braise in the oven for at least 3 hours.
  10. Remove the beef from the pot and shred using two forks.
  11. Add the shredded beef back into the same pot and stir together with the consomé.
  12. Using a non-stick skillet, make the birria quesatacos. Enjoy!
spices for birria tacos on small black plate

Tips + Tricks For Making Birria Tacos

To ensure a very delicious and bomb af birria quesatacos experience, here’s some further info!

  • Toast your chiles: I don’t have a step here for toasting your chile pods beforehand but some say that it brings out more flavors within the chiles. I’ve tested this method and don’t particularly find that it does a whole lot more for me but it is an option for you. To toast your chiles, place them into a dry pan over medium-high heat and stir them around until they become more soft and their aroma begins to release. Just a few minutes long to avoid burning them. Then proceed with the rest of the written recipe.
  • Make ahead: This is a recipe that I *highly* recommend making ahead of time because I don’t want you to be in the kitchen all day. For example, the Birria de Res (meat stew) can be made a day in advance (deepening those flavors!) since it requires hours of braising. Then the next day you can make the Birria Quesatacos. This makes the overall process easier rather than getting it all done in one day, ha!
  • No beef stock, no problem: I love the added flavor from using beef stock within this recipe but it’s not a huge issue if you don’t have it. You can simply use water in place of if and be on your way.
  • Blending/straining the sauce: The chile sauce will need to be blended very well using a high powdered blender to reach a silky smooth consistency. If you do not have a blender like such, you will have to strain the mixture using a fine mesh sieve. And you may have to do this a few times.
  • Tomatoes: For this recipe, I love adding in the tomatoes at the braising stage for a bite of texture inside of the Birria Quesatacos. However, if you would like your sauce to be all the way smooth- add the tomatoes into the blender when preparing the sauce. That way your entire sauce is smooth.
gray spoon over white pot full of Birria de Res

Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker Method

>>> Wanna make this Birria de Res using a pressure cooker? It’s possible! <<<

  1. Salt the meat as stated in the written recipe.
  2. Prepare the sauce as also stated.
  3. Sear/brown the meat inside of your pressure cooker.
  4. Pour in the sauce along with the stock/tomatoes/vinegar/spices.
  5. Stir everything together to combine.
  6. Set the pressure cooker setting to “High” and cook for about 50 minutes.
  7. Release the steam naturally, shred the meat, and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Slow Cooker/Crockpot Method

>>> Now let’s make this Birria de Res using a slow cooker method! <<<

  1. Salt the meat as stated in the written recipe.
  2. Prepare the sauce as also stated.
  3. Sear/brown the meat on the stovetop (or in your slow cooker if that is an option).
  4. Add the meat into your slow cooker (if you seared on the stovetop).
  5. Pour in the sauce along with the stock/tomatoes/vinegar/spices.
  6. Stir everything together to combine.
  7. Let the mixture slow cook for 6-8 hours.
  8. Remove the meat and shred, then proceed with the recipe.

Other Great Recipes To Try ASAP

Birria Quesatacos on silver baking tray with small bowl of consomé on the side

What To Do With Birria Leftovers

Listen, this recipe will leave you with plenty of leftover Birria de Res, y’all- I’m just saying! >>> Although, this is a very good problem to have because you could use up your birria in a number of tasty ways!

  • serve it over grits, polenta, or mashed potatoes.
  • make ’em into quesadillas or burritos.
  • assemble some birria nachos.
  • serve it up as a breakfast situation in an omelet or with potatoes.
  • birria ramen is a thing (and quite good too!)
  • if you’re craving pizza- use it here also.
  • i’ve made birria grilled cheese sandwiches and it’s out of this world!
  • make ’em into taquitos.
  • …and so much more creative delicious ways!

Storing/Reheating Your Birria de Res

  1. After making your birria, if you’re not using it right away to make the Quesatacos you will need to store it in the refrigerator. You can transfer the entire pot of birria into the fridge or store it in airtight containers. Once the birria is refrigerated it will solidify . Before reheating (via the stovetop or microwave), simply skim the fat off from the top and use the fat to fry the corn tortillas in.

Ayyyeee- I am truly obsessed over these homemade Birria Quesatacos, peeps. They’re so rich and flavorful, extra juicy, and cheesy; I mean, what’s not to love here?! With this recipe you can make your own famous birria tacos right at home just like you might find at your fave taco joint. Hope you enjoy. Xo.

black hand holding birria Quesataco over bowl of consomé

REMEMBER TO LEAVE A ⭐️STAR RATING⭐️AND TAG ME ON THE ‘GRAM IF YOU MAKE ANY OF MY RECIPES! I ALWAYS LOVE TO SEE IT WHEN YOU DO!

UNTIL NEXT TIME…LOVE AND BUTTER,

Q.

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Birria Quesatacos on silver baking tray with small bowl of consomé on the side

Birria Quesatacos With Consomé (+Video!)

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 30m
  • Cook Time: 3hr 30
  • Total Time: 4 hrs
  • Yield: 6-8 1x
  • Category: Entrée, Main Course
  • Cuisine: Mexican American
Print Recipe

Description

There is a reason that Birria Quesatacos have been sensationalized and made popular all over the world. Shredded beef birria pan fried with melty oaxaca cheese inside of corn tortillas and consomé (richly flavored birria broth). Get ready to make these birria quesatacos right at home!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into pieces
  • 2 lbs beef short ribs, english cut
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • 3 dried Guajillo chiles, stems cut and deseeded
  • 3 dried Ancho chiles , stems cut and deseeded
  • 2 dried Pasilla chiles, stems cut and deseeded
  • 4 dried Chile de Árbol chiles, stems cut and deseeded
  • 1 large white onion, cut in half
  • 1 cinnamon stick (canela)
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 5 whole garlic cloves
  • 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 5 1/2 cups beef stock, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) canned fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 4 bay leaves

For the Quesatacos

  • 1 lb 6-inch corn tortillas, for serving
  • 1 lb Oaxaca cheese, shredded- for serving
  • freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
  • finely chopped red onion- optional
  • lime wedges- optional

Instructions

Birria de Res and Consomé

  1. Cut the chuck roast into smaller chunks and the combine it with the short ribs in a large bowl. Season the meat very generously with salt and use your hands (with disposable gloves, if desired) to massage the salt into the meat all over. Then set the bowl aside.
  2. Take all of the Mexican chiles and deseed them by cutting off their stems and removing all of the inner seeds in each and every pepper. Then discard the stems and seeds.
  3. In a large dutch oven/stock pot; add the dried peppers, onion, cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, and garlic cloves together. Then fill the same pot with enough water to cover everything. 
  4. Boil the peppers/aromatics together over medium-high heat for about 30-35 minutes. The onion should be broken down and tender and the peppers should be soft and pliable. 
  5. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the onions, peppers, and garlic into a *high powdered blender*. Then discard the water and remaining bits left in the pot. Add in the chipotle peppers and 4 cups of the beef stock into the blender as well. *Note: if you would like your finished sauce to be ultra smooth- add in the tomatoes here as well. Blend the mixture together very well until completely smooth, blend once more for extra measure. Then set aside while you move on to the next steps.
  6. Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).
  7. In a large heavy bottomed oven safe dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the reserved pieces of meat. Careful not to overcrowd the pot, cook in batches. Sear the meat on all sides until a crisp browned crust appears, about 2-3 minutes per side. Then set the browned meat aside on a plate and repeat the process until all of the meat is browned.
  8. Add all of the browned meat back into the pot along with the reserved liquid in the blender. Then add in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of beef stock, vinegar, tomatoes, oregano, garlic powder, ground cumin, marjoram, ground cloves, coriander seeds, and bay leaves.
  9. Give everything a good stir to fully combine and cover the pot with a lid. Transfer the covered pot into the oven to braise for at least 3 hours. The meat should be extra tender and falling apart.
  10. After braising, use a slotted spoon to transfer the braised meat to a large baking sheet, discarding the bones and the bay leaves in the pot. Use two forks to tear all of the meat into shreds. Then place the shredded meat back into the pot with the liquid and stir together. Set the Birria aside.

To make Birria Quesatacos

  1. Using a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add in about 2-3 tablespoons of the fat from the top of the birria into the skillet. Once the liquid is hot, take one tortilla and add it into the skillet, coating the tortilla well in the mixture. Use tongs to carefully flip the tortilla on its other side to coat as well. Then top the tortilla with some shredded cheese and wait a few seconds for it to begin melting. Add a few scoops of the Birria to one end of the taco and carefully fold it over using a spatula. Then use that same spatula to lightly press the taco down until it holds in place.
  2. Let the taco pan fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy and cheese is bubbly, adding a spoonful of the consomé broth over the taco as needed. Feel free to pan fry for longer until desired crispiness is achieved. Then transfer the taco to a large baking sheet or platter covered with foil. Repeat this process until all of your desired amount of Birria Quesatacos are made. Serve the tacos warm with chopped cilantro, red onion, and lime wedges (if desired) alongside a cup of the consomé for dipping, enjoy!

Notes

  1. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
  2. If making the Birria de Res ahead of time: when refrigerating, the birria will solidify. Simply skim the fat off of the top and use that for frying the tacos. Reheat the birria on the stovetop (for best results) or in the microwave as needed.

Keywords: mexican, birria, tacos, beef, braising, slow cook