Birria tacos or red tacos are a marriage between quesadilla and tacos. An authentic Birria tacos recipe uses the meat of Birria de Res, a famous Mexican stew, inside tacos. The slowly cooked meat in the taco offers you the ultimate gastronomic delight.
Once the taco has meat and cheese inside, you need to cook it in the Birria stew fat. There, you have a gooey and wholesome experience for your palette.
So far, you have tried these tacos at the best Mexican food trucks. Do you want to make them at home?
Here is your complete recipe guide.
Best Birria Tacos Recipe To Try In 2023
The three main ingredients used in an authentic Berria tacos recipe are shredded meat from the Birria stew, cheese, and tortilla.
Seeing how this basic combination transforms into something delectable with the right spices and techniques is magical.
So, let’s don the chef’s hat without further ado.
Chicken Birria Tacos Recipe
Cooking Time: 50-60 Minutes
If you are more into lean meat and love chicken Birria, you must try this easy Birria tacos recipe at home.
Chicken Birria is a very common dish, and you will find many videos with brilliant recipes.
However, being a passionate home cook, I would love to give you a quick breakdown of each step. So, here is your guide.
Searing The Chicken
I drizzle some olive oil in a Dutch pan and warm it on a medium flame. Then, I add the boiled chicken seasoned with salt and pepper to the pan. Also, I put a quarter of an onion (roughly chopped) in the pan.
I keep it like this for around 2-3 minutes until the searing is perfect and the chicken pieces have turned golden brown.
Don’t overcook the chicken pieces at this stage; it will ruin the texture and tenderness.
Getting The Chilies Ready For The Sauce
I boil deseeded and destemmed red chilies (I use 3 to 4 as I don’t want the tacos to be super spicy) in two cups of water. If you want the sauce the hotter, you can add more chilies.
For all the flavors in the sauce, I use half onion slices, one or two bay leaves, and two or three tomatoes cut in quarters.
Making The Sauce
Once the mixture is temperate, you need to transfer the whole mix into a blender. Further, you will need to add some oregano, garlic cloves, cinnamon, cumin, and paprika to make the sauce.
Whirl the sauce using some water to prepare the chili (filter it before use). Blend everything after adding a small amount of chicken stock.
Preparing The Stew
Put the pan with the chicken pieces back in the oven. Then, add the sauce and let it boil for around 15-20 minutes.
I use boiled chicken so that I can save time at this stage.
Once the chicken pieces are cooked, I keep them for a while to cool down.
I shred the meat and get the shredded chicken coated with the sauce.
Making The Tacos
This is the final part, where I have to dip the tortilla bread into the sauce. Be careful at this stage; you don’t want the bread to become soggy.
Now, drizzle some cooking oil in the pan and put the bread in it.
Wait for a few seconds until one side of the bread is crispy. Now, flip the bread and stuff it with shredded meat and cheese.
Don’t forget to add diced onion and cilantro to the filling.
Fold the taco and keep frying it until it turns golden brown.
Reduce the remaining sauce and add some extra seasoning to use as a condiment for your chicken Birria tacos.
Expert Tip
Use boiled chicken pieces as I have to save some time. You can refrigerate the Birria sauce so the fat rises to the top. This way, frying the bread in the sauce will be easier.
Beef Birria Tacos Recipe
Cooking Time: Around 90 Minutes
Making beef Birria tacos is a lengthier process than making the one with chicken. I make the beef Birria stew the same way as the chicken stew.
Still, if you want to know how to make beef Birria, you can have a look at this video.
I make the beef Birria stew on the stove to make the meat more flavorful. Also, once I collect the shredded meat, I let it cook in the sauce again for a while so that the sauce gets fused properly.
Once you are ready with the shredded meat, get the tortilla ready by dipping in the sauce and frying in the skillet.
In beef Birria, I use more cheese than the chicken variation. My partner and I like it this way!
What’s more? Once the tortilla bread is roasted well on both sides, put the shredded meat, cheese, onion, and cilantro inside and fold it like a taco. Fry it on both sides for around 15-20 seconds or until crispy.
Now, take a large bite of the tacos with the reduced Birria sauce or condiment.
Slow Cooker Birria Tacos Recipe
Cooking Time: 6-8 Hours
If you want to make slow cooker Birria tacos, you have to use beef or lamb. Chicken is not ideal for a slow-cooking process of around 6 to 8 hours.
The only difference is mixing the sauce and meat pieces in a deep pan and cooking it until everything melts.
Slow cooking gives the meat all the tenderness and a bold flavor to the stew. If you want to know the detailed recipe for slow cooker Birria tacos, look at this video.
And one more trick: I use burnt chilies to make the stew for this slow-cooking recipe.
Final Words
Traditionally, the Birria tacos recipe is made with shredded goat meat. However, with time, the use of lamb, chicken, beef, and pork in the recipe has become more popular.
Once you try it and get through the process, you will find it very easy to make for the next time.
Also, based on your choice, you can use wheat or corn tortilla bread to get the tacos ready.Let’s not wait anymore and take a bite of the most delectable homemade Birria tacos. It’s time to go Nom Nom!
Read Also:
