Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Chiles
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles, then toast them in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Rehydrate Chiles
- Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with hot water, and let them rehydrate for about 20 minutes until softened.
Sear the Beef
- Season beef chuck roast with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides in a large pot or Dutch oven until browned.
Make the Birria Sauce
- In a blender, combine rehydrated chiles, roma tomatoes, half white onion, garlic cloves, cider vinegar, cumin, Mexican oregano, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon stick; blend until smooth, adding a little beef broth if needed.
Cook the Birria
- Pour the blended sauce over the seared beef in the pot, add remaining beef broth, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 hours or until beef is tender.
Shred the Beef
- Remove beef from the pot, shred it using two forks, and set aside while reserving the cooking liquid (consommé).
Assemble the Tacos
- Dip each corn tortilla in the reserved consommé, then place it on a hot griddle or pan. Fill with shredded beef and Oaxaca cheese, folding the tortilla in half to form a taco.
Serve
- Cook tacos until cheese is melted and tortillas are slightly crispy, then serve immediately with chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges.
Notes
For extra flavor, you can marinate the beef overnight in some of the birria sauce before cooking. Adjust the amount of arbol chiles for your preferred spice level.
