These birria tacos are here to steal the spotlight, they are crispy, cheesy and filled with flavour! But our twist on the classic is even better than you can imagine. The tender beef simmered to perfection and gets a boost from gochujang and soy sauce for a subtle umami twist that we added. Nestled in golden tortillas with melty cheese and served with a rich, smoky consomé for dipping, this dish honours tradition while adding a touch of pantry magic.
Ready to dip into something delicious? Let’s get cooking!
Related: Crispy Mexican Pork Tenderloin Tacos
ingredients
For the Meat:
For the Sauce:
For the Tacos & Consomé:
directions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, sear beef on all sides and then place the beef, onion, garlic, bay leaves. Add the beef broth, soy sauce and salt, ensuring the meat is fully submerged. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 2 to 2½ hours until the beef is tender and easily shredded.
While the beef cooks, soak the dried chilies in hot water for 10 minutes until softened. Blend the soaked chilies, roasted tomatoes, gochujang, onion, garlic, ginger vinegar, oregano, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon until smooth. Adjust seasoning with sugar, salt and pepper.
Once the beef is tender, remove it from the pot and shred it using two forks. Strain the cooking broth and reserve for dipping. In the same pot, add the blended sauce (reserving about ½ cup to add to broth) and shredded beef and combine well. Note: if needed, use broth or soaked chili water to thin out the mixture and avoid burning the sauce. Cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in a mixture of rendered fat skimmed off broth, melted butter, some of the pepper sauce and smoked paprika. Place it on the skillet and sprinkle cheese all over the tortilla. Add a scoop of the saucy beef to one half, then fold the tortilla over. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until crispy and golden. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Serve the tacos with chopped cilantro, diced onions, and lime wedges on the side. Use the reserved broth as a dipping consomé.
