Birria Taco recipe will indeed blow you away. It is a mixture of smoky, cheesy, crispy, and juicy additives in every bite. The birria tacos are made from beef braised in an aromatic chili sauce and stuffed in a broth of corn tortillas. The Oaxaca cheese is pan-fried until it’s crispy and later dipped into crimson for a rich, saucy finish. With just a single bite, you will appreciate why Birria Tacos is today’s hottest trend in the food industry. This post covers all the information you need to prepare Birria Tacos, which may be served as a stew topped with cilantro and onion some squeezed lemon juice.
What is Birria Tacos?
The term birria is common, especially in social media. However, Birria Tacos is much more than a trend. Birria is a traditional Mexican staple food made for lamb or goat, although beef is gradually becoming a new favorite due to its accessibility and deliciousness. The preparation involves stewing meat until it tenderizes to form a rich broth. The broth is added onions, chili, tomatoes, garlic, and other toasted spices. The outcome will be a lump of tender meat rich in fragrant and spicy notes. The dish is commonly served in ceremonies like weddings and birthdays because one can quickly serve the beef in tacos or nachos.
How do you make Birria Tacos?
Birria Tacos’ treated meat is taken out of the broth and sliced into tiny pieces. It is then enriched with the flavor from the broth, and corn tortillas are spread with fat that rests on the surface of the beef stew. The tortilla is added into the heated skillet and lumped with meat. Once it achieves a golden color, the tortilla is folded to create a crunchy taco. Cheese is often added to give the birria a unique taste.
Where is the source of Birria Tacos?
Although Birria Tacos is a relatively new invention, its origin can be traced to sixteenth-century Mexico. During that period, goats were the primary source of meat as the animal had adapted well to conditions there, making their population extremely high. The goat meat was stewed in spices and chilies in clay pots to tenderize and smooth out the gaminess for years. With time, the staple food evolved and was adopted by people in other regions. Today, it is a popular dish made from pork, beef, lamb, or veal.
Serving
Skim the broth to remove grease before serving the recipe as a stew. Do not skim the fat when making tacos because one will dip the tortillas onto the top layer. Serve the birria by scooping pieces of meat together with the broth into bowls. Add cilantro, onions, and lemon juice on top of the served recipe. These fresh ingredients will indeed complement the thickly flavored stew.
Ingredients for Birria Tacos
Birria Tacos comprises three key components, which are meat, tacos, and sauce. Apart from the chilies and beef, there are other ingredients necessary for the tempting recipe.
1. Whole Spices
Spices are grilled to release flavor and stewed with chilies. Later they are blended to produce the main sauce. One can purchase most seasonings from a local grocery store, or you can order them online. Spices are grilled to release flavor and stewed with chilies. Later they are blended to produce the main sauce. Below are some of the herbs:
- Bay leaves
- Fresh black peppercorns
- Cinnamon
- Coriander seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Sweet and bitter whole cloves
2. Consommé
- Beef broth
- Beef bouillon
- Yellow onions
- Eight cloves of garlic
- Four ripened tomatoes
- A tablespoon of Apple cider vinegar
3. Corn tortillas are necessary to give the Birria Tacos Recipe that crunchy texture and sweet corn flavor. The best are those that have been freshly made, although they should be prepared in batches.
4. Cheese: the ideal cheese for Birria Tacos Recipe is the Oaxaca cheese, developed from cow’s milk. The mild should be mild with a buttery flavor. One can purchase butter from a grocery store. You will have to peel the cheese into thinner strips to allow it to melt quickly. Melting is relatively more straightforward when the cheese is stored at room temperature. When the Oaxaca cheese is not available, one can use freshly shredded mozzarella.
5. Toppings: it is critical to balance the fatty cheese with vegetables. You can top your dish with white onions, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. Red onions, sliced jalapenos, or avocados can also be pickled.
How to make Birria Tacos
Below is a step-wise breakdown of the birria recipe.
Step 1: Eliminate Seeds from chilies
You will have to remove seeds from chilies because they contain the most heat, which may prevent guests from enjoying the delicacy. You can remove the seeds by dissecting the chilies to expose them, and they will fall off effortlessly when scaped.
Step 2: Sear the beef
Slice the beef into four-inch pieces. When the meat chucks are smaller, they will cook faster and absorb more flavor. Moreover, the chili sauce infiltrates deep into the meat as it steams—Pat the beef and then season with pepper and salt on both sides. Then sear the meat in the overusing medium heat.
Step 3: Prepare the sauce
In a different skillet, toast the spices in medium heat to achieve supper fragrance. The process can also be done before preparing the recipe. Set it aside for later use. Scrape the brown parts. After heating the oil on beef dripping, add sauté, onions, and garlic. The toasted spices are then added to the cooking pot and mixed with deseeded chiles, apple cider vinegar, tomatoes, dried oregano, beef bouillon, thyme, smoked paprika, and beef broth. Allow simmering for about fifteen minutes to soften the peppers. Move the mixture into a blender to make a smooth puree.
Step 4: Braise the meat
Add the meat into the oven together with chilies sauce and the remainder of the broth. Cover them and let the mixture simmer before transferring it to a preheated oven. Allow the food to cook for three hours to tenderize the meat.
Also try one of the following delicious recipes: Chicken Enchilada | Instant Pot Beef Stew | Tzatziki
Birria Tacos FAQ
Can I use Cook Pot for my Birria Tacos Recipe?
Yes, you can adapt this recipe to a relatively slower cooker as long as you stick strictly to the order of adding ingredients. With this cooker, you will have less broth much of the fluid will evaporate because of the slow cooking. Cook for between eight to ten hours unit the meat is tender, and then start preparing the Birria tacos recipe.
Can you prepare the Birria Tacos Recipe using the instant pot?
Yes, you can use the instant pot. Just toast spices, sear the beef, and stew tomatoes and chilies. Add the meat, a cup of broth, and chili sauce to the pot and stir the mixture. Similarly, there will be less broth because of evaporation. Seal the jar and cook for fifty minutes.
Tips for the Birria Tacos Recipe
- Use a non-stick skillet or cast iron. You will have to heat some oil, and you don’t want tortillas sticking on the pan. A non-stick pan is appropriate because tortillas will stick on the stainless-steel pan.
- Ensure the pan is hot before adding tortillas. When the pan is not well heated, the tortillas will get burnt before even the cheese melts. It would be best if you cooked the tortillas under medium heat to ensure they were crispy. Cover the pan using a lid after adding cheese to allow it to melt. For golden, crispy tacos, adjust the heat accordingly.
- Prepare the ingredient before moving to tacos. Although frying tacos is the main task when preparing the Birria recipe, preparing other ingredients takes a few minutes before starting the process. Shred strip the cheese, minced cilantro, and chop onions before moving to fry tacos.
- Get quality tortillas. Well-prepared tortillas will not tear during serving. If finding freshly made or homemade tortillas is difficult, you can prepare. Just get corn flour and stick to the attached instructions. You can make them early and freeze them for later use.
- Warm tortillas. If you are using quality tortillas, warming may not be necessary. However, heat makes them pliable, and hence, they cannot tear when folded. Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and microwave for thirty seconds.
- Cover tortillas filly in fat. Ensure that the fat is completely covering all sides of the tortilla to prevent breakages when folded.
- Use more oil. When your consommé does not contain enough fat to cover the tacos, add more vegetable oil to complement. The oil will allow the tacos to fry well, giving you a crispy feel and protects the shell from sogging when dipped in the consommé.
- Cheese is extra delicious. Do not be concerned about overfilling birria with cheese. The cheese will toast to form caramelized yum.
- Keep the tacos warm until serving. This recipe is for twelve to fourteen tacos. Therefore, do not expose the tacos to the cold before serving. You can cover the tacos with a baking sheet and store them in the oven under 250 degrees F.
- Do not skip the irresistible toppings. The Birria tacos require plenty of lime and chopped cilantro to enrich their freshness and flavor. You can add raw onions to complement the well-cooked and tender beef.
Birria Tacos Recipe Variations
- Omit or add cheese. Although cheese makes the Birria Tacos Recipe more delicious, you can choose to omit it if that is what you prefer.
- Cheese varieties: the cheese of choice is the Oaxaca, but other types of cheese, such as Chihuahua, mozzarella, and Monterey Jack, can also be used to make Birria Tacos Recipe.
- Softer tacos. You can soften the tacos to the level you prefer by varying the time for pan-frying tortillas.
- Baked tacos. You can bake taco shells to make them rigid and prevent them from becoming too soggy. You can add to the served broth warm beans and cheese before inserting them into the oven. Set the range at 350 degrees F for between fifteen and eighteen minutes to allow the cheese to melt completely.
- Skip pan-frying. Same as the street-style tacos, you can skip frying by adding minced Birria to a toasted or charred corn tortilla. On the pile, add your favorite toppings, and serve the Birria Tacos Recipe with hot sauce or chopped or sliced jalapenos.
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