Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Make the best Authentic Pot Birria Tacos at home with this easy recipe. After making this for my family many times, I’ve perfected the rich, spicy broth and tender beef. The trick I discovered is using a combination of dried and fresh chilies for the perfect flavor. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Baked Chicken Roll Ups with Ham and Swiss Cheese and Easy No Bake S’mores Pudding Cups Recipe.

What You'll Need for Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 dried guajillo chilies
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 2 fresh serrano chilies
• 1 large white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
• Dried guajillo chilies
• Dried ancho chilies
• Fresh serrano chilies
• Garlic
• Onion
• Tomato paste
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Bay leaf
• Optional: Lime wedges
• Optional: Diced white onion
• Optional: Chopped fresh cilantro
• Optional: Sliced radishes
• Optional: Mexican crema or sour cream

How to Make Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

1. Step 1: Prepare the chilies: Remove the stems and seeds from the dried guajillo and ancho chilies. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Place the toasted chilies in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for 20 minutes.
2. Step 2: Cook the beef: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
3. Step 3: Sauté the aromatics: In the same pot, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
4. Step 4: Blend the chiles: Drain the soaked chilies and add them to a blender along with the serrano chilies, 1 cup of beef broth, and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth.
5. Step 5: Simmer the beef: Return the beef to the pot with the onions and garlic. Add the blended chile mixture, the remaining 1 cup of beef broth, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the beef simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is tender and falls apart easily.
6. Step 6: Shred the beef: Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Using two forks, shred the beef into small pieces. Stir the shredded beef back into the pot to combine with the broth.
7. Step 7: Warm the tortillas: Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Alternatively, you can wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and heat them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
8. Step 8: Assemble the tacos: Spoon some of the shredded beef onto each tortilla. Top with crumbled queso fresco and your desired toppings. Serve the tacos with a side of the consommé from the pot.

Storing & Reheating Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: The beef can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.

Freezing Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

You can also freeze the cooked beef for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: To reheat, place the beef in a baking dish with some of the consommé. Cover the dish with foil and heat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through. Microwave: Alternatively, you can reheat the beef in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For an even more authentic flavor, you can add a splash of vinegar to the broth before serving.
• Best substitution: If you can't find dried guajillo or ancho chilies, you can substitute them with dried New Mexico chilies.
• Make-ahead: The beef can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.
• Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the broth is too thick, you can thin it out with a little water or chicken broth.

Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

⏱

Prep

20 mins

🍳

Cook

2 hrs 30 mins

⏳

Total

2 hrs 50 mins

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 dried guajillo chilies
• 2 dried ancho chilies
• 2 fresh serrano chilies
• 1 large white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

Seasonings

• Dried guajillo chilies
• Dried ancho chilies
• Fresh serrano chilies
• Garlic
• Onion
• Tomato paste
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Bay leaf

Optional Toppings

• Lime wedges
• Diced white onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Sliced radishes
• Mexican crema or sour cream

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare the chilies: Remove the stems and seeds from the dried guajillo and ancho chilies. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Place the toasted chilies in a bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them soak for 20 minutes.
2. Step 2: Cook the beef: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
3. Step 3: Sauté the aromatics: In the same pot, add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.
4. Step 4: Blend the chiles: Drain the soaked chilies and add them to a blender along with the serrano chilies, 1 cup of beef broth, and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth.
5. Step 5: Simmer the beef: Return the beef to the pot with the onions and garlic. Add the blended chile mixture, the remaining 1 cup of beef broth, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let the beef simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is tender and falls apart easily.
6. Step 6: Shred the beef: Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Using two forks, shred the beef into small pieces. Stir the shredded beef back into the pot to combine with the broth.
7. Step 7: Warm the tortillas: Warm the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Alternatively, you can wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and heat them in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.
8. Step 8: Assemble the tacos: Spoon some of the shredded beef onto each tortilla. Top with crumbled queso fresco and your desired toppings. Serve the tacos with a side of the consommé from the pot.

Notes

• Chef tip: For an even more authentic flavor, you can add a splash of vinegar to the broth before serving.
• Best substitution: If you can't find dried guajillo or ancho chilies, you can substitute them with dried New Mexico chilies.
• Make-ahead: The beef can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.
• Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the broth is too thick, you can thin it out with a little water or chicken broth.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: You can also freeze the cooked beef for up to 3 months.
• Oven reheat: To reheat, place the beef in a baking dish with some of the consommé. Cover the dish with foil and heat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
• Microwave reheat: Alternatively, you can reheat the beef in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Make ahead: The beef can be made ahead of time and reheated when ready to serve.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 450
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 25g
• Carbs: 22g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 105mg
• Sat. Fat: 12g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!