Birria is a Mexican stew that can be served in any form, whether it be a nourish bowl with avocado and sautéed veggies, or these tacos with fried tortillas!
The first time I heard of Birria, a Mexican meat stew marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chiles, herbs, and spices, was on the online take out menu of a downtown San Jose restaurant that closed down before I had a chance to try it. So when I got my hands on some Guajillo and New Mexican Chilies, I tried our Chef Suzyo's incredible recipe that is truly a labor of love but worth the preparation and chile-hunting (my favorite selection is from Oaktown Spice Shop).
I adapted this recipe into tacos by dipping the tortillas into the excess sauce and crisping them into shells on the cast iron, but it'll be delicious in any form you choose to serve it. I also used New Mexican Chilies instead of Ancho, but loved the combination of flavors, especially paired with the roasted tomatoes. You can easily make these paleo by using paleo-compliant tortillas, or serving it in “burrito bowl form,” with the birria stew meat, avocado, sautéed veggies, quinoa, etc.
A few things to note:
When toasting the chiles, use a dry pan over medium-heat and toast for no more than 2-3 minutes max. If you burn the chilies, it won’t be as noticeable while they dry, but you’ll see the burn marks as they rehydrate and it often lends a bitter taste.
If you choose to fry the tortillas in the excess fat, be sure to let the tortilla drip off before putting it on the cast iron. If you soak the tortillas in too much of the adobo sauce, then they’ll turn out soggy and only crisp if you overcook them. I recommend lightly spraying canola oil on the cast iron before frying the tortillas to avoid them sticking. I also wouldn’t try cooking the dipped tortillas over direct flame because the fat will drip causing the fire to further ignite, scorching your tortillas.
After cooking these in the pressure cooker, I like to further reduce the sauce by removing the meat, shredding it separately, and then letting the sauce reduce by half over medium-high heat (stirring often). This will help the fat rise on the top, making it easier to quickly dip the tortillas before frying on the cast iron and avoid over-soaking.
If you make these Birria tacos, tag @cleaneatsfactory on Instagram! Feel free to leave any questions in the comments, contact form or DM me.
Birria Tacos (Instant Pot, Paleo, GF)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless beef stew meat
- 1 New Mexican Chile
- 3 Guajillo Chile
- 2 cups roasted tomatoes (recipe follows)
- 2 whole cloves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1⁄4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1⁄4 teaspoon marjoram
- 1⁄2 small white onion
- 1 in of stick of Ceylon cinnamon
- 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 2 lbs tomatoes (I used a mix of vine, roma & cherry tomatoes)*
- 1 small yellow onion, cut into quarters and slices separated
- 2 cloves garlic, whole
- Flake salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo chile pepper
- 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- Tortillas of choice
- Queso Fresco
- Avocado
- Diced white onion
- Minced Cilantro
Instructions
- Season the stew meat with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside while you prepare your sauce.
- De-stem and de-seed the peppers, then lightly toast them on a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Once toasted, let them rehydrate in a bowl covered in boiling water for 20 minutes.
- Toast the whole spices: cumin, black peppercorns, and cloves for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add them to a blender alongside the roasted tomatoes, soaked & drained peppers, onion, apple cider vinegar, and remaining herbs and spices. Blend until a smooth sauce forms.
- Coat the meat in the sauce and let marinate in the fridge for 4 hours to overnight.
- When ready to make the stew, set the Instant Pot on saute and once hot, add enough oil to cover the bottom. Sear the meat until browned on both sides, in batches if necessary, then turn off the saute setting and add the remaining sauce and 1/4 cup water. Stir to make sure the meat is fully coated, then seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on medium setting for 1 hr. Let the pressure naturally release for 20-25 minutes once done.
- *if using larger tomatoes (anything larger than grape/cherry), then cut into quarters before roasting
- Preheat oven to 450.
- Combine all the roasted tomato ingredients, tossing to coat. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the tomatoes burst.
- Set aside the meat chunks from the finished birria and place the remaining sauce in a pan or pot over medium-high heat. Stirring occasionally, reduce the sauce by nearly a half, concentrating stirring on the sides of the pan to avoid burning.
- Heat a cast iron over medium-high and lightly coat in canola oil.
- Once the oil has risen to the top of the sauce, dip the tortilla in the sauce letting the excess drip off. Fry the tortilla on the cast iron, flipping often to avoid burning, until crispy around the edges.
- Using tongs, fold into a tortilla shell shape and let cool on a wire rack. When ready to serve, add in the birria and diced white onion, and top with garnishes (option): queso fresco, avocado, cilantro.
Notes:
Adapted from Chef Suzyo Changa for Oaktown Spice Shop.