tacos de birria

Birria is a rich Mexican stew of fall-apart meat slowly braised in a fragrant broth. It comes from Jalisco and is traditionally made with goat, but I use beef short ribs because the fat and bones give the most flavour (and they're easier to find at the butcher).

Making birria is a long process, but my Mild & Smoky salsa macha already has the ancho, guajillo and pasilla chillies and garlic you need for the marinade, so it cuts the prep time in half.

Make these for friends who don't mind eating with their hands. And don't forget birria is the best hangover cure!

If you want more fire, drizzle with Chili Maven’s SPICY & NUTTY  salsa macha just before serving.

Ingredients

For the meat

  • 1/2 jar Chili Maven MILD & SMOKY salsa macha

  • 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  • A few grinds of black pepper

  • 50ml neutral cooking oil

  • 1-1.2kg bone-in beef short ribs

  • 1 onion, sliced

  • 500ml tomato passata

  • Water

For the tacos

  • 12 corn tortillas

  • Shredded mozzarella (optional, for quesabirria)

For serving

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • Fresh coriander, chopped

  • 2 limes, cut into wedges

method

Step 1: Make the marinade

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Rub the oregano between your palms to bring out the flavour, then mix it in a bowl with the salsa macha, cinnamon, salt, vinegar, black pepper and oil. Rub this all over the meat, getting it into every nook.

Step 2: Build the pot

Spread the sliced onion over the bottom of a casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid. Pour in the passata, then lay the meat on top. Add a splash of water to the passata jar, give it a good shake and pour it in. Keep adding water until it nearly covers the ribs. Spoon any leftover marinade over the meat and put the lid on.

Step 3: Braise

Braise for 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone. Check it now and then and add water if it starts to dry out. You can also cook them in the slow cooker for 6-8 hours.

Step 4: Shred and skim

Take the dish out of the oven. Skim the fat from the top and set it aside for the tortillas. Lift out the meat, discard the bones and shred it.

Step 5: Make the consomé

The braising liquid is your broth (consomé). Keep it warm, and blend it if you like it smooth.

Step 6: Fry the tacos

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat (a cast iron skillet or crepe pan works best). Add a tablespoon of the skimmed fat and heat one side of a tortilla for 15 seconds until warmed through. Flip it, add some shredded beef to one half, fold it over and cook until crispy and golden at the edges. Add more fat as needed and repeat with the remaining tortillas. For quesabirria, add some shredded mozzarella inside before folding.

Step 7: Serve

Pour the consomé into small bowls. Serve the tacos with chopped onion, coriander and lime wedges. Squeeze in the lime, add your garnishes and dunk the tacos into the consomé.

Notes

If you have time, chill the meat overnight in its liquid. The fat sets into a solid layer you can lift off easily, and the rest deepens the flavour. Put a spoonful of the solid fat straight in the pan and lay the tortilla on top, making sure both sides get coated.