Birria Tacos is a traditional Mexican dish, traditionally prepared with goat meat. A very savory meat is the star for this recipe for Over the Top Birria Tacos.. This delicacy is created by stewing the meat in a blend of chiles and spices for a few hours . The meat slowly simmers in this sauce, and when prepared the taco is served with a small bowl of the sauce on the side to dip the taco into.
Over The Top Birria Tacos
Ingredients
- FOR BEEF
- 8 C water
- 4 Bay leaves
- 3 lbs Boneless beef chuck roast
- 1.5 lbs Beef shanks, or beef with bone marrow
- 1 Head of garlic
- 1 White onion
- 1 T Salt
- FOR SAUCE
- 5 Ancho chiles dried
- 5 Guajillo chiles dried
- 2 Pasilla chilies dried
- 4 Chiles de Arbol dried
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp died marjoram
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 C apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 medium onion
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobe sauce, canned
- 1 C cooking liquid from chiles
- 3 Roma tomatoes
- salt to taste
- Mr. Tortilla Low Carb Tortilla 1gm net carbs each
Instructions
- Chop your roast into small chunks 4 inches or so, all the same thickness.
- Fill a large pot with beef shanks, and cut up pieces of chuck roast and fill with water. I quickly realized I needed to change pots, mine wasn't large enough initially. Make sure your pot is big enough to hold the meat. Then add in 1 onion, cut in half, 8 garlic cloves, 4 bay leaves, and 1 T salt . Place over a medium heat. As the meat starts to boil, make sure to skim all the impurities off the top to create a clean broth.
- While the meat cooks, prepare the sauce. Start by removing the stems and all seeds from the dried chilies and placing them in a pot covered with water and bring to a boil. Once they come to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes, and set aside.
- In a separate pot, add the tomatoes and bring to a boil until they are softened. Set aside.
- Transfer the chilies to a blender or food processor (reserving all the liquid). To the blender or food processor, add black pepper, cumin, marjoram thyme, oregano, ginger, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, cloves, 1/2 onion, chipotle pepper, 8 garlic cloves, softened tomatoes, and 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- Blend until smooth. If consistency is too thick, add a little more of the cooking liquid.
- At this point, you want to get a strainer and place it over your meat that is cooking over the stove top. Slowly start adding your blended chilies into the strainer, making sure all the sauce is draining into your meat. Make sure to press as much of the liquid out of the ground chilies. If needed, add a little more cooking liquid (but not too much). I did this before, and added too much of the cooking liquid and my sauce wasn't as flavorful. So just add enough to get as much of the yummy blended chile flavor out as you need to. Then mix all the sauce in to your pot of meat. Let simmer for 3 hours. Until the meat is soft enough to pull apart easily.
- Add all your meat to a large bowl, and shred all chunks. This is your yummy taco meat. Save your pot with all the sauce to fill individual bowls for dipping tacos into. At this point, you can choose to use your favorite tortilla. I used a low carb tortilla from Mr. Tortilla link above only 1g net carbs per tortilla.
- For a traditional Birria taco, you usually fill the taco shell with meat and cheese and fry in a frying pan with a little sauce, creating what is similar to a quesadilla. I chose to eat mine like a traditional taco, and stuffed it with meat, and cheese, onions and cilantro. Dipping in the sauce before every bite. This was a yummy yummy dinner the whole family enjoyed!
Want to Know What Makes This the Top Birria Recipe?
This dish is more than just trendy — it delivers authentic Mexican flavor in every bite. What makes these Over The Top Birria Tacos stand out is, first of all, the deep, rich taste created from slow-cooked beef and bold chili sauce. As it simmers for hours, meanwhile, your kitchen fills with a mouth-watering aroma. Eventually, the beef becomes tender and juicy — making it perfect for taco night.
If you’re craving bold flavor, these Birria tacos won’t disappoint. The beef is tender. The sauce is spicy and rich. Together, they create a street taco that tastes better than takeout. Whether you grill them or pan-fry with cheese, every bite delivers delicious textures and flavors.
Why Everyone’s Obsessed with These Spicy Tacos
The magic truly lies in the slow braise and homemade chili blend. As a result, this becomes the perfect Birria dinner for impressing guests or treating yourself. To start, fill your tacos with juicy beef, melted cheese, onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Then, dip them into the flavorful consommé. In the end, the result is cheesy tacos that feel just like a warm hug.
This recipe also works great for groups. To make it even easier, double the batch and set out tortillas and toppings. As a result, you’ll have a Mexican tacos bar that everyone will love. Looking for a twist? Then try this flavorful Birria meat in quesadillas or nachos.
Tips for Making the Best Street Tacos at Home
- Double the batch to freeze leftovers for an easy weeknight meal.
- Pan-fry the tacos with a splash of consommé for crispy, cheesy shells.
- Use fresh toppings like pickled onions, lime, and crema for a flavor boost.
- Add heat with extra chiles de árbol if you like your spicy tacos hotter.
Final Thoughts on This Over The Top Birria Recipe
These tacos are trending for a reason. They check all the boxes — rich flavor, tender meat, and bold, spicy broth. From your first bite to the last dip, this Birria meat delivers pure comfort. Once you try it, you’ll know why people call it the Over The Top Birria recipe.
