This is not hard to make, but it takes a few hours, to cook them until they are fork tender. This recipe is often made with goat meat or mutton. I don’t eat either, so beef it is. I make Biria Taco Casserole with the leftovers.
BIRIA TACOS
(serves 8)
Marinade Ingredients:
*1/8 cup kosher salt
*1 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1 teaspoon garlic powder
*1 teaspoon onion powder
*1 12 pounds beef short ribs (optional) (bone in or no bones, whatever you prefer)
*2 1/2 pounds chuck roast (add another 1 1/2 pounds if not using short ribs)
*1/4 cup vegetable oil (to use when frying meat)
Consommé Ingredients:
*1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
*1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
*8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
*1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
*3 medium roma tomatoes, halved
*4 cups beef stock
*4 cups hot water
*16 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeds removed
*7 morita chilies, stemmed and seeds removed
*2 ancho chilies, stemmed and seeds removed
*2 teaspoons ground cumin
*1 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
*2 teaspoons mexican oregano
*1 small cinnamon stick
*4 bays leafs
Topping Ingredients
*12 corn tortillas (can use flour if you prefer)
*2 cups Monetary Jack Cheese
*1/2 white onion, chopped small
*fresh cilantro, chopped
*2 limes, sliced (optional)
Marinated Directions:
~Cut up short ribs & chuck roast into stew size pieces.
~In a small bowl, mix salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder until well mixed.
~Sprinkle seasonings evenly over all sides of meat.
~Place into a bowl or on a cookie sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (I do this in the morning or the night before).
Consommé Directions:
~Remove stems and seeds from all the guajillo chilies, Morita chilies, and ancho chilies.
~In a medium saucepan, cover the chilies with 4 cups beef stock and 4 cups hot water (add more liquid if chilies aren’t completely covered.
~Bring to a boil.
~Remove from heat.
~Add Roma tomatoes and cover with lid and allow to sit for about 15 minutes, or util chiles are soft.
~Add carrots, white onion, and garlic to a blender.
~Blend until fairly small.
~Remove chilies from liquid (keep liquid) and place into a blender.
~Remove tomatoes and remove core and skin.
~Add tomatoes to blender.
~Add cumin, black pepper, ground cloves, and Mexican oregano.
~Add 1/2 cup liquid from chilies and apples cider vinegar.
~Blend until smooth (it will be thick)
~Set aside.
Taco Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Heat up 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a dutch oven (or oven proof pot).
~Place chuck roast and short ribs into hot pan and brown all sides (do this in batches, don’t over crown the pan).
~Remove meat and set aside.
~Pour about 1 cup of liquid from chili’s into hot dutch oven.
~Using a wooden spoon scrapes the bottom the the pan until all the bits and pieces come lose.
~Add meat back into pan.
~Pour Consume Sauce over meat.
~Add bay leafs and small cinnamon stick.
~Add about 1 cup of liquid from chilies and stir until mixed.
~Bring mixture to a boi.
~Turn off burner and cover dutch oven.
~Place in preheated oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until meat is fork tender (you made need to add a little liquid half way though, but I don’t normally have to).
Putting Together The Tacos:
~Chop 1/2 white onion, small
~Chop fresh cilantro
~Slice limes into small wedges.
~Skim the bright red oil from the top of the Birria and set aside.
~Remove all he meat from the pot and place into a cooking pan or large dish.
~Using forks, shred the meat.
~Remove cinnamon stick and bay leafs from consommé.
~Heat a large skillet (I use cast iron), over medium heat.
~Drizzle a little vegetable oil in hot pan.
~Dip corn tortilla into consommé, coating both sides (or dip in the red oil that you sat aside).
~Place into hot pan and cook about 1-2 minutes or util pliable.
~On one half add some cheese (about 2-3 tablespoons).
~Add about 1/4 cup chopped meat.
~Fold over onto itself.
~Cook until tortilla is a golden brown a crispy (about 3-4 minutes per side).
~Remover from heat, open taco slightly, and add chopped onion, and cilantro, and close back up.
~Repeat until done.
~Add some consommé into small custard bowls.
~Add a small amount of chopped cilantro and chopped white onions to consommé (optional).
~Plate tacos along with a wedge of lime.
~Squeeze lime juice on taco if desired.
~Dip taco into consommé as you eat it.