Last year videos of people dunking meaty, cheesy filled tacos into a sauce spread all over social media. While everyone thought this was a new taco trend, the people of Jalisco know it has been around for quite some time. The Birria taco originated in the southwest region of Guadalajara. A town named Cocula in the state of Jalisco. Somehow it made its way to the United States and has gone viral across the nation. The dish was originally made with goat but today you can find them made with beef, pork, and chicken. Here is an easy recipe you can try. But if you have any leftover meat from the night before, use that so you do not have to wait four hours for the meat to cook. These tacos go great with a Pineapple Margarita!
Birria Tacos
• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 4 tbsp sofrito
• 2 white onions medium onions
• 3 bay leaves
• 12 garlic cloves
• 4 ancho pods
• 4 guajillo pods
• 2 chile de arbol
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp whole cumin
• ½ thyme
• ¼ cup vinegar
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup red onions, chopped
• 1 cup Oaxaca cheese, shredded
• Tortillas, soft
Directions
Season the meat with salt and pepper.
In a large pot, brown the beef on both sides. Next, add in sofrito, onion, bay leaf, garlic cloves, ancho, guajillo, chile de arbol, oregano, cumin, thyme, and vinegar. Cover with water or beef stock. Bring to a boil then cover and simmer on medium heat until meat is tender, about 2 to 4 hours.
Once the beef is tender, remove from the pot. Save the liquid and add everything to a blender. Blend til smooth. Save 1 1/2 cup of the chili sauce and put to the side in a bowl. Add the chili sauce back in the pot on a low heat.
Shred the beef and add to the chili sauce. Let the beef cook in the sauce for about 10 minutes.
Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat. Dip tortillas into the chili sauce, place onto the skillet. Next, add cheese to the tortilla. Let the cheese melt a little then add the beef, cilantro, and red onions. Fold in half and continue to cook each side until crispy.
Serve on a plate with chili sauce on the side for dipping.
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