These lamb birria tacos (quesabirria tacos) are so good and this recipe is one of my favs right now. This birria taco recipe makes tacos that include a stew filling, some mozzarella cheese, coriander and onions inside a deep yellow crispy tortilla that has been dipped in the stew consommé.
Birria is a Mexican stew that originated in Jalisco. Quesabirria tacos also known as birria tacos originated in Tijuana and due to social media has now become a popular dish around the world. Quesabirria tacos are a cross between a taco and a quesadilla and includes the stew meat.
To make this lamb birria taco recipe, I use lamb shoulder that is slowed cooked in a spicy sauce which is the birria. Birria was originally made using goat meat but over the years, other meats such as lamb and beef have become popular to use. The meat for these birria tacos is slowed cooked for around 4 hours and cooked until the meat is soft, tender and falling off the bone. The reason I use lamb shoulder for this recipe is because I find it very flavoursome and the bone gives the meat extra flavour. If you prefer to use beef then go ahead as its just as good.
The beautiful deep yellow comes from dipping the tortillas in the consommé before toasting them in the pan. Not only does it give a lovely colour but also adds flavour to the tortillas. The tortillas are toasted until crispy and gives great texture.
The spice and smokiness in these birria tacos come from using a combination of dried chillies which are cooked into the stew. These chillies are not readily available in supermarkets but are easy to obtain online.
Ingredients for Birria Tacos (Quesabirria Tacos)
Please find the full list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of the post.
For the Birria
- Meat - I use lamb leg or shoulder but you can use beef if you prefer. The best beef cuts to use include brisket, chuck, beef short ribs or braising steak.
- Seasoning for meat - salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika.
- Oil - use any neutral flavoured oil.
- Onion - use yellow onions.
- Garlic - use fresh garlic cloves.
- Tomatoes - I use fresh on the vine tomatoes.
- Chillies - I use pasilla, chile de árbol, ancho and guajillo chillies. You don’t have to use them all just use your favourites.
- Herbs and spices - cloves, ground ginger, coriander seeds, peppercorns, oregano, cumin seeds, thyme, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves.
- Stock - I use chicken stock.
To Assemble
- Cheese - I use Mozzarella but you can use Oaxaca cheese.
- Onion - I use a red onion.
- Coriander - also known as cilantro.
- Tortillas - Traditionally, soft corn tortillas are used. Try and buy a medium sized corn tortilla. So you don't want the small street food corn tortillas nor the large burrito size tortillas.
- Lime - to serve.
How to Make Birria Tacos (Quesabirria Tacos)
Season the Meat
1. Score the meat then season with 1 teaspoon of the salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Rub the seasoning into the meat and set aside. Preheat the oven to gas 3/325oF/160oC/140oC fan.
Prepare the Chilli Sauce
2. Place a medium sized pan on a medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chopped onion and the garlic cloves to the pan then cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook while stirring for an additional 2 minutes. Throw in the chillies and stir for 1 minute then pour in 500ml water. Stir then cover the pan and cook for 25 minutes to soften the chillies.
3. Once the chillies are soft, use some tongs and carefully remove the chillies and vegetables from the pan then add them to a blender. Pour the liquid from the pan into the blender and blitz on a low setting until smooth. I have a large blender so could do it in one go but if you have a small blender then do this in batches. Set the sauce aside.
Braise the Meat
4. Place a largish casserole dish on a medium to high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil has heated, add the meat joint into the pot and sear the outside to brown. Turn the meat over and brown the other side. Once the meat has browned, add in 1 teaspoon salt then add the cloves, ground ginger, coriander seeds, peppercorns, oregano, cumin seeds, thyme, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Pour in the chicken stock then pour on the sauce from the blender and mix.
5. Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook for 4 hours or until the meat is soft and tender. Remove the meat from the sauce and place it onto another baking tray. Use two forks to shred and pull the meat apart then pour on a cup of the sauce from the casserole dish and cover with foil. Set the meat aside to rest. Strain the sauce from the casserole dish into a large bowl and use a spoon to push the liquid through the strainer.
Assemble the Tacos
6. Place a non stick frying pan on a medium heat and lightly grease. Take a tortilla and lightly dip both sides in the strained sauce. Place the tortilla into the frying pan and cook for 30 seconds then turn.
7. Add some cheese onto the tortilla followed by some of the meat set aside earlier. Add 1 teaspoon onions and some chopped coriander on top of the meat. As the cheese begins to melt, fold the tortilla. Flip if necessary! Once the cheese has melted remove the taco from the pan and repeat the process with the rest of the tortillas.
Serve the tacos with the rest of the sauce (consommé) and a squeeze of lime.
Recipe Tips
- This lamb birria recipe makes around 8 tacos.
- If you want the birria to be very spicy then do not remove all the seeds from the chillies.
- When making this lamb birria taco recipe, I usually use a casserole dish and cook it in the oven but you can use a heavy duty stock pot and cook the birria on the stovetop if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutrition based on 1 birria taco - Calories: 485kcal | Fat: 29.0g | Saturates: 14.8g | Carbs: 21.2g | Sugar: 3.9g | Fibre: 2.4g | Protein: 34.3g | Salt: 2.57g.
Storage
Store any left over birria in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store assembled tacos in the fridge for up to 4 days. I usually reheat them in the oven to make the tortillas crisp again.
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Birra Tacos (Quesabirria)
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 850g (0.85kg) lamb (half shoulder or half leg)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules/powder
- 1 teaspoon onion granules/powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 1 large yellow onion peeled and diced
- 6 cloves garlic peeled (leave whole)
- 2 large tomatoes on vine chopped
- 2 pasilla chilies deseeded and rinsed (optional)
- 4 árbol chilies deseeded and rinsed
- 2 ancho chiles deseeded and rinsed
- 4 guajillo chiles deseeded and rinsed
- 500ml water
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 teaspoon oregano ideally Mexican oregano
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon thyme
- 1 cinnamon sticks
- 4 bay leaves
- 600ml chicken stock or 1¼ cubes dissolved in 600ml water
To Assemble
- 400g grated mozzarella
- 1 large red onion
- 1 bunch coriander
- 8 medium corn tortillas don't buy street sized nor burrito sized tortillas
- 2 limes quartered
Instructions
- Season the Meat: Score the meat then season with 1 teaspoon of the salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika. Rub the seasoning into the meat and set aside. Preheat the oven to gas 3/325oF/160oC/140oC fan.
- Prepare the Chilli Sauce: Place a medium sized pan on a medium heat and add in 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chopped onion and the garlic cloves to the pan then cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and continue to cook while stirring for an additional 2 minutes. Throw in the chillies and stir for 1 minute then pour in 500ml water. Stir then cover the pan and cook for 25 minutes to soften the chillies.
- Once the chillies are soft, use some tongs and carefully remove the chillies and vegetables from the pan then add them to a blender. Pour the liquid from the pan into the blender and blitz on a low setting until smooth. I have a large blender so could do it in one go but if you have a small blender then do this in batches. Set the sauce aside.
- Braise the Meat: Place a largish casserole dish on a medium to high heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil has heated, add the meat joint into the pot and sear the outside to brown. Turn the meat over and brown the other side. Once the meat has browned, add in 1 teaspoon salt then add the cloves, ground ginger, coriander seeds, peppercorns, oregano, cumin seeds, thyme, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Pour in the chicken stock then pour on the sauce from the blender and mix.
- Place the casserole dish in the oven and cook for 4 hours or until the meat is soft and tender. Remove the meat from the sauce and place it onto another baking tray. Use two forks to shred and pull the meat apart then pour on a cup of the sauce from the casserole dish and cover with foil. Set the meat aside to rest. Strain the sauce from the casserole dish into a large bowl and use a spoon to push the liquid through the strainer.
- Assemble the Tacos: Place a non stick frying pan on a medium heat and lightly grease. Take a tortilla and lightly dip both sides in the strained sauce. Place the tortilla into the frying pan and cook for 30 seconds then turn.
- Add some cheese onto the tortilla followed by some of the meat set aside earlier. Add 1 teaspoon onions and some chopped coriander on top of the meat. As the cheese begins to melt, fold the tortilla. Flip if necessary! Once the cheese has melted remove the taco from the pan and repeat the process with the rest of the tortillas.Serve the tacos with the rest of the sauce (consommé) and a squeeze of lime.
Sam says
There is a lot to this recipe and it takes quite a bit of time but it was worth it in the end. I reccomend you make this on a day where you have nothing else to do.
Zoey says
Turned out great