Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Make Authentic Pot Birria Tacos at home for an easy, delicious dinner that’s better than takeout. After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve perfected the technique to give you the best birria tacos you’ve ever tasted. The crispy, golden tacos are filled with tender, flavorful meat and served with a rich, spicy consommé. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Refreshing Guava White Tea Lemonade Copycat Recipe and Crispy Chocolate Rolls with Creamy Vanilla Filling Recipe.

What You'll Need for Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1 lb pork shoulder
• 2 onions, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Optional: Finely chopped white onion
• Optional: Chopped fresh cilantro
• Optional: Lime wedges
• Optional: Sliced radishes
• Optional: Mexican crema or sour cream

How to Make Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

1. Step 1: Combine beef, pork, onions, garlic, bay leaves, cumin seeds, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, vinegar, and salt in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falls apart.
3. Step 3: Remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks. Strain the broth and set it aside.
4. Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded meat and cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or on a comal over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Fill each tortilla with some of the shredded meat and top with crumbled queso fresco. Serve with the strained broth on the side for dipping.

Storing & Reheating Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover birria tacos and consommé in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: The meat can be cooked and shredded up to 2 days ahead. Store it in the fridge until ready to use.

Freezing Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

Freeze leftover birria tacos and consommé separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat tacos in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Reheat consommé in a small pot over medium heat or in the microwave. Microwave: Reheat tacos in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Reheat consommé in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For an even richer flavor, you can brown the meat in the oven before simmering it in the pot.
• Best substitution: If you can't find pork shoulder, you can use pork butt or even chicken thighs as a substitute.
• Make-ahead: The consommé can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat it gently before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the meat is not tender after 3 hours, continue simmering it for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner

⏱

Prep

30 mins

🍳

Cook

3 hours 30 mins

⏳

Total

4 hours

🍽

Serves

12 tacos

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast
• 1 lb pork shoulder
• 2 onions, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

Seasonings

• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Optional Toppings

• Finely chopped white onion
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Sliced radishes
• Mexican crema or sour cream

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine beef, pork, onions, garlic, bay leaves, cumin seeds, oregano, thyme, peppercorns, vinegar, and salt in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and falls apart.
3. Step 3: Remove the meat from the pot and shred it using two forks. Strain the broth and set it aside.
4. Step 4: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded meat and cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet or on a comal over medium heat for about 30 seconds on each side. Fill each tortilla with some of the shredded meat and top with crumbled queso fresco. Serve with the strained broth on the side for dipping.

Notes

• Chef tip: For an even richer flavor, you can brown the meat in the oven before simmering it in the pot.
• Best substitution: If you can't find pork shoulder, you can use pork butt or even chicken thighs as a substitute.
• Make-ahead: The consommé can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the fridge. Reheat it gently before serving.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the meat is not tender after 3 hours, continue simmering it for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover birria tacos and consommé in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze leftover birria tacos and consommé separately for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat tacos in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Reheat consommé in a small pot over medium heat or in the microwave.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat tacos in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Reheat consommé in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
• Make ahead: The meat can be cooked and shredded up to 2 days ahead. Store it in the fridge until ready to use.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 270
• Protein: 22g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 16g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 700mg
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sat. Fat: 4.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Authentic Pot Birria Tacos Recipe for Easy Dinner and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!