Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

Crispy Pot Birria Tacos are the ultimate comfort food, and this recipe is the best way to make them at home. After making this dish dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to getting that perfect crispy tortilla: a quick fry in hot oil. These tacos are filled with tender, flavorful meat and potatoes, and the crispy tortillas take them over the top. Keep reading for my best tips on making this family favorite. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Roasted Green Bean Quinoa Salad with Red Pepper and Feta and Creamy Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Recipe.

What You'll Need for Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

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

• 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• Optional: Crispy fried onions
• Optional: Shredded cabbage
• Optional: Crumbled queso fresco
• Optional: Chopped fresh cilantro
• Optional: Lime wedges

How to Make Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

1. Brown the beef: Heat the lard or oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
2. Sauté the onions and garlic: Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook for another minute.
3. Add the spices: Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the potatoes and beef: Add the potatoes to the pot and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Return the beef to the pot and add enough water to cover the meat and potatoes by about 1 inch.
5. Simmer the meat and potatoes: Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the meat and potatoes simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the potatoes are falling apart.
6. Blend the broth: Use an immersion blender to blend the broth until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the broth to a blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
7. Fry the tortillas: Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each tortilla in the broth, then fry in the oil until crispy, about 30 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels.
8. Assemble the tacos: Fill each tortilla with some of the beef and potato mixture, and top with your choice of toppings. Serve with lime wedges and the remaining cilantro for garnish.

Storing & Reheating Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover meat and broth in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: You can make the meat and broth up to 2 days ahead. Reheat in the broth before frying the tortillas.

Freezing Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

You can freeze the cooked meat and broth for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat the meat and broth in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 20 minutes, or until heated through. Microwave: You can also reheat the meat and broth in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier broth, add a whole jalapeño, seeds and all, to the pot when you add the water. Remove it before blending the broth.
• Best substitution: If you can't find beef chuck, you can use beef brisket or short ribs for this recipe. You can also use chicken or pork in place of the beef.
• Make-ahead: You can make the meat and broth up to 2 days ahead. Reheat in the broth before frying the tortillas.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If your broth is too thick, you can thin it out with a little water. If it's too thin, you can simmer it for a few more minutes to reduce it.

Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

⏱

Prep

1 hour

🍳

Cook

2 hours 30 minutes

⏳

Total

3 hours 30 minutes

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

Seasonings

• 2 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Optional Toppings

• Crispy fried onions
• Shredded cabbage
• Crumbled queso fresco
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: Heat the lard or oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
2. Sauté the onions and garlic: Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeños and cook for another minute.
3. Add the spices: Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the potatoes and beef: Add the potatoes to the pot and stir to coat with the spice mixture. Return the beef to the pot and add enough water to cover the meat and potatoes by about 1 inch.
5. Simmer the meat and potatoes: Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let the meat and potatoes simmer for about 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the potatoes are falling apart.
6. Blend the broth: Use an immersion blender to blend the broth until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer the broth to a blender and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
7. Fry the tortillas: Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each tortilla in the broth, then fry in the oil until crispy, about 30 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels.
8. Assemble the tacos: Fill each tortilla with some of the beef and potato mixture, and top with your choice of toppings. Serve with lime wedges and the remaining cilantro for garnish.

Notes

• Chef tip: For a spicier broth, add a whole jalapeño, seeds and all, to the pot when you add the water. Remove it before blending the broth.
• Best substitution: If you can't find beef chuck, you can use beef brisket or short ribs for this recipe. You can also use chicken or pork in place of the beef.
• Make-ahead: You can make the meat and broth up to 2 days ahead. Reheat in the broth before frying the tortillas.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If your broth is too thick, you can thin it out with a little water. If it's too thin, you can simmer it for a few more minutes to reduce it.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover meat and broth in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: You can freeze the cooked meat and broth for up to 3 months.
• Oven reheat: Reheat the meat and broth in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: You can also reheat the meat and broth in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
• Make ahead: You can make the meat and broth up to 2 days ahead. Reheat in the broth before frying the tortillas.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 620
• Protein: 42g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbs: 45g
• Fiber: 6g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 120mg
• Sat. Fat: 10g

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

Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout 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!