Birria de Res, a traditional Mexican beef stew, transforms into delectable quesabirria tacos with this quick pressure cooker method. Tender, savory beef and a rich, spicy consommé make these tacos irresistible.
Pressure Cooker Birria Tacos
Birria de Res, a traditional Mexican beef stew, transforms into delectable quesabirria tacos with this quick pressure cooker method. Tender, savory beef and a rich, spicy consommé make these tacos irresistible.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pound boneless beef chuck roast cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 each guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 each ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2-3 each chiles de arbol stemmed and seeded
- 1 medium yellow onion roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes undrained
- 0.5 cup beef broth
- 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 each bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 12-16 each corn tortillas
- 1.5 cup Oaxaca cheese shredded (or Monterey Jack)
- 0.5 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 0.25 cup white onion diced
- 4 each lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, cover guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving a little water if needed for blending.
- Set your pressure cooker to sauté mode (or use a large pot over medium-high heat). Add olive oil. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Brown beef in batches until well seared on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Remove beef and set aside.
- In a blender, combine softened chiles, chopped yellow onion, garlic, diced tomatoes (undrained), beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Blend until completely smooth. If too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved chile water.
- Return seared beef to the pressure cooker pot. Pour the blended chile sauce over the beef. Add bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Seal the lid and set to high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Once cooking is complete, allow for a natural pressure release for at least 15 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Discard bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Strain the remaining liquid (consommé) through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl. You can press the solids to extract more liquid. Skim off excess fat if desired. Season the consommé with salt to taste.
- Heat a Blackstone griddle or large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the strained consommé, coating both sides. Place the dipped tortilla on the hot griddle.
- Sprinkle shredded Oaxaca cheese over one half of the tortilla. Add a generous portion of shredded birria meat on top of the cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the tortilla is slightly crispy.
- Fold the tortilla in half to create the taco. Remove from the griddle. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Serve immediately with extra consommé for dipping, chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges.
Notes
For extra depth, sear the beef well before pressure cooking. Adjust chile types for heat preference; remove arbol chiles for milder flavor. Leftover birria meat and consommé freeze beautifully. Serve with extra cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges. A pinch of cocoa powder can be added to the sauce for richer color.
