Instant Pot Birria Tacos

Hello and welcome to Djalali Cooks. Today I have a recipe for Birria Tacos. I have wanted to make this recipe for a long time, but the time, effort and mess kinda kept me from doing it. In the end, I always realize that’s a lame reason not to make a recipe. Because somehow, it’s never as long, messy or annoying as I might make it out to be in my head. And to make it all easier and less of a production, we have the Instant Pot! We will split the recipe into two parts, over two days, starting with the overnight marinate. Let’s do it – Instant Pot Birria Tacos!

Birria is a Mexican stew from Jalisco, Mexico. Traditionally made with goat meat, we are using beef short ribs and top sirloin. The stew is an amazing dish on its own – but Birria Tacos takes this slow-burn stew to a new level. The meat is pulled and put on a corn tortilla (dipped in the braising liquid) with Mexican melting cheese, cilantro and scallions; then fried for a crispy taco shell. The braising liquid is served alongside for dipping the tacos, like a French Dip sandwich.

Adobo Marinade

A day ahead we marinate. We have 1.5 pounds of short ribs and 1 -1.5 pounds sirloin. For the marinade, we have 3 dried Guajillo chile peppers, 1 can of Chipotle in Adobo, white vinegar, 1 cup of crushed tomatoes, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Pour hot water over the dried chiles and let them sit for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile cube the sirloin or chuck roast and transfer the cubed beef and the short ribs to a Cambro container or medium bowl.

When the dried chiles have softened, slice off the stems (if needed) and rinse the seeds out of the chiles under running water. Add all of the marinade ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

Pour the marinade into the container with the beef and mix the marinade into the beef to fully coat the beef in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pressure Cook

So it’s the day after! Let’s cook the Birria. For the braising liquid, we have a diced onion, a cinnamon stick, whole cloves, bay leaves and beef or chicken broth.

Set the Instant Pot to sauté and pour in the 2 tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil. Add the the diced onion and sauté until the onions are translucent and begin to brown. Turn off the Instant Pot and add the beef and all the marinade to the Pot.

Add enough chicken or beef stock to fully cover the meat. Then add the aromatics.

Affix and lock the lid to the Instant Pot; set to Pressure Cook on high and set the timer for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, let the steam naturally release for 25-30 minutes. While the Birria is cooking, prepare the taco toppings: grated cheese, chopped cilantro and sliced scallions.

After the steam release, use a spider skimmer to scoop the meat out of the braising liquid and transfer to a large bowl. Remove the bones from the short ribs and then use two forks to pull the meat apart. Taste the meat and sprinkle with kosher salt if needed.

Making the Birria Tacos

Get a cast iron skillet heating with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Or use a nonstick skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. I am using 4-inch street style corn tortillas. Dip the entire tortilla in the braising liquid and lay the dipped tortilla in the skillet.

Place about 2 tablespoons of the pulled beef on one side of the tortilla, top with the cheese, cilantro and scallion. Then use a spatula to fold the tortilla over the toppings and press to close.

Prepare a second tortilla in the same way and when you press to close the second one, flip the first one. Repeat to make as many Birria Tacos as desired. Let each side fry until golden brown with a crispy exterior. Set a sheet tray or serving dish alongside to catch the finished tacos.

Instant Pot Birria Tacos

Working with that timing, I made 6 street-style sized Instant Pot Birria Tacos – perfect for 2 people. Serve with a lade-full of the braising liquid as a taco-dipping sauce. If you’re making this for 2 people, you will have plenty leftover. You can freeze the leftovers, serve it like a stew, or make more tacos. I packed up the leftover meat with a couple ladles of the braising liquid to eat another day. With the rest of the braising liquid, I am freezing it in ice cube trays to use as a flavor boost for chili, soup or sauce.

These Instant Pot Birria Tacos are so delicious! The meat is tender and is slightly spicy with a very slow burn. I like the street-style size because they are more like easy-to-handle snacks. Crispy on the outside with such a great beef filling, melty cheese and fresh cilantro. A really great dish, especially for a group; overall it’s easy and it’s not super messy! I do hope you give these a try. And if you want another crispy taco recipe, try Tacos Dorados. Take care and be well! xo Kelly

Key Equipment

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Instant Pot Birria Tacos

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Dinner, Main Course – Mexican

By Adapted from i am a food blog – Serves: Makes about 12-16 Street Size Tacos

Prep Time: 30 Minutes, Plus Overnight Marinate – Cooking Time: ~1.5 Hours – Total Time: ~2 Hours, Plus Overnight Marinate

Crispy on the outside with such a great beef filling, melty cheese and fresh cilantro; Birria Tacos are easy and quick with the Instant Pot.

Ingredients

• Marinade
• 3 Dried Guajillo Chiles
• 1 can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo
• 1/4 cup Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Crushed Tomatoes
• 5 Cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1.5 lb. Beef Shank or Short Ribs
• 1 -1.5 lb. Sirloin or Chuck Roast, cubed
• Birria Stew
• 1 medium Onion, chopped
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2-3 Bay Leaves
• 6 Whole Cloves
• Low Sodium Beef or Chicken stock to cover, about 1 quart
• Birria Tacos
• 4" Corn Tortillas
• 1 medium Onion, chopped (or sliced scallions), optional
• 1 Bunch Cilantro, chopped, optional
• 1 cup Mexican Cheese, grated, optional

Instructions

Marinade

1

Pour hot water over the dried chiles to cover and let them sit for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile transfer the cubed beef and the short ribs to a container or medium bowl.

2

When the dried chiles have softened, slice off the stems (if needed) and rinse the seeds out of the chiles under running water. Add all of the marinade ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

3

Pour the marinade into the container with the beef and mix the marinade into the beef to fully coat the beef in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Birria Stew

4

Set the Instant Pot to sauté and pour in the 2 tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil. Add the the diced onion and sauté until the onions are translucent and begin to brown. Turn off the Instant Pot and add the beef and all the marinade to the Pot.

5

Add enough chicken or beef stock to fully cover the meat. Then add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves.

6

Affix and lock the lid to the Instant Pot; set to Pressure Cook on high and set the timer for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, let the steam naturally release for 25-30 minutes. While the Birria is cooking, prepare the taco toppings: grated cheese, chopped cilantro and sliced scallions.

7

After the steam release, use a spider skimmer to scoop the meat out of the braising liquid and transfer to a large bowl. Remove the bones from the short ribs and then use two forks to pull the meat apart. Taste the meat and sprinkle with kosher salt if needed.

Birria Tacos

8

Get a cast iron skillet heating with a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Or use a nonstick skillet with a drizzle of olive oil. I am using 4-inch street style corn tortillas. Dip the entire tortilla in the braising liquid and lay the dipped tortilla in the skillet.

9

Place about 2 tablespoons of the pulled beef on one side of the tortilla, top with the cheese, cilantro and scallion. Then use a spatula to fold the tortilla over the toppings and press to close.

10

Prepare a second tortilla in the same way and when you press to close the second one, flip the first one. Repeat to make as many Birria Tacos as desired. Let each side fry until golden brown with a crispy exterior. Set a sheet tray or serving dish alongside to catch the finished tacos.

11

Serve Birria Tacos with a ramekin or small dish of the braising liquid as a taco-dipping sauce.

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