Birria is one of this summer’s hottest food trends. Fragrant, savory and sloppy, it’s traditionally made with goat or lamb meat and served in a cup of consomme, but it’s become especially popular in tacos, mulitas or quesadillas, which are dipped in the bright red broth.
The birria itself is made with three different types of dried Mexican chiles, tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices including cumin, ground cloves, pepper and salt. The dish is simmered for several hours until the meat falls off the bones and can be easily shredded with a fork. The stew is often served with rice and beans but it can also be eaten on its own as a soup. Read on Space City Birria Tacos and More for more information.
While birria can be eaten on its own, the most traditional way to enjoy it is as tacos. The tacos are stuffed in soft corn tortillas with a generous portion of the beef stew and are garnished with sliced radishes, chopped cilantro and Oaxacan cheese. A squeeze of lime is also added on top of the tacos to add a hint of citrus. A side of guacamole is also served to round out the meal.
Traditionally, the tacos are served with a cup of consomme (the cooking broth) to be dipped into before eating. This is the best way to get the full experience of birria as it is very rich and filling. If you don’t want to serve the consomme with the tacos, it can be stored in a sealed container and kept in the refrigerator for up to five days.
While the menu is fairly limited, the birria at Birria Tacos and More is excellent. The restaurant also serves some other traditional Mexican dishes such as mole, tamales and burritos. In addition, it has a selection of beers and cocktails on tap. The atmosphere is relaxed and the staff is friendly.
Burritos
In the midst of the new Hunter’s Point public library and Gantry State Park in Brooklyn, a prodigious collection of food trucks has gathered, including one artistically decorated van that specializes in birria tacos. Birria is a rich, slow-cooked stew made with shredded beef, lamb or goat (goats were once a plague, eating everything in sight and indirectly contributing to famine in Mexico). Served on smallish dipped corn tortillas, freighted with extra meat, and topped with melted cheese, the tangy, hearty, chile pepper-infused broth makes these tacos special, though you’ll also enjoy them plain.
A good birria recipe will take hours to cook and is ideally made the day before you intend to use it, as the flavor deepens with time. It’s important to preheat your oven during the cooking process as well, to keep the fried tortillas warm and crispy. Once the frying is done, you’ll need to dip the tortillas in the very top layer of the broth—not the bottom—to avoid getting them soggy. It’s also helpful to shallowly dip them in the oil/fat that usually floats on top, as this will make them even more crunchy and add extra flavor.
When you’re ready to serve, assemble your birria tacos by filling each tortilla with a generous amount of shredded beef or lamb and topping them with a sprinkle of Oaxaca cheese. If you’d like, add a garnish of chopped cilantro or pickled red onion for a hint of tangy crunch. Serve with a bowl of consome for dipping and you have a meal that’s both comforting and exotic.
While birria is becoming more popular today—Eater New York’s latest birria map shows it advancing from Jackson Heights to Bushwick and beyond—these tacos have been around for centuries. It’s the kind of dish that people will continue to fall in love with long after it’s been discovered by a wider audience. They’re messy, fun and incredibly delicious. So if you haven’t tried them yet, go ahead and get yourself some. You won’t regret it.
Taco Salads
Tossed salads, with their mix of fresh ingredients and zesty dressings, are a natural pairing for birria tacos. The savory flavors of the beef, lettuce, and cheese are balanced by the lightness of the salad, and the added crunch of tortilla chips makes for a hearty and satisfying meal.
Another great option for a birria salad is a black bean salad, with its mixture of rich black beans, ripe tomatoes, and onions paired with a zesty dressing. The bright flavors and varied textures of the salad offer a refreshing and nutritious counterpoint to the richness of the birria tacos.
A grilled vegetable salad, with its blend of charred vegetables like bell peppers and zucchini, adds another healthy and refreshing element to a birria salad. The grilled veggies also pair well with the stew’s savory depth.
For a heartier and more filling salad, try adding sliced avocados or guacamole to your birria salad. Their creamy texture and savory flavor complement the hearty beef, and their refreshing flavor balances out the earthiness of the stew.
If you prefer to skip the salad, a traditional soft birria taco is the perfect way to enjoy the savory stew. To make this dish, lightly dip both sides of a corn tortilla into the layer of fat that sits at the top of the red chile birria broth (consome). Place the dipped tortilla on a hot skillet or griddle, then top with shredded beef birria meat and melty cheese. Fold the tortilla to form a taco, and fry until crispy. Serve with a bowl of the warm birria consome on the side for dipping.
The rich and savory flavors of birria go perfectly with a variety of other Mexican dishes. Taco soup, with its combination of ground beef, beans, corn, and a delicious blend of spices, mirrors many of the flavors of birria tacos, and can be enjoyed as a full meal. Another hearty, comforting dish that pairs well with birria is a burrito. To create a birria-inspired burrito, simply place a scoop of the beef birria in a soft, flour tortilla, top with melted cheese and garnish with cilantro and white onion.
Burrito Bowls
Birria is a spicy and super savory Mexican beef or goat stew that’s slow cooked until the meat is fall-apart tender. It’s traditionally served with a small cup of consomme, the cooking broth, for dipping the tortillas into and enjoying this rich and hearty dish. But then someone had the genius idea of stuffing the birria into tacos, and birria tacos were born!
The best birria is made with beef chuck, as this cut of meat has the perfect flavor, level of fat and cooks so beautifully. It is infused with the bold flavors of adobo sauce, which features ancho chiles, garlic, cloves and oregano. Adding guajillo chili peppers (available in the ethnic aisle or at most Mexican stores) is another essential ingredient, as these add a lot of flavor and color to the recipe.
You can also try birria tacos with other cuts of meat, such as lamb or oxtail. The addition of these different meats gives the tacos a unique twist. Using goat meat is also an option but it can be very gamey, so make sure you add plenty of herbs and spices to help mellow it out.
To assemble the tacos, start with a fresh and soft corn tortilla that’s been dipped in the consomme. It helps to pre-make the birria ahead of time, shred the meat and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the tacos. The shredded meat will keep well in the fridge for up to a day or two.
Once the tortilla is dipped in the consomme, top it with a bit of chopped birria beef and cilantro. Next, add some shredded cheese. Then fold it over and pan-fry both sides until the taco is crisp. You can serve it with a side of guacamole or sliced avocados and a squeeze of lime, if desired.
You can also skip the frying and dipping and just spoon the birria into a soft corn tortilla and wrap it around to form a burrito bowl. Then, top with your favorite garnishes. The pickled onions and radish add a nice crunch to this dish, but refried beans or even some sour cream and avocado would be delicious, too!