October 06, 2022

Birria Tacos by Barry Horne

By Online Provenance Butcher
Birria Tacos by Barry Horne

(serves 4)


Ingredients: 


For the stew:

1kg grass-fed beef chuck (in large chunks)

100g chipotle in adobo 

2 onions (diced chunky)

2-3 garlic cloves

2-3 tomatoes (diced chunky)

1 stick of cinnamon

1ltr beef stock

1tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper

vegetable oil 


For the tacos:

12 fresh corn tortillas

1 red onion (finely diced)

10g coriander (chopped)

2-3 limes

200g cheese (like a mozzarella or Oaxacan Cheese if you can get it)



Method:

Start the stew by getting a large pot on a medium high heat and adding a small amount of vegetable oil. Season the beef well and sear in batches until nicely coloured. Remove the beef and add the diced onion and garlic the pot and cook for 3-4 mins to get a small amount of colour. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, ground cumin and cook for another 1-2 mins. Put the beef back and cover with the beef stock, season well, bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours or until the beef is starting to break apart.

Remove the beef from the liquid and put to one side, leave it to rest and come down in temperature before shredding as its just as important as leaving a steak to rest. 

Blend everything that remains in the pot (removing the cinnamon stick) and check for seasoning.

Shred the beef and season again with salt and pepper and a small amount of the cooking liquid.

Now it’s time to assemble the tacos; at the top of the stewing liquid you should have some fat from the beef, remove this and add it to a tray, you will use this to dip your tacos into before frying.

Get a large frying pan on a medium high heat and dip the tortilla into the beef fat and place in the pan, add a small amount of cheese and the some of the beef and fold over, fry for 1-2 mins then flip and fry again for another 1-2 mins until the cheese is melted and golden.

Place the cooked tortillas in a warm place while you do the rest and when they are all done serve them alongside a bowl of the cooking broth and top each bowl with coriander, red onion and a good squeeze of lime. Use this to dunk the tacos into and then drink with a spoon after.