DIBuyIt
← All guides

Meals

Birria tacos and ramen.

Chile-braised beef makes crisp cheese tacos, with a ramen option for leftover meat and broth.

Makes
About 8 servings; 24 small tacos
Hands-on
1 hour
Total time
About 5 hours
Effort
Project
Make it yourself ↓Buy premade ↓

GET WHAT YOU NEED

Your shopping list

For About 8 servings; 24 small tacos.

Beef chuck roast

4 lb, in 4-inch pieces

Amazon Grocery Boneless Beef Chuck Roast

Buy on Amazon

This roast was out of stock when checked. Choose enough boneless chuck for the recipe and confirm the package weight.

Kosher salt

1/2 tbsp

Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 3 lb

Buy on Amazon

Kosher salt brands differ in density. These crystals are lighter than Morton; taste and adjust noncritical seasoning.

Water

Enough to cover chiles; reserve 1 cup

Recipe water can come from the household drinking-water supply.

Shredded Oaxaca cheese

2 cups

Real de Oaxaca Quesillo, 2 lb

Buy on Amazon

This is a 2-pound pack of Oaxaca cheese. Shred the amount needed before cooking.

Ramen noodles for optional leftovers · optional

1 packet per bowl

Hime J-Basket Dried Ramen Noodles, 720 g

Buy on Amazon

Amounts are what the recipe uses, not package sizes. Compare quantities and product details before buying.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Tools & supplies

Large Dutch oven

Braise beef covered.

Overmont enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, 7 qt

Buy on Amazon

Blender and fine strainer

Smooth chile sauce.

KitchenAid K400 variable-speed blender with tamper

Buy on Amazon

Cuisinart fine-mesh strainers, three sizes

Buy on Amazon

Let hot sauce cool when possible. Keep the vented cap in place and start on low speed, following the blender manual.

STEP BY STEP

Make it

  1. Sear

    Season beef with salt and pepper; brown in oil in batches.

  2. Soften

    Cover chiles, tomatoes, yellow onion, cinnamon, bay and peppercorns with water. Simmer covered 10 minutes.

  3. Blend

    Blend softened mixture with one cup cooking liquid, broth, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano and cloves. Vent hot blender safely; strain over beef.

  4. Braise

    Cover; simmer gently 3–3 1/2 hours until shreddable. Shred beef.

  5. Fry tacos

    Dip tortillas in broth fat. Fill with cheese and beef; fold and fry 1–2 minutes per side. Serve with onion, cilantro, lime and dipping broth.

  6. Optional ramen

    For each leftover bowl, cook one noodle packet separately. Top with 1 cup birria broth and 1/2 cup shredded beef, reheated to 165°F.

Good to know

  • Use brittle Ceylon cinnamon; remove a hard cassia stick before blending.
  • Taco yield depends on filling; freeze extra meat and broth in meal portions.

SAVE THE MAKING

Prefer it ready-made?

Compare these finished options with making your own.

Prepared beef birria meal

A fully cooked birria meal skips the long braise; seasoning packets are not finished food.

POZOLAZO freeze-dried beef birria, 1 pouch

Buy on Amazon

This cooked birria is freeze-dried. Add hot water according to its package before serving.

Links go to the selected products. Availability and delivery vary by location; check the current listing and package size before ordering.

Sources & further reading

Independent instructions informed by the sources below. No affiliation or endorsement is implied. These instructions have not been kitchen- or workshop-tested by DIBuyIt.

How we research guides and choose products

Related guides