Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

Crispy Pot Birria Tacos are the ultimate comfort food, with tender, flavorful meat and golden, crispy tortillas. After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve discovered the secret to perfecting the crispy texture. These tacos are cozy, hearty, and perfect for a holiday meal. Keep reading for my best tips, or jump to the recipe card. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Slow Cooker Beef and Cheddar Sandwiches Recipe and Easy Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie Recipe for Dinner.

What You'll Need for Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
• 12 small corn tortillas
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Optional: Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Optional: Lime wedges
• Optional: Crumbled queso fresco

How to Make Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

1. Sear the meat: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sear on all sides until browned. Remove beef and set aside.
2. Sauté vegetables: In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and jalapeños. Cook until softened. Add tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down.
3. Add spices: Stir in oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Simmer the broth: Add beef back to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
5. Blend the broth: Use an immersion blender to blend the broth until smooth. Add potatoes and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until tender.
6. Crisp the tortillas: Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add tortillas and cook until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels.
7. Assemble the tacos: Shred the beef and serve in the crispy tortillas. Top with cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. Serve with the broth for dipping.

Storing & Reheating Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover broth and meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: The broth can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

Freezing Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

Freeze leftover broth and meat in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: For extra flavor, sear the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
• Best substitution: If you can't find beef chuck, you can use pork shoulder or chicken thighs for this recipe.
• Make-ahead: The crispy tortillas are best made fresh, but you can prepare them up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the broth is too thick, add a little water to thin it out. If it's too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes to reduce.

Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout

⏱

Prep

15 mins

🍳

Cook

2 hrs 30 mins

⏳

Total

2 hrs 45 mins

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten-free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into chunks
• 2 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
• 12 small corn tortillas

Seasonings

• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Optional Toppings

• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges
• Crumbled queso fresco

Instructions

1. Sear the meat: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sear on all sides until browned. Remove beef and set aside.
2. Sauté vegetables: In the same pot, add onion, garlic, and jalapeños. Cook until softened. Add tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down.
3. Add spices: Stir in oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Simmer the broth: Add beef back to the pot. Pour in enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
5. Blend the broth: Use an immersion blender to blend the broth until smooth. Add potatoes and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until tender.
6. Crisp the tortillas: Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add tortillas and cook until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels.
7. Assemble the tacos: Shred the beef and serve in the crispy tortillas. Top with cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. Serve with the broth for dipping.

Notes

• Chef tip: For extra flavor, sear the meat in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot.
• Best substitution: If you can't find beef chuck, you can use pork shoulder or chicken thighs for this recipe.
• Make-ahead: The crispy tortillas are best made fresh, but you can prepare them up to 1 day ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If the broth is too thick, add a little water to thin it out. If it's too thin, simmer it for a few more minutes to reduce.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftover broth and meat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze leftover broth and meat in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.
• Make ahead: The broth can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the fridge.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 650
• Protein: 45g
• Fat: 25g
• Carbs: 55g
• Fiber: 8g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 1200mg
• Cholesterol: 120mg
• Sat. Fat: 10g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Crispy Pot Birria Tacos Recipe: Better Than Takeout and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!