6-8 servingsapple cider vinegaravocado or vegetable oil

Birria Tacos

By Instant Pot Culinary Team

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6-8 servings

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2 Hours or more

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Medium

Birria Tacos
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Recipe Details

Course: Dinner, Main Dishes

Difficulty: Medium

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 Hours or more

Cooking Technique: Pressure Cook, Sauté

Cuisine: Mexican

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. boneless chuck or pot roast
  • 1 lb. short ribs
  • 1-2 tbsp. avocado or vegetable oil
  • 10 dried guajillo chiles, trimmed, seeded, cut into pieces
  • 10 dried ancho chiles, trimmed, seeded, cut into pieces
  • 4 dried chili de árbol, trimmed, seeded, cut into pieces
  • 1 tbsp. black peppercorn
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp. coriander seeds
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 Roma tomatoes, halved
  • 1 medium onion, peeled, halved
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 stick Mexican cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • ½ cup Oaxaca cheese
  • ¼ cup cilantro
  • 12-16 corn tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Set Instant Pot to Sauté on High and add oil. While the Instant Pot is heating, generously season meat on all sides with salt and pepper. When oil is hot sear meat in batches, to avoid overcrowding pot, for 5-7 minutes per side until well browned (searing all 6 sides). Remove meat and set aside, covering with aluminum foil.
  2. In the hot fat, add all the dried peppers, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves and bay leaves, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Then add tomatoes, the 2 onion halves, garlic cloves, cinnamon, and oregano. Cover this with enough cold water to cover everything. Cancel the Sauté function and close lid on Instant Pot. Set to Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes. When cooking time is up, quick release the pressure. Remove lid.
  3. Pour the contents of the Instant Pot through a fine strainer (we want to keep the whole spices so you can also line a colander with some cheesecloth). Add everything from the Instant Pot to a high-powered blender with the apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of the beef stock (depending on the size of your blender, you may want to work in batches. This mixture will also be very hot, so you do not want to have the blender over full. Please follow manufacturers guidance on blending hot substances). Blend this for 3-4 minutes until pureed. There should be no chunks at all in this mixture.
  4. Clean the insert and place back into Instant Pot. Add the browned meats and pour the pepper mix over it. Then add 2 cups of beef stock. Move the meat around to mix and coat everything.
  5. Place lid back on Instant Pot and Pressure Cook on High for 50 minutes. 
  6. When cook time has expired, quick release the pressure. If meat is not tender enough, feel free to Pressure Cook on High for an additional 15 minutes.
  7. Remove meat to a bowl and shred, adding some of the cooking liquid to keep the meat very moist and flavorful. Taste both the meat and the liquid to check seasoning, add salt and pepper both as needed.
  8. Once meat is shredded, set a cast iron or sauté pan on medium high heat on your stove top. Once heated, add a small amount of avocado or vegetable oil and heat. In batches, dip the corn tortillas in the cooking liquid and place them on pan in a single layer. Add some shredded meat, 1 tablespoon of cooking liquid, some chopped onions and cilantro and some cheese. Fold over once the tortilla has slightly crisped (approx. 1-3 minutes) and cook on both sides, crisping to your desired texture.
  9. Serve the tacos immediately with a cup of stew (cooking liquid) for dipping.

About the chef

Instant Pot® Culinary Team

Instant Pot® Culinary Team

When life’s moving fast and dinner needs to happen faster, the Instant Pot Culinary Team is here to make it deliciously doable. We cook up recipes for every Instant Pot appliance you’ve got your hands on—so whether you’re tackling Tuesday night or going all-out for the weekend, you’ll have the flavor without the fuss. No overthinking, no babysitting, just good food that works with your schedule (not against it).

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