🐂 Oxtail Birria Tacos
Oxtail birria tacos are a rich and flavorful Mexican dish made with slow-cooked oxtails in a spicy, aromatic birria sauce. The shredded meat is served in corn tortillas and often dipped in the cooking broth for extra flavor.
🥘 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the birria sauce:
- 4–5 dried guajillo chilies
- 2–3 dried ancho chilies
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
For the oxtails:
- 2–3 lbs (900–1300 g) oxtails
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1–2 bay leaves
- Salt & pepper
For serving:
- Corn tortillas
- Chopped onions & cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cheese (optional)
👩🍳 Instructions
- Prepare chilies:
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chilies. Toast lightly in a dry skillet, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Make the birria sauce:
- Blend soaked chilies, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add some soaking water if needed.
- Cook the oxtails:
- Season oxtails with salt and pepper.
- In a slow cooker or large pot, combine oxtails, birria sauce, beef broth, and bay leaves.
- Cook low and slow:
- Slow cooker: 8 hours on low
- Stovetop: 3–4 hours, simmer gently
- Meat should be very tender and falling off the bone.
- Shred the meat:
- Remove oxtails from the sauce, shred, and discard bones.
- Assemble tacos:
- Dip tortillas into birria sauce, fill with shredded oxtail meat.
- Sprinkle with cheese, chopped onions, and cilantro if desired.
- Serve with a side of warm birria broth for dipping.
💡 Tips
- Use a slow cooker or pressure cooker for extra tender oxtails.
- Add extra chilies for more heat or a chipotle for smokiness.
- Leftovers make amazing quesadillas or a rich stew.
I can also provide a faster stovetop version that doesn’t require 8 hours of cooking if you want a quicker meal.
