Ohhhh yes 😍🔥 Oxtail Birria Tacos are next-level indulgence—rich, gelatinous oxtails slow-cooked until falling-off-the-bone tender, dunked in savory-spicy birria sauce, then stuffed into tortillas and crisped. Here’s a full recipe that nails that deep flavor.
🐂 Oxtail Birria Tacos
Ingredients
For the birria sauce
- 6 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho or pasilla chiles
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt & pepper
For the oxtails
- 2–3 lbs oxtails
- Salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For tacos
- Corn tortillas
- Chopped onions & cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
1️⃣ Toast & soak chiles
- Remove stems & seeds. Toast lightly in dry pan until fragrant.
- Soak in hot water 15–20 min until soft.
2️⃣ Make sauce
- Blend soaked chiles + garlic + onion + cumin + oregano + paprika + vinegar + ½ cup beef stock until smooth.
- Adjust salt & pepper.
3️⃣ Sear oxtails
- Pat dry, season with salt & pepper.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven. Sear oxtails on all sides until browned.
4️⃣ Slow cook
- Pour chile sauce over oxtails.
- Add remaining stock until meat is mostly submerged.
- Simmer on low for 4–6 hours, or in slow cooker 8 hours, until meat falls off the bone.
5️⃣ Shred & assemble tacos
- Remove bones, shred meat.
- Dip tortillas in the birria broth (consommé) and pan-fry briefly until crispy.
- Fill with shredded oxtail. Optional: add cheese, onion, cilantro.
- Serve with a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
Pro Tips
- Overnight simmer = ultimate flavor; the gelatin from oxtails makes the sauce rich & silky.
- Consommé: strain and reduce the leftover sauce for dipping—it’s the magic.
- Optional heat: add chipotle or arbol chiles for a smoky kick.
If you want, I can make a foolproof “oven or Instant Pot” version that cuts cooking time in half but keeps that fall-apart texture—no slow stove all day.
Do you want me to do that?
