Are you ready to elevate your taco game? This complete guide walks you through making restaurant-quality Smoked Birria Tacos at home. These cheesy, shredded beef tacos are deeply flavorful and even better served with a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
Smoked Birria Tacos Recipe
Birria tacos have taken the food world by storm, and for good reason. The combination of smoky, tender beef, melted cheese, and crispy tortillas creates a bite that’s intensely satisfying. This version uses smoked chuck roast that’s braised in a rich consommé until shreddable, then assembled as quesabirria tacos on a griddle or skillet.
Making birria does take some time—most of it hands-off—so plan for an afternoon of smoking and slow braising. The actual assembly is fast but can be hectic if you’re cooking a large batch; a griddle helps you cook several at once. If possible, recruit a helper to keep things moving while you crisp and flip tacos.
Find more Traeger and grilling recipes in the same collection of smoker-friendly dishes.
Recipe Shopping List
You can gather these items now; quantities and full details are in the recipe card below.
- Beef chuck shoulder roast (about 4 lb)
- Mexican seasoning blend
- Salt and pepper
- Dried Guajillo peppers
- Ground cloves
- Thyme
- Cumin
- Peppercorns (whole)
- Mexican oregano
- Garlic
- Onion
- Whole Roma tomatoes (canned)
- Beef broth
- Corn tortillas
- Shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- Fresh onion and cilantro for garnish
How To Make This Recipe
Here’s a concise overview of the process. The complete ingredient list and step-by-step instructions follow in the recipe card below.
- Preheat and smoke: Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 220°F and smoke the seasoned roast for 2–3 hours.
- Make the consommé: Simmer the rehydrated chiles, tomatoes, aromatics, and spices, then blend and strain to make a smooth braising liquid.
- Braise: Cut the smoked roast into large pieces, place in a Dutch oven, cover with consommé and additional broth if needed, and braise until the meat is tender enough to shred.
- Assemble and crisp: Dip tortillas in the oil that rises to the top of the consommé, grill on a griddle or skillet, add cheese and shredded beef, fold, and brown both sides until crisp and melty.
- Serve: Offer chopped onion and cilantro, and a bowl of consommé for dipping.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Chuck is my go-to because it’s affordable and shreds well, but brisket, beef shank, short ribs, and beef cheek all produce excellent, richly flavored results. Each cut will change the final texture and mouthfeel slightly, but all are suitable for slow braising.
Absolutely. Quesabirria is great to prepare ahead. Store the shredded meat and consommé separately, then reheat on a grill or under foil. Leftovers are often even better the next day—just be sure to keep them refrigerated.
Serving Suggestions
- Cilantro-lime rice
- Fresh homemade guacamole
- Smoked tomatillo salsa
- A classic margarita or your favorite cocktail
More Chuck Roast Recipes
- Chuck Roast Stroganoff
- Smoked Balsamic Pot Roast
- Classic Pot Roast
- Smoked Chuck Tender Roast
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Smoked Hot Roast Beef Sandwich Boats
- Tequila Lime Shredded Beef Tacos
Smoked Birria Tacos
These cheesy quesabirria tacos are filled with smoked, shredded chuck roast and plenty of melted cheese. Serve each taco with a side of the braising consommé for dipping to maximize flavor.
15 minutes
5 hours
5 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
Meat
- 4 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast
- 4 tablespoons Mexican seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Consommé / Braising Liquid
- 12 dried Guajillo peppers, stems and seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 large onion, halved
- 1 (15 oz) can whole Roma tomatoes
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups beef broth
Tacos
- 24 corn tortillas
- 6 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese
- Diced onion, for topping
- Cilantro, for topping
Instructions
Smoke the meat
- Preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 220°F (smoke setting).
- Season the roast all over with the Mexican seasoning blend, salt, and pepper.
- Place the roast on the smoker and smoke for 2–3 hours, until it develops a good smoky crust.
Make the consommé
- Remove stems and seeds from the dried Guajillo peppers and place the peppers in a pot with the tomatoes, garlic, onion, oregano, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, water, and beef broth.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 10–15 minutes to soften the peppers.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly, then blend until smooth.
- Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer to create a smooth consommé and set aside.
Braise the meat
- After smoking, cut the roast into large chunks and place them in a Dutch oven.
- Pour the strained consommé over the meat. If the liquid does not fully cover the roast, add additional beef broth until covered.
- Cover and braise over low to medium-low heat for 2–3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easy to shred.
- Shred the meat, trim away any unappetizing bits, and reserve the consommé for dipping.
Assemble and crisp the tacos
- Preheat a flat top griddle or a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
- Skim the oil from the top of the consommé and briefly dip each corn tortilla into that oil, then place the tortilla on the griddle.
- Top the tortilla with a layer of shredded cheese and a portion of shredded beef on one half. Add diced onion and cilantro if desired.
- Fold the tortilla over, press gently, and cook 2–4 minutes per side until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Keep finished tacos warm in a foil pan on a low part of the griddle until ready to serve.
Serve
- Serve each quesabirria with chopped onion and cilantro and a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 12 servings • Serving size: 1 taco
Amount per serving (estimate): Calories 634; Total Fat 30g; Saturated Fat 14g; Cholesterol 168mg; Sodium 2333mg; Carbohydrates 35g; Fiber 6g; Sugar 6g; Protein 58g.
Nutrition data is an estimate.
Recommended Tools
- Pellet grill or smoker
- Large Dutch oven or heavy braising pan
- High-speed blender
- Flat top griddle or large nonstick skillet