Birria Tacos have all of a sudden gained popularity. Now they are super tasty, that is for certain! But can you verify the spices and seasoning is gluten free? For my sensitivity, I want to know for certain, so I use gluten free spices and gluten free dried peppers from Badia for these Crispy Gluten Free Birria Tacos.
Celiac friendly Birria
When eating out in restaurants, sometimes it’s very difficult to know if a particular item is gluten free. The chef may not be there to answer the question. When broths and lots of spices and seasoning blends might have been used, it’s usually best for me to pass on it.
So I’m bringing you this recipe! We’ve been enjoying these yummy tacos at home now. Full of flavor, and also such an exciting way to enjoy a taco. The meat is delicious to just eat anyway you want, for sure. However, the crispy cheese and sauce make these gluten free Birria tacos undeniably yummier!
The roast makes quite a few tacos, so this is a great meal for a family of five or six, or you can enjoy it twice in a week.
Serve with your favorite sides and toppings
I like to serve the tacos with black or pinto beans on the side, and of course some tortillas chips, too. Then just have a platter of all the toppings: salsas and tomatoes, cabbage or lettuce, avocado or even guacamole or our Creamy Flavor Loaded Guacamole, limes, minced onion and cilantro.
For a fun side, simply mince onion and garlic and saute. Add a can of pinto or black beans, lime juice and finish with fresh cilantro. We also love a bean dip served alongside the tortilla chips. In a bowl, add refried beans with salsa verde spooned over the top. Add crumbled cotija, grated jack or even cheddar cheese over the green salsa. Heat in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Broil for 30 seconds or so to brown the cheese before serving.
Enjoy on tostadas if you’d rather
Tostadas are some of my favorite Mexican food items. I love the amount of fresh ingredients that can be added to a tostada. Often, I can’t seem to fit as much on a taco! It’s usually bursting at the seams!
Also, the hard tostada shells are usually certified gluten free or labeled gluten free. They also don’t contain cellulose, a non digestible fiber which bothers me.
One way we love to enjoy tostadas is to add refried beans and cheese then bake until the cheese is golden brown. After baking, we add meat or skip the meat and just add lots of fresh ingredients and salsa.
However you prefer them, I hope you enjoy this Birria beef!
~ Laura
Crispy Gluten Free Birria Tacos
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven or cast iron covered with foil
Ingredients
- 2.5- 3 lbs chuck roast, some of the fat removed
- salt and pepper roast generously
- bacon fat or vegetable oil
- 2 dried Badia Ancho peppers, gf
- 2 dried Badia Guajillo peppers, gf
- 1-2 dried Japones peppers
- 1 large onion, diced
- 7 cloves garlic
- 1 cup beef broth, gf
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, gf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, gf
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin, gf
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves, gf
- 2 cups water or beef broth, gf
- 2 tbsp white vinegar, gf
- salt and pepper to taste
For the tacos
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 18-20 corn tortillas, gf
- toppings of your choice
Instructions
- Roast the onion and garlic in a little olive oil in a 450 degree F oven for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Sear the beef in bacon fat or vegetable or olive oil on both sides in a Dutch oven.
- In a clean skillet heat the peppers over medium heat until they are fragrant. Cool, then remove the seeds and stems. Blend the spices, chilis, roasted onion and garlic, and 1 cup broth. Pour the blended sauce over the top of the roast. Add the additional water or broth and 2 Tbsp vinegar to the Dutch oven.
- Cover and roast at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours, spooning the sauce over the meat several times, until tender. If using a cast iron or oven safe skillet, cover with foil. The meat will be super tender when pulled apart with a fork. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Proceed to make the tacos: If desired remove a bit of the fat from the Dutch oven and discard. Remove the beef to a plate. Shred the beef using two forks or a gloved hand.
- Heat a skillet with a spray of oil. Add 2 or 3 corn tortillas. Turn over a few times. Add a small amount, a teaspoon of the birria sauce, then add some of the beef and a small amount of cheese to the inside, then fold over. Add cheese to the outside and cook until browned. If desired, add a small amount of sauce to the outside or serve the sauce alongside the tacos, for dipping.
- Serve with finely shredded cabbage, tomato, avocado, and salsa.
