Birria tacos

1.5 lb beef shank

3-4 lb blade roast

Marinade

·         3 dried guajillo peppers 

·         1 can chipotle peppers in adobo

·         1/4 cup vinegar

·         1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

·         5 cloves garlic

·         1 tsp dried oregano

·         1/2 tsp smoked paprika

·         1 tsp cumin

Stew

·         1 medium onion chopped

·         1 cinnamon stick

·         2 bay leaves

·         6 whole cloves

·         chicken stock to cover (approx. 1 L) 

Tacos

·         4″ corn or flour tortillas as needed, 12-16

·         1 medium red onion chopped

·         1 bunch cilantro chopped

   

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then remove from heat. Soak your dried guajillo peppers for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, debone and cube your blade roast, then season both the steak and the shank with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Add marinade ingredients to the blender. When the peppers are done soaking, hold them by the tip over the sink and use scissors to cut the stem off and allow the seeds to fall out, then add to blender. Blend the marinade into a smooth paste. Marinate the meats for a minimum of two hours or up to overnight.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1-2 tbsp oil, then sauté the onions until golden and translucent (6-8 minutes).

Add the meats, marinade, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves to the pot. Cover with chicken broth, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 4-6 hours.

When done, remove the meat. Shred, set aside, and discard the bones.

Dip the tortillas in the stew. Build your tacos with meat, onion and cilantro, fold in half then fry (using the fat from the stew) over medium heat on a nonstick skillet. Serve with a bowl of the stew sauce to dip your taco in. Enjoy immediately. Make enough for leftovers as this recipe is sooooo delicious you’ll want to eat some more the next day!