Loaded Birria Nachos with Homemade Birria
Tender homemade birria layered over avocado oil tortilla chips with melted Mexican cheese and fresh toppings, served with warm birria consommé for dipping.
Ingredients
Birria
- 2½ lbs grass-fed beef chuck roast
- 2 tsp ghee
- 1½ tsp sea salt plus more to taste
- ¾ tsp black pepper
Chile Sauce
- 2½ tbsp guajillo chile powder
- 2 tbsp ancho chile powder
- 1½ tbsp chili powder
- ¼ –½ tsp cayenne to taste
- 3 organic garlic cloves minced
- ½ organic yellow onion roughly chopped
- ½ cup organic crushed tomatoes
- 1¼ tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¾ tsp Mexican oregano
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- 4 cups organic beef broth plus 1–2 additional cups as needed
- ½ cup water
- 2 bay leaves
Nachos
- 1 large bag avocado oil tortilla chips or enough to cover your baking sheet or baking dish
- 2–3 cups shredded birria
- 2–2½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 cup organic guacamole
- ½ cup organic diced tomato
- ¼–½ cup organic white onion finely diced
- ⅓ cup organic fresh cilantro chopped
- ½ cup Cotija cheese crumbled
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1–2 limes cut into wedges
- Birria consommé for serving
Instructions
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 325°F for the birria.
Prepare & Sear the Beef
- Cut the chuck roast into large chunks, about 3–4 inches each.
- Pat the beef dry and season all over with sea salt and black pepper.
- Heat 2 teaspoons ghee in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches, sear the beef for 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Transfer the beef to a plate.
Build the Chile Sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onion. Sauté for 3–4 minutes, until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the guajillo chile powder, ancho chile powder, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Stir constantly for about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the spices.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and apple cider vinegar. Cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring well.
- Slowly add the beef broth and water, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to release the browned bits.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Blend the Sauce
- Carefully transfer the chile mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Blend in batches if necessary.
- Pour the sauce back into the Dutch oven and taste. Adjust the sea salt if needed.
Braise the Beef
- Return the seared chuck roast to the Dutch oven and add the bay leaves.
- The liquid should come about halfway to two-thirds of the way up the beef. If needed, add another ½–1 cup beef broth.
- Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
- Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the 325°F oven.
- Cook for approximately 3 hours, checking around the 2½-hour mark.
- The beef is ready when it is extremely tender and pulls apart easily with a fork.
Shred the Birria
- Remove the Dutch oven from the oven once the beef is extremely tender.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Shred the beef directly in the Dutch oven using two forks.
- If the meat has absorbed most of the liquid, add ½ cup beef broth at a time, stirring well after each addition, until plenty of flavorful consommé surrounds the beef.
- Taste and adjust the sea salt if needed.
Assemble the Nachos
- Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.
- Spread the avocado oil tortilla chips evenly across a large baking sheet or baking dish.
- Distribute 2–3 cups of shredded birria evenly over the chips.
- Sprinkle 2–2½ cups Mexican cheese blend over the birria and chips, distributing it evenly.
Bake
- Place the nachos in the 375°F oven.
- Bake for 10–15 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling and the birria is heated through.
- Keep an eye on the nachos toward the end so the chips don’t become overly browned.
Add the Toppings
- Remove the nachos from the oven.
- Immediately add the guacamole, diced tomato, white onion, cilantro, Cotija cheese, and sour cream.
- Finish with fresh lime juice or serve with lime wedges.
Serve
- Serve immediately while the cheese is hot and melted.
- Serve warm birria consommé on the side for dipping or spooning over individual bites.
Notes
The ingredients I use throughout my recipes reflect my personal food philosophy, which prioritizes whole, minimally processed foods and higher-quality options when available, such as organic produce, pasture-raised or grass-fed meats, and responsibly sourced ingredients. I encourage choosing these options when they are accessible to you, but they are not required to make a delicious and nourishing meal. Use the ingredients that work best for your lifestyle, preferences, and budget.
Learn more about my preferred ingredients and why I choose them here.