Birria tacos have officially crossed from street food legend to home-kitchen obsession — and for good reason. Crispy, chile-stained tortillas, juicy shredded beef, molten Oaxaca cheese, and a rich consommé for dipping… it’s the kind of meal that turns dinner into an event.
What I love most about this version is that it delivers all the slow-braised depth of traditional birria but in a fraction of the time using the Instant Pot — without sacrificing flavor.
And even better, this recipe is completely halal-friendly based on the ingredients used, making it accessible for more households to enjoy.
Why This Birria Recipe Works
Using boneless beef shank gives the consommé a naturally rich body because of its collagen content. When pressure cooked, it breaks down into tender, shreddable meat while enriching the broth.
Searing the meat first builds an additional layer of flavor — something that makes a noticeable difference in pressure cooker recipes.
The Birria Bomb concentrate simplifies what is traditionally a multi-step chile sauce process, delivering smokiness, spice, and depth in one step.
Halal-Friendly Ingredient Note
For this recipe, I specifically used the M’Costenita Birria Bomb because it does not contain beef stock.
Many birria concentrates and bouillon bases include beef stock or animal-derived flavoring that may not be halal.
This particular brand keeps the chile and spice profile clean, making it a halal-friendly option when paired with halal beef.
Always check labels, but this is the reason I chose this brand for my birria tacos.
Step-by-Step Cooking Process
Searing the Meat
Start by setting your Instant Pot to sauté mode and heating the oil.
Add the boneless beef shank and sear it on all sides until browned. This step locks in flavor and creates a deeper, more developed broth.
Once seared, turn off sauté mode.
Pressure Cooking the Birria
Add the Birria Bomb directly into the pot with the seared meat, then pour in six cups of water.
Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to high pressure for forty-five minutes.
Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow a natural pressure release for at least ten to fifteen minutes before opening.
The meat should be fork-tender and deeply infused with the chile broth.
Shredding & Returning to the Sauce
Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks.
After shredding, return the meat back into the sauce so it can continue soaking up the flavor.
Reserve some of the liquid separately — this will be used as dipping consommé when serving the tacos.
Taste the broth at this stage. Depending on preference, you can add additional salt if needed.
Some Birria Bomb concentrates are moderately seasoned, so salt levels can be adjusted to taste.
Assembling & Frying the Birria Tacos
Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
Dip each tortilla into the top layer of the birria sauce so it absorbs the red chile oil.
Place the dipped tortilla onto the skillet and fry until lightly crisp on both sides.
Once the tortilla begins to firm up, add shredded beef and Oaxaca cheese.
Fold the taco over and continue cooking until the exterior turns golden and crispy and the cheese fully melts inside.
This method ensures the tortilla crisps properly before the filling finishes melting — giving you the perfect texture contrast.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the tacos immediately while hot and crispy.
Pair with the reserved consommé for dipping.
Top with chopped cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of fresh lime to cut through the richness.
Each bite should be crispy, juicy, cheesy, and deeply savory.
Instant Pot Birria Tacos (Halal-Friendly) — Crispy, Cheesy & Dippable
8
servings20
minutes45
minutes585
kcalCrispy halal-friendly birria tacos made in the Instant Pot with seared beef shank, rich chile consommé, and melted Oaxaca cheese.
Ingredients
2 pounds 2 boneless beef shank
1 1 Birria Bomb M’Costenita
6 cups 6 water
1/4 cup 1/4 oil
Salt to taste if needed
- For serving
1 cup 1 Oaxaca cheese
Corn Tortillas
Cilantro
Diced onion
Lime wedges
Directions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat the oil. Add the boneless beef shank and sear on all sides until browned. Turn off the sauté function once the meat is fully seared.
- Add the Birria Bomb to the pot along with six cups of water. Seal the lid and pressure cook on high for forty-five minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least ten to fifteen minutes before opening the lid.
- Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks until tender. Return the shredded meat back into the sauce so it can absorb more flavor. Reserve some of the liquid in a separate bowl for dipping. Taste the broth and add salt if desired.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip each tortilla into the birria sauce and place it onto the skillet. Fry until lightly crisp on both sides. Add shredded beef and Oaxaca cheese, fold the tortilla, and continue cooking until golden, crispy, and the cheese has melted.
- Serve hot with reserved consommé, cilantro, onion, and lime on the side.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
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