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Venison Birria Tacos (or Grilled Cheese!)

Difficulty Beginner
Time
Prep Time: 30 30 mins Cook Time: 2 2 hrs Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Cooking Temp 325  °F
Servings 12
Estimated Cost 15
Description

Once I stumbled upon birria tacos I knew I had to make this with venison. Venison shoulder and shanks are my go-to cuts for birria due to all the connective tissue that will break down during the long braise required for birria. All that connective tissue dissolves to make a silky smooth consomme. 

While birria is traditionally in taco form, do not discount its place in a grilled cheese sandwich. The cheesy, meaty sandwich soaks up the delicious consomme far better than a taco and is every fat midwestern kid's dream lunch. 

This recipe can be pressure canned so you can make a huge batch of birria and can it for later use. There's nothing better than getting home, popping a lid, and having a home-cooked dinner on the table in less time than it takes to drive to the nearest Taco Bell. 

Ingredients
    The Meats
  • 2 pounds Venison Shanks (Blade or shoulder roasts also work well.)
  • 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil
  • 2 tablespoons Salt & Pepper
    • The Consommé
  • 5 dried guajillo chiles
  • 3 dried morita chilies
  • 3 dried pasilla chiles
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 6 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 roma tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 large white onion
  • 5 bay leaves
    • Taco Toppings
  • Corn Tortillas (you can use flour but they won't crisp up like a corn tortilla.)
  • Oaxaca cheese
  • fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 1 lime (cut into wedges)
Instructions
  1. Prep

    Meat Prep

    You can use bone-in or boneless shank meat, but my preference is to cook with the bone in so the marrow and collagen from the bones become a part of your consomme, making it silky smooth. 

    If going the bone-in route, cut your shanks with a bone saw so they will fit in a Dutch oven. This also releases the marrow. 

    Score the meat of the shanks to the bone every 2 inches so you end up with shorter chunks of meat instead of long threads. 

    If using shoulders I prefer to de-bone and cut into 2-3 inch chunks. 

    Chile Prep

    Remove the seeds and stems from the chiles. 

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F
    2. Heat Dutch oven over medium high heat. 
    3. Toast the chiles in the Dutch oven for 2-3 minutes to release the oils, moving constantly to prevent scorching the chiles. 
    4. Move chiles to a bowl and cover with about 3 cups of boiling water. 
    5. Allow the chiles to hydrate for 20 minutes. 
  2. Birria Consomme

    While the chiles are soaking sear the meat. 

    1. Heat the Dutch oven over medium high heat. 
    2. Add 2 Tbsp avocado oil. 
    3. Once pan begins to smoke add the meat. Do not over-crowd or you will end up steaming instead of searing. 
    4. Sear until golden brown on all sides. This may take about 3 minutes per side. 
    5. Set meat to the side. 

    Make the birria

    1. Add the following to a blender
      • rehydrated chiles
      • garlic
      • cloves
      • cinnamon stick
      • oregano
      • cumin seeds
      • tomatoes
      • vinegar
      • 1.5 cups chile soaking water
    2. Blend until it becomes a pourable gravy.
    3. Return the meat to the Dutch oven over medium heat.
    4. Add quartered onion and bay leaves.
    5. Add chile paste and enough broth to just cover the meat.
    6. Bring to a simmer. 
    7. Cover and move it to the oven. 
    8. Braise for 2.5 - 3 hours or until meat easily falls apart. 

     

     

     

Keywords: venison, shanks, shoulders
Read it online: https://bow-and-marrow.com/recipe/venison-birria-tacos-or-grilled-cheese/
Jarrod Robran