Step 1: Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
Step 3: In the same pot, add chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 4: While onion and garlic cook, toast the dried chilies. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the guajillo, ancho, and arbol chilies for 1-2 minutes per side, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat.
Step 5: Place toasted chilies in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them rehydrate for 20-30 minutes until soft.
Step 6: Drain the rehydrated chilies, reserving a little of the soaking liquid. Transfer chilies, diced tomatoes, beef broth, apple cider vinegar, cumin, Mexican oregano, ground cloves, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt to a blender. Blend until very smooth. If mixture is too thick, add a small amount of the reserved chili soaking liquid.
Step 7: Pour the chili sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the Dutch oven with the sautéed onions and garlic, pressing on the solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
Step 8: Return the seared beef to the Dutch oven. Add bay leaves and enough additional beef broth to just cover the meat if needed. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C).
Step 9: Cook for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. Alternatively, you can cook it on the stovetop over low heat for 3-5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Step 10: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Strain the remaining broth (consomé) through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate bowl or container. Skim off any excess fat from the consomé and reserve it for cooking the tortillas. This consomé is crucial for an authentic birria tacos recipe.
Step 11: To assemble the birria tacos: Heat a large griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the reserved beef fat (or consomé, if fat is scarce) from the top of the birria broth, coating both sides.
Step 12: Place the fat-dipped tortilla on the hot griddle. Sprinkle generously with shredded cheese, then add a portion of the shredded birria beef. Cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the tortilla is slightly crispy and browned on the bottom.
Step 13: Fold the tortilla in half to create a taco. Cook for another minute on each side until golden and crispy. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Step 14: Serve the birria tacos hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and diced white onion. Provide the warm consomé in small bowls for dipping. Don't forget lime wedges for a fresh squeeze!
Step 15: Enjoy your delicious homemade birria tacos recipe!