Oyster Mushroom Birria Tacos
Birria is, at heart, a slow-cooked meat dragged from a chile-stained pot, dipped in its own red fat, and griddled with cheese until the tortilla goes lacquered and crisp. Swap the meat for oyster mushrooms — hand-torn, seared, then simmered in a smoky guajillo-ancho-chipotle adobo — and you get the same drama with half the cook. The consommé on the side is the whole point.
* Inspired by Derek Sarno.
The method
The adobo is the whole game — toast the dried chiles, char the aromatics, blend them with the chipotle and spices, then let the torn mushrooms drink it up. The dip-and-griddle move at the end is what turns these from braised mushroom tacos into actual birria.
Toast and soak the dried chiles
Heat a dry pan over medium. Press the stemmed, seeded guajillos and anchos flat for about 30 seconds per side — you want fragrant and pliable, not blackened. Tip into a bowl, cover with just-boiled water, and soak 15 minutes until soft.
17 minutesChar the aromatics
While the chiles soak, char the plum tomatoes, halved onion, and unpeeled garlic in the same dry pan, turning, until blackened in spots and softened — about 8–10 minutes. Pop the garlic out of its skins once cool enough to handle.
10 minutesBlend the adobo
Drain the chiles (reserve the soaking water). Add chiles, charred tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a blender along with the chipotles in adobo, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and bay. Blend smooth, loosening with reserved soaking water as needed for a thick-but-pourable sauce.
3 minutesSear, then braise the mushrooms
Heat oil in a wide pot over medium-high. Add the torn oyster mushrooms in a single layer and sear hard, undisturbed, for 3–4 minutes until they take on colour. Pour over the adobo and the vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, and cook 25–30 minutes until glossy, tender, and saturated. The surface should slick with red fat — that's the consommé.
30 minutesDip, griddle, fold
Heat a flat-top or large skillet over medium. Quickly dip a corn tortilla into the red fat at the top of the pot, lay it flat on the hot griddle, scatter on a small handful of cheese, then a spoonful of the braised mushrooms with their adobo. Fold in half, press, and griddle 1–2 minutes per side until the tortilla is lacquered and crisp. Repeat. Serve hot with a small bowl of the consommé for dipping, diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.
10 minutes
About the Oyster
A staple of our grow rooms — fast-growing, fan-shaped, and uniquely savoury. For birria, hand-tear the cluster into thick, long strands rather than chopping; the ragged edges grab the adobo and shred just like braised beef when you fork into them. King, pink, blue, and pearl oysters all work here.
More on our mushroomsNotes & tips
The adobo gets better overnight
You can make the braised mushrooms a full day ahead — flavour deepens, fat rises and re-emulsifies cleanly when you reheat. Hold the dipping and griddling for the moment you want to eat.
Pick something that melts properly
Oaxaca is traditional; low-moisture mozzarella or Monterey Jack are easy stand-ins. For vegan, a stretchy mozzarella-style shred wins over crumbles — you want the cheese to glue the fold shut as it crisps.
The dip is what makes it birria
Don't skip the tortilla-in-the-red-fat step. That's what gives the taco its lacquered orange shell, what crisps under cheese rather than steams, and what defines the dish. Without the dip, you have a perfectly good mushroom taco — but not birria.
