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Authentic Beef Birria Tacos with Homemade Consommé

Close-up of four stacked authentic beef birria tacos filled with shredded meat and melted cheese, served with a side of dipping consommé.
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Make traditional, flavorful beef birria tacos at home. This recipe guides you through slow-cooking the beef and preparing the rich consommé for dipping, resulting in the popular quesabirria style.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
  • 1 large white onion, quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 6 dried Guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried Morita or Chipotle chilies (optional, for heat)
  • 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 6 cups water or low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 package (10 oz) corn tortillas
  • 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
  • White onion, finely chopped (for topping)
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)
  • Limes, cut into wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chilies: Place the dried chilies in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let them soak for 30 minutes until soft. Drain the water, reserving about 1 cup of the soaking liquid.
  2. Make the adobo paste: In a blender, combine the softened chilies, soaked chili liquid, quartered onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt, and vinegar. Blend until you have a smooth, thick paste. Add a little water if needed to help it blend.
  3. Cook the beef: Place the beef chunks in a large Dutch oven or slow cooker. Pour the adobo paste over the beef and toss to coat thoroughly. Add 6 cups of water or broth. The liquid should mostly cover the meat.
  4. Simmer: Bring the liquid to a boil on the stovetop, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is completely tender and easily shreds with a fork. (If using a pressure cooker, cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then allow natural pressure release for 15 minutes).
  5. Shred the beef: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid, reserving the liquid—this is your consommé. Keep the shredded beef warm.
  6. Strain the consommé: Pour the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot to remove solids. Taste the consommé and adjust salt if necessary. Keep it warm for dipping.
  7. Assemble the tacos: Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla briefly into the surface layer of the consommé (the fat/tallow layer) to coat both sides lightly. This gives the taco its red color and crispness.
  8. Cook the tacos: Place the dipped tortilla on the hot skillet. Top one half with shredded beef and a sprinkle of cheese. Fold the tortilla in half. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until the tortilla is slightly crispy and the cheese is melted.
  9. Serve: Serve the quesabirria tacos immediately with finely chopped white onion, cilantro, and lime wedges on the side. Place a small bowl of the hot consommé next to each plate for dipping.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, let the cooked birria meat rest overnight in the refrigerator with the consommé. The fat will solidify on top, making it easy to skim off for dipping the tortillas.
  • If you prefer a smoother consommé, you can blend a portion of the cooked meat back into the strained broth before serving.
  • Use high-quality dried chilies; they make a big difference in the final flavor profile of the adobo.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/authentic-beef-birria-tacos-recipe/