Beef Birria Tacos with Consommé

Name: Beef Birria Tacos with Consommé
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 210 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp neutral oil (for searing); 4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed; 2 dried chiles de árbol (optional, for heat); 1 roma tomato, halved; 1/4 white onion; 4 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches); 3 whole cloves; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium beef broth; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste); 12-16 small corn tortillas; 2 cups (200 g) Oaxaca cheese, shredded (mozzarella or Monterey Jack work); 1/4 cup (40 g) white onion, finely diced; 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 lime, cut into wedges

Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 210 min Servings: 6 Medium

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Alex Chen

Ingredients

Beef

3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp neutral oil (for searing)

Chili Paste (Adobo)

4 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 dried chiles de árbol (optional, for heat)
1 roma tomato, halved
1/4 white onion
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches)
3 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Braise

6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium beef broth
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)

Tacos

12-16 small corn tortillas
2 cups (200 g) Oaxaca cheese, shredded (mozzarella or Monterey Jack work)
1/4 cup (40 g) white onion, finely diced
1/4 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and chiles de árbol in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30-60 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable — do not let them char or they turn bitter. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 15 minutes until soft.

Dried guajillo and ancho chiles toasting in a dry cast iron skillet

Drain the soaked chiles (reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid). Blend chiles with tomato, onion, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, oregano, paprika, vinegar, and the reserved soaking liquid until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky adobo paste.

Blending rehydrated chiles with aromatics into a smooth red adobo paste

Pat the beef chunks dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Don't crowd the pan — browning equals flavor.

Beef chuck chunks searing in a Dutch oven until deeply browned

Return all beef to the pot. Pour in the chili paste, beef broth, vinegar, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Braise for 3 hours, until the beef shreds effortlessly with a fork.

Braising beef in red chili broth in a covered Dutch oven

Remove the beef to a bowl and shred with two forks. Strain the braising liquid: the broth below is your consommé, and the bright red oil you skim off the top is the magic frying oil — save both. Taste the consommé and add salt or vinegar until it sings.

Shredded beef and a bowl of red chili oil skimmed from the braising liquid

Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium-high. Dip each tortilla briefly in the reserved chili oil, then lay it on the griddle. Top with cheese, a generous spoonful of shredded beef, onion, and cilantro. Fold in half and griddle 1-2 minutes per side until the cheese is molten and the tortilla is crispy and lacquered red.

Quesabirria tacos griddled crispy and red with melted oozing cheese

Serve the tacos immediately with small bowls of hot consommé for dipping, plus lime wedges and extra diced onion and cilantro. Dip. Bite. Repeat.

Beef birria tacos served with bowls of red consommé for dipping

Personal Tips

Toast the chiles — never skip this. Thirty seconds per side in a dry skillet wakes up the oils and deepens the flavor. Burn them and the whole pot turns bitter; toast them right and you get the smoky, fruity backbone that defines birria.
Strain the adobo paste. Dried chile skins never fully break down, even in a high-speed blender. Pushing the paste through a fine-mesh sieve removes the grit and gives you that restaurant-silky consommé. It's five extra minutes that upgrades the whole dish.
Skim the red oil — it's the secret to crispy quesabirria. After braising, bright red chili oil floats on top of the broth. That oil, brushed on the tortilla before griddling, is what creates the signature red, crispy, lacquered taco shell. Don't toss it.
Braise a day ahead. Birria is one of those rare dishes that's noticeably better the next day. The flavors meld, and chilling overnight lets the fat solidify on top so you can lift it off cleanly. Reheat gently, then assemble tacos to order.
Shred while warm. Cold beef seizes and turns stringy. Pull the meat apart with two forks while it's still warm from the braise — it shreds in under a minute. If it cooled, splash with hot consommé to loosen it back up.

Nutrition (per serving)

520 kcal

Calories

38g

Protein

32g

Carbs

28g

Fat

Fiber

Nutrition (per serving): 3 tacos with consommé | USDA FoodData Central, calculated estimates

Frequently Asked Questions

What are birria tacos?

Birria tacos are a Mexican dish made with meat (traditionally goat, but most often beef chuck today) slow-braised in a rich chili-and-spice broth until fall-apart tender. The shredded meat is folded into chili-oil-dipped tortillas with cheese and griddled crispy, then served with the strained broth (consommé) for dipping. The cheese-stuffed version is called quesabirria.

Are birria tacos spicy?

Mildly. Guajillo and ancho chiles are smoky and fruity with very little heat. The 2 optional chiles de árbol add a gentle kick — leave them out for a kid-friendly version, or double them if you want a real burn. You can always stir a pinch of cayenne into the consommé at the end.

What is the best beef cut for birria?

Beef chuck roast is the best everyday choice — it's well-marbled, affordable, and becomes fork-tender after 3 hours of braising. For a richer braise, mix in 1 lb of beef short rib or oxtail. Brisket also works but needs closer to 4 hours.

Can I make birria in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes. Slow cooker: sear the beef first, then cook on LOW for 8 hours. Instant Pot: 70 minutes on high pressure with a 15-minute natural release. The stovetop-oven braise gives the deepest flavor because of the longer, gentler reduction, but all three methods produce excellent tacos.

What do I serve with birria tacos?

The consommé is the essential side — it's the dipping sauce that makes birria birria. Beyond that, serve with Mexican rice, refried beans, a bright cabbage slaw, or simply extra lime wedges and chopped onion and cilantro so guests can customize each taco.

Dietary Restrictions

Allergens

Dairy (cheese)

Not Suitable For

Vegans
Vegetarians

Modifications

Use dairy-free cheese or skip the cheese entirely for a dairy-free version. For a gluten-free recipe, this is already naturally gluten-free — just verify your corn tortillas are 100% corn. A vegan adaptation is difficult because the beef is central; consider a mushroom-and-jackfruit braise in the same chili broth.

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