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Authentic Birria Tacos with Consommé

Close-up of golden-brown Birria tacos filled with shredded meat and cheese, served with a side of rich consommé.
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Learn to make cheesy, crispy quesabirria tacos with a rich, flavorful consommé. This recipe uses beef chuck and short ribs, dried chiles for the adobo, and provides options for slow cooking or pressure cooking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 lb beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 8 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 4 ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 1 chile de árbol, stem and seeds removed (optional, for heat)
  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 8 cups beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Corn tortillas
  • Beef tallow or vegetable oil, for frying
  • Shredded Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese
  • Chopped white onion, for serving
  • Chopped cilantro, for serving
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Rehydrate chiles: Place dried chiles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 15-20 minutes until softened.
  2. Make adobo sauce: Drain chiles and place them in a blender with the quartered onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Blend until smooth.
  3. Sear beef: Season beef chuck and short ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or pressure cooker, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove beef and set aside.
  4. Cook birria: Add the adobo sauce to the Dutch oven and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring. Return the beef to the pot. Add beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer.
  5. Slow Cooker Method: Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until beef is very tender.
  6. Pressure Cooker Method: Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 60-75 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
  7. Shred beef: Remove beef from the pot and shred using two forks. Skim fat from the cooking liquid (consommé) and reserve some of the fat for frying tortillas. Return shredded beef to the consommé.
  8. Prepare consommé: Strain the consommé through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
  9. Assemble tacos: Dip corn tortillas in the reserved beef fat or oil. Place a tortilla in a hot skillet or on a griddle. Fill one half with shredded birria and cheese. Fold the tortilla in half.
  10. Fry tacos: Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.
  11. Serve: Serve tacos immediately with bowls of warm consommé for dipping. Garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

  • For a richer consommé, use beef short ribs with more marbling.
  • Adjust the amount of chile de árbol to control the spice level.
  • You can prepare the birria ahead of time and shred the meat just before assembling the tacos.
  • To achieve the perfect cheese pull, use a good melting cheese like Oaxaca or Monterey Jack.
  • Consider this a weekend cooking project for authentic Mexican street food vibes.
  • For those mindful of calories, enjoy in moderation; a typical serving might be 2-3 tacos.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://www.unfoldrecipes.com/birria-tacos-recipe/