Description
Delicious and authentic Birria Tacos with Consomé, featuring tender slow-cooked beef in a rich, flavorful chili broth, served with warm corn tortillas and fresh garnishes. Perfect for taco lovers wanting a hearty and satisfying meal with a side of savory dipping consomé.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Broth
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast (or beef short ribs)
- 4 cups beef broth (or water)
- 2 bay leaves
Chili Sauce and Seasonings
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 dried pasilla chile, stems and seeds removed (optional, for added depth)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Toppings and Serving
- 10-12 corn tortillas
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- Lime wedges (for serving)
- 1-2 cups shredded cheese (optional, for quesabirria tacos)
- 2 cups of the birria cooking liquid (strained)
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chiles: Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Then soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 15-20 minutes until softened.
- Make the Chili Sauce: In a blender, combine the soaked chiles (discard soaking water), garlic cloves, quartered onion, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, and a cup of beef broth. Blend until smooth to form a rich chili sauce.
- Prepare the Meat and Broth: Cut the beef chuck roast into large chunks. In a large pot, place the beef, chili sauce, remaining beef broth or water, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Slow Cook the Birria: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for about 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily shredded with a fork.
- Strain the Consomé: Remove the meat from the pot and shred it finely. Strain the cooking liquid (consomé) through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids; keep warm for dipping.
- Assemble the Tacos: Heat corn tortillas on a skillet until pliable. Dip tortillas lightly into the warm consomé, then place a generous amount of shredded meat on each. Add chopped onions, cilantro, and cheese if using.
- Cook the Tacos: Fold the tortillas over the fillings and cook in a hot skillet or griddle until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese melts if added, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Serve: Serve the crispy birria tacos hot with lime wedges and bowls of warm consomé for dipping.
Notes
- Use bone-in short ribs instead of chuck roast for extra flavor and richer broth.
- The optional pasilla chile adds depth but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Adjust the number of chiles for more or less heat according to your preference.
- Consomé can be kept warm throughout serving for the classic dipping experience.
- For a gluten-free meal, use corn tortillas and verify the broth ingredients.
