Seis Kitchen Recipe
Celebrated for its regionally-inspired Mexican cuisine, the restaurant is well-known for its authentic and delicious birria tacos.
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Ingredients
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Birria (stew) - meat and broth
Taco assembly and garnish
Method
Birria (stew) - meat and broth
- 1
Toast chiles
Heat a large dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- 2
Prepare chiles
Once cool, open each chile and shake out seeds. Tear into pieces and place in a bowl. Pour enough hot (not boiling) water to cover and soak for 20 minutes until softened. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid.
- 3
- 4
Make chile puree
In a blender, combine the soaked chiles (drain but reserve 1 cup soaking liquid), charred tomato, charred onion (reserve a small amount of raw onion if you want a brighter finish), garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid. Blend to a smooth, thick purée, adding up to the remaining soaking liquid as needed to achieve a sauce that will coat the meat (about 3/4–1 cup total).
- 5
Sear meat
Pat the beef chunks dry and season with remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- 6
Combine and simmer
Lower heat to medium. Add the chile purée to the pot and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring, to bloom the spices. Add the seared beef back to the pot, pour in 4 cups beef broth, add bay leaves, and bring to a gentle simmer. Scrape up browned bits from the bottom. Cover partially and simmer gently for 2.5–3 hours, or until meat is very tender and shreds easily. Alternatively, cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time.
- 7
Finish and shred
When meat is tender, remove beef and shred with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat and the bay leaves. Skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid if desired. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with more salt or a splash of vinegar if needed. Reserve 1–2 cups of the braising liquid (consommé) for dipping when assembling tacos.
Taco assembly and garnish
- 8
Prepare tortillas
Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush tortillas on both sides with a little cooking oil. For quesabirria, sprinkle a thin layer (about 2–3 tbs) of shredded cheese onto one half of each tortilla when heating; allow cheese to melt for about 30–45 seconds.
- 9
Assemble tacos
Spoon a generous amount (about 1/3 cup) of shredded birria meat onto each tortilla (or on top of the melted cheese if making quesabirria). Fold the tortilla in half and press gently in the pan for 30–45 seconds until the tortilla is crisped and any cheese is melted and bonds to the tortilla. Flip and crisp the other side for 20–30 seconds. Repeat for remaining tortillas.
- 10
Serve and garnish
Serve tacos hot with small bowls of warm consommé for dipping. Top tacos with chopped white onion and cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Offer extra consommé for dunking and additional salsa if desired.
- 11
Storage and reheating
Store leftover shredded meat and broth separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of consommé to loosen the meat. Re-crisp tacos in a skillet before serving.