Birria Tacos Recipe
Three beef tacos birria style toasted with our consome broth, fresh cilantro, onion and hot sauce.
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Ingredients
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Birria & Consomé
Tacos & Assembly
Method
Birria & Consomé
- 1
- 2
Sear beef
Pat beef chunks dry and season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until well browned. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
- 3
Make chile sauce
In the same pan briefly sauté quartered onion and roma tomatoes until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Transfer charred onion, tomatoes, soaked chilies, garlic, chipotle in adobo, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano and ground cumin to a blender. Add 1 cup of the beef broth and blend until smooth. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove skins and seeds, pressing to extract as much sauce as possible.
- 4
Braise beef
Return the seared beef to the pot. Pour the strained chili sauce over beef. Add remaining beef broth (about 5 cups), bay leaves, and remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 2.5–3 hours, or until beef is fork-tender. Alternatively, braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time.
- 5
Finish consomé
Once beef is tender, remove beef pieces to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Skim excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Reserve 2 cups of the braising liquid as warm consomé for dipping. Shred the beef finely with two forks and mix with 1/2 cup of the strained sauce from the pot to keep it moist.
Tacos & Assembly
- 6
Warm tortillas
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Keep tortillas warm wrapped in a towel or warmed on the skillet for about 30 seconds per side until pliable.
- 7
Assemble tacos
Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil or lard in a skillet over medium. Dip a tortilla quickly into the reserved consomé (about 1–2 seconds) or brush lightly with the consomé, then place it on the skillet. Sprinkle a thin layer (about 2 tablespoons) of shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla, top with about 1/4 cup shredded birria beef, and fold the tortilla over to form a half-moon.
- 8
Toast tacos
Cook each folded taco 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is crisp and golden and the cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more oil as needed to prevent sticking.
- 9
Serve
Arrange three tacos per serving on a plate. Garnish with chopped cilantro and diced white onion. Serve immediately with warm consomé in small bowls for dipping, lime wedges, and hot sauce on the side. Optional: spoon a little of the braising fat or sauce over the tacos for extra richness.