Brisket Birria Tacos Recipe
Tender Beef, Consommé, Cilantro, Onions.
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Ingredients
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Birria & Consommé
Tacos & Garnish
Method
Birria & Consommé
- 1
Prepare chilies
Toast guajillo, ancho and pasilla chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Remove stems and seeds, then place chilies in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of very hot water. Let soak 20 minutes until softened; reserve soaking liquid.
- 2
Char vegetables
On a hot skillet or under broiler, char the halved tomatoes, quartered onion and garlic cloves until blackened in spots (about 6–8 minutes), turning as needed. Peel the garlic if skins loosen; keep tomatoes and onion charred.
- 3
Make chile puree
In a blender, combine softened chilies (drain but reserve some soaking liquid), charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, thyme, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid to help blend. Purée until smooth. If too thick, add more soaking liquid a tablespoon at a time to reach a pourable consistency.
- 4
Brown brisket
Pat brisket chunks dry and season lightly with remaining salt and pepper. In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown brisket pieces on all sides in batches until a deep brown crust forms, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
- 5
Simmer birria
Reduce heat to medium, pour the chile purée into the pot and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring to bloom the spices. Add beef broth, browned brisket, bay leaves and any reserved chile soaking liquid (about 1/2 cup) to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2.5–3 hours until beef is fork-tender and shreddable. Alternatively, braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours.
- 6
Finish consommé & shred beef
When beef is tender, remove brisket and shred with two forks, discarding any excess fat. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or fat separator to produce a clear consommé; skim fat if desired. Taste consommé and adjust salt. Reserve 2 cups consommé warm for serving/dipping; keep remaining consommé for storing or to moisten tacos.
Tacos & Assembly
- 7
Prepare tortillas
Warm corn tortillas on a dry skillet for 15–20 seconds per side until pliable. Stack and keep covered with a kitchen towel to stay warm.
- 8
Assemble birria tacos
Dip one tortilla briefly into the warm consommé (about 1–2 seconds) to lightly coat. Place the dipped tortilla on a work surface, sprinkle about 1–2 tablespoons of shredded cheese across half the tortilla, top with about 3 ounces (shredded) brisket, fold in half and press gently.
- 9
Pan-fry tacos
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1–2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard. Fry assembled tacos seam-side down for 1–2 minutes until crisp and golden, then flip and cook another 1–2 minutes until cheese melts and both sides are crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding more oil as needed.
- 10
Serve
Serve tacos hot with chopped cilantro, diced onion and lime wedges. Pour consommé into small bowls for dipping. Optionally spoon a bit of consommé over tacos or into each taco before serving for extra juiciness.