Birria Tacos (Quesabirria with Consomé)
Birria is the slow-braised beef stew from Jalisco that became a global obsession for one reason: the consomé. The same deep-red broth the beef simmers in for hours — built from toasted guajillo and ancho chiles, toasted spices, and a splash of vinegar — is strained, skimmed, and served alongside as a dipping sauce so every bite of the crisp, cheese-crusted tacos gets dragged through pure braised-beef flavor. The real secret is the chile fat. As the birria braises, a slick of brick-red fat rises to the top; you skim it off and use it to fry the tortillas, which is what gives quesabirria their signature burnished, lacquered crust. It's a project — plan for the better part of an afternoon — but almost all of it is hands-off oven time, and the payoff is the most dunkable taco on earth.
Dinner · Mexican, High-protein, Comfort Food • 4 hr 15 min
Ingredients
- For the chile adobo:
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (use 1 or omit for mild heat)
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 cups hot beef broth or water
- For the beef:
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 1½ pounds beef short ribs or oxtail, bone-in
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (vegetable or avocado), divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 to 6 cups beef broth, as needed
- For the tacos and serving:
- 16 corn tortillas
- 8 ounces Oaxaca cheese or low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
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Steps
- Toast the chiles: In a large dry skillet over medium heat, toast the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles, pressing them flat with a spatula, until fragrant and slightly darkened with a few blistered spots, 30 to 60 seconds per side. Do not let them burn or they turn bitter. Transfer to a bowl, cover with very hot water, and soak until softened, about 20 minutes.
- Toast the spices: In the same dry skillet, toast the peppercorns, cumin seeds, and cloves over medium heat, shaking the pan, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
- Make the adobo: Drain the soaked chiles and add them to the blender along with the oregano, cinnamon, ginger, garlic, onion, vinegar, salt, and the 2 cups hot broth. Blend on high until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed; add a splash more broth if the mixture is too thick to blend. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract every drop; discard the remaining pulp.
- Sear the beef: Pat the chuck and short ribs dry and season generously all over with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Working in batches so the pot isn't crowded, sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side, adding the remaining oil as needed. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
- Braise: Return all the beef to the pot and pour the strained chile adobo over it. Add the bay leaves and enough beef broth to just barely cover the meat (about 4 to 6 cups). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then cover and transfer to a 300°F oven. Braise until the meat is fall-apart tender and shreds easily with a fork, 3 to 3½ hours, turning the meat once halfway through.
- Shred the beef: Remove the pot from the oven. Transfer the beef to a large bowl or baking sheet, discard the bones and bay leaves, and shred the meat with two forks, removing any large pieces of fat. Skim the red-tinted fat from the top of the cooking liquid into a small bowl and set it aside — you'll use it to fry the tortillas. Strain the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot; this is your consomé. Taste and season the consomé with salt until it's deeply savory. Return the shredded beef to the consomé to keep it warm and moist, or keep the two separate if making ahead.
- Fry the tacos: Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. For each taco, dip a corn tortilla into the reserved chile fat to coat both sides, then lay it in the skillet. Sprinkle a small handful of cheese over half the tortilla, top with a generous spoonful of shredded birria, then fold the tortilla over into a half-moon. Fry until the underside is crisp and lacy and the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, adding more chile fat to the pan as needed.
- Serve: Ladle the warm consomé into small bowls. Arrange the tacos on a platter and top with the diced onion and cilantro, finishing with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately with the consomé for dipping and lime wedges on the side.
Tips & Variations
Make Ahead
Birria is a make-ahead dream — the braise can be done up to 2 days ahead and the flavor only deepens. Shred the beef and store it submerged in the strained consomé in the refrigerator; reheat gently on the stovetop before serving. Keep the reserved chile fat separate in a small jar. The tacos themselves are best fried just before serving so the tortillas stay crisp, but you can shred the beef, dice the onion, and chop the cilantro a day ahead so assembly takes minutes.
Storage
Refrigerate the shredded beef and consomé together in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (freeze the beef and consomé separately if you want to control portions). Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. Leftover consomé makes an incredible base for ramen, pozole, or a quick tortilla soup. Reheat any leftover tacos in a dry skillet or air fryer to re-crisp the tortillas.
Substitutions
Beef chuck and bone-in short ribs give the classic rich, gelatinous broth, but all chuck works too, and oxtail or lamb shanks are traditional in Jalisco-style birria (birria de chivo uses goat). The chile backbone is guajillo and ancho — pasilla can stand in for ancho, and chiles de árbol add the heat; drop them for a fully mild version or add an extra one if you like it fiery. Oaxaca cheese is the gold standard for that stretchy pull, but low-moisture mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or queso quesadilla all melt beautifully. For a dairy-free version, skip the cheese and serve plain birria tacos, or use a vegan mozzarella-style shred. Short on time? Make the braise in a pressure cooker: after searing, pressure-cook on high for 50 to 60 minutes with a natural release instead of the oven braise.
Reviews
Reviews coming soon! In the meantime, let us know what you think of this recipe.
