Beef Birria Tacos with Consommé

Name: Beef Birria Tacos with Consommé
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 4 h 22 min
Total time: 5 h 17 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3½ lb (1590 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of thick surface fat, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks; 4 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, divided: 1 tbsp (3 tsp) for the beef and 1 tsp for the sauce, plus more to taste at the end (Diamond Crystal; use about 25% less if using Morton); 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 5 tbsp (75 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola, 2 tbsp for searing, plus up to 3 tbsp to top up the red fat for the tacos; 6 whole (40 g) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, slit open, and seeded; 3 whole (35 g) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, slit open, and seeded; 2 whole (2 g) dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (seeds left in for heat) (optional); 2 medium (250 g) Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise; 1 medium (200 g) white onion, peeled and quartered; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled, left whole; 2 cups (475 ml) boiling water, just boiled, for soaking the chiles; 3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (2 g) dried Mexican oregano, crumbled; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cloves; 3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium beef broth; 3 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves; 1 stick (4 g) Mexican cinnamon (canela) stick, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long; 16 whole (450 g) corn tortillas, 6-inch (15 cm), fresh and pliable; 1 lb (450 g) Oaxaca cheese, pulled into thin strands or coarsely shredded; ⅓ cup (80 ml) red fat skimmed from the braising liquid, skimmed from the surface in step 8; a trimmed roast gives only about 3–4 tbsp, so top up to ⅓ cup with the neutral oil; ½ cup (80 g) white onion, finely chopped; ½ cup (20 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 3 whole (200 g) limes, 2 cut into wedges, 1 reserved for juicing into the consommé just before serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chuck roast is braised until fall-apart tender in a smoky guajillo and ancho chile sauce, then stuffed with melty Oaxaca cheese into corn tortillas brushed with the red braising fat and crisped on a griddle. Serve with a cup of the rich braising liquid for dunking.

Prep: 55 min
Cook: 4 hr 22 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 5 hr 27 min
Makes: 16 tacos (8 servings of 2 tacos) plus about 4 cups (950 ml) of consommé

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the beef
3½ lb (1590 g) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed of thick surface fat, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks
4 tsp (12 g) kosher salt, divided: 1 tbsp (3 tsp) for the beef and 1 tsp for the sauce, plus more to taste at the end (Diamond Crystal; use about 25% less if using Morton)
1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, freshly ground
5 tbsp (75 ml) neutral oil such as avocado or canola, 2 tbsp for searing, plus up to 3 tbsp to top up the red fat for the tacos
For the chile sauce
6 whole (40 g) dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, slit open, and seeded
3 whole (35 g) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, slit open, and seeded
2 whole (2 g) dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (seeds left in for heat) (optional)
2 medium (250 g) Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1 medium (200 g) white onion, peeled and quartered
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
2 cups (475 ml) boiling water, just boiled, for soaking the chiles
3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (2 g) dried Mexican oregano, crumbled
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
For the braise
3 cups (710 ml) low-sodium beef broth
3 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves
1 stick (4 g) Mexican cinnamon (canela) stick, about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long
For the tacos
16 whole (450 g) corn tortillas, 6-inch (15 cm), fresh and pliable
1 lb (450 g) Oaxaca cheese, pulled into thin strands or coarsely shredded
⅓ cup (80 ml) red fat skimmed from the braising liquid, skimmed from the surface in step 8; a trimmed roast gives only about 3–4 tbsp, so top up to ⅓ cup with the neutral oil
For serving
½ cup (80 g) white onion, finely chopped
½ cup (20 g) fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
3 whole (200 g) limes, 2 cut into wedges, 1 reserved for juicing into the consommé just before serving

Equipment (8)

6-quart (5.7 L) or larger lidded Dutch oven
10- to 12-inch (25–30 cm) dry skillet, preferably cast iron, for toasting chiles
Large griddle, cast-iron skillet, or nonstick pan (12-inch / 30 cm) for the tacos
Blender
Fine-mesh sieve
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs, two forks, and a pastry brush
Heatproof bowl and fat separator or large spoon for skimming

Steps

Before you start

Plan on about 5½ hours from start to finish. Roughly 3 hours of that is hands-off oven time, and griddling the 16 tacos takes 30–40 minutes at the end.
Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) or larger Dutch oven with a tight lid. You will preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) partway through, during the blending step, so don't turn it on yet.
Buy Oaxaca cheese in a ball or braid and pull it into thin strands by hand. If you can't find it, use low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella.
Wear gloves or wash your hands well after seeding chiles, and open a window or run the vent when toasting them.

1
Season the beef
- Trim thick surface fat from the chuck and cut it into 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunks.
- Pat the chunks very dry with paper towels.
- Sprinkle all over with 1 tbsp (3 tsp) of the kosher salt and the black pepper.
- Leave on a plate at room temperature while you prepare the chiles.
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Ready when: Surface of the meat looks dry and evenly speckled with salt and pepper.
Tip: Dry meat sears and browns; wet meat steams and turns gray.
2
Toast chiles and vegetables
- Heat a dry 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Toast the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles (if using) in a single layer, pressing flat with tongs, for 20–30 seconds per side.
- Move them to a heatproof bowl.
- In the same skillet, place the tomatoes cut-side down with the onion quarters and garlic.
- Cook, turning occasionally, for 8–10 minutes.
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Ready when: Chiles smell fragrant and darken slightly; tomatoes, onion, and garlic are blistered with charred spots and softened.
Tip: If a chile turns black or smells acrid, discard it. Burnt chiles make the whole sauce bitter.
3
Soak the chiles
- Pour the 2 cups (475 ml) boiling water over the toasted chiles.
- Weigh them down with a small plate so they stay submerged.
- Leave them to soak while you sear the beef in the next step (about 20 minutes in total).
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Ready when: Chiles are completely soft and pliable, with no stiff spots, by the time searing is finished.
Tip: Soaking happens during the sear, so its time is counted in the next step.
4
Sear the beef
- Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Sear the beef in 2–3 batches, without crowding, for 3–4 minutes per side.
- Transfer each batch to a plate, adding more of the 2 tbsp searing oil as needed.
- Turn the heat off when done and leave the browned bits in the pot.
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Ready when: Each side of the meat is deeply browned and releases easily from the pot.
Tip: If the browned bits start to smell burnt, lower the heat to medium.
5
Blend the sauceOven 325°F / 165°C
- Place a rack in the lower-middle of the oven and preheat to 325°F (163°C).
- Using tongs, move the soaked chiles into a blender, then add ½ cup (120 ml) of the soaking liquid, the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, cloves, and 1 tsp of the kosher salt.
- Blend on high for 1–2 minutes.
- Pour the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spatula.
- Discard the solids and the remaining soaking water.
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Ready when: Sauce is completely smooth, brick red, and pourable like thin tomato sauce (about 3 cups / 710 ml).
Tip: Hold the blender lid down with a towel; hot liquids can push the lid up.
6
Assemble the braise
- Return the beef and any juices on the plate to the Dutch oven.
- Pour in the strained chile sauce and the beef broth (about 6 cups / 1.4 L liquid total), and tuck in the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Stir gently.
- The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, about 5 minutes, then cover with the lid.
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Ready when: Small bubbles break at the edges of the pot.
Tip: Make sure the oven has reached 325°F (163°C) before you put the pot in.
7
Braise in the ovenOven 325°F / 165°C
- Transfer the covered pot to the 325°F (163°C) oven.
- Braise for 3 to 3½ hours, turning the meat once after 90 minutes.
- Check at 3 hours: a fork should slide in with almost no resistance and the meat should begin to fall apart.
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Ready when: Fork-tender beef that shreds easily; an instant-read thermometer reads about 200–205°F (93–96°C) in the thickest piece.
Tip: If the meat is still firm, return it to the oven for another 20–30 minutes and test again.
8
Shred, skim, and season
- Remove the pot from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Move the beef to a large bowl.
- Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Skim the red fat from the surface into a heatproof bowl; you will get only about 3–4 tbsp, so top up with neutral oil to reach ⅓ cup (80 ml) when you need it for the tacos.
- Shred the beef with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat (you should have about 1½ lb / 700 g).
- Moisten with ¾ cup (180 ml) of the braising liquid.
- About 4 cups (950 ml) of liquid remain as consommé.
- Taste it and stir in salt, a pinch at a time, until savory and well seasoned (the sauce has only 1 tsp of salt, so it usually needs more).
- Keep warm over low heat.
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Ready when: Beef is shredded and glistening; consommé tastes rich and savory, not flat.
Tip: The pot and its handles are very hot. Use oven mitts. Add the lime juice only at serving, since it dulls in storage.
9
Griddle the tacos
- Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat.
- Brush both sides of a tortilla with the red fat and lay it on the griddle for 20–30 seconds, just until soft and pliable but not crisp.
- Right away, scatter about 1 oz (25 g) Oaxaca cheese over one half and top with about 2½ tbsp (40 g) shredded beef.
- Fold the tortilla over while it is still pliable and press gently.
- Cook 1½–2 minutes per side.
- Repeat, cooking 3–4 at a time.
- Expect 30–40 minutes for all 16 tacos.
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Ready when: Tortillas are crisp and deep red-golden, and the cheese is fully melted and stretchy.
Tip: If tortillas crack when folding, warm them a little longer or wrap the stack in a damp towel first.
10
Garnish and serve
- Squeeze 1 lime into the hot consommé and taste again for salt.
- Ladle into small cups or bowls.
- Serve the tacos immediately with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.
- Dip each taco into the consommé with every bite.
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Ready when: Consommé is steaming hot and tacos are crisp.
Tip: Serve tacos straight from the griddle in batches; they lose crispness within a few minutes.

Good to know

Tips

Strain the sauce thoroughly. Chile skins stay gritty after blending and will make the consommé cloudy and rough.
Skim the fat while the liquid is hot. The red fat gives the tacos their color and flavor, so keep it, and top it up with oil if you skim less than ⅓ cup.
Don't skip drying the beef or searing in batches. Browning builds deep flavor in the consommé.
Season the consommé at the end and taste it again after adding lime. If it is too concentrated, thin it with a splash of hot beef broth or water.

Make ahead

The braise tastes better after a day. Cook through step 8 (without adding lime juice), cool, and refrigerate the shredded beef in a little of its liquid, with the consommé and fat in separate containers, for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove, add the lime juice to the consommé, then griddle the tacos just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store shredded beef, consommé, and fat in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze beef in some consommé for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat beef and consommé on the stove over medium-low heat until steaming. Cooked tacos are best fresh, but leftovers (up to 3 days) can be re-crisped in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes per side.

Substitutions

boneless beef chuck roast → bone-in beef short ribs or beef shank (about 4 lb / 1.8 kg). Bone-in cuts add body to the consommé. Remove the bones before shredding.
Oaxaca cheese → low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella or Monterey Jack. Both melt well; Oaxaca has a milder, slightly tangy flavor.
apple cider vinegar → white vinegar. Use the same amount for a slightly sharper tang.
Mexican cinnamon (canela) stick → regular cinnamon stick (cassia). Use a 2-inch (5 cm) piece, as cassia is stronger than canela.