These birria tacos are EVERYTHING!! They start with two corn tortillas dipped in consomé, then stuffed with cheese, and fried (Quesadilla!!). Next comes succulent, flavorful beef topped with onions, cilantro, and fresh lime juice. Served with a side of consomé for dipping.
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Let me introduce you to the holy grail of tacos 🙌
I hope you caught my recipe for beef birria (Mexican stew), because it’s the BEST (in my opinion anyhow). In case you didn’t, let me begin by telling you a little bit about it.
Birria is a Mexican stew originating from the state of Jalisco. Traditionally it was made with goat, however, this recipe calls for beef as it is more accessible. Alternately it can be made with chicken, veal, lamb, or pork.
The incredible depth of flavor and richness of this dish is the result of the plethora of spices and aromatics that were originally incorporated in an attempt to mask the gaminess of the goat meat.
Since it is slow-cooked at a low temperature the beef is super tender and infused with flavor. The broth is hearty, uber flavorful, and contains just the right amount of fat. The flavors of this dish are so complex and enticing.
That all sounds absolutely wonderful, right???
Now let’s take that one step further. Imagine this…..
Two corn tortillas dipped in the rich and fatty birria broth (consomé), filled with cheese, and fried. You may be conjuring up images of quesadillas at this point; if you are you’re on the right track. Let’s keep going.
Imagine filling the quesadilla shell with the juicy beef pulled directly out of the birria consomé 🤤 and then topping it off with cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice.
Sounds like heaven, right?!? And it is! BUT we’re not finished yet, so I hope your imaginative juices are still flowing.
Next we are going to take that mouthwateringly delicious taco and dip it in the consomé. *drip, drip, drip*
Ok, I’m done teasing you now. Go on and make them for yourself. Your mind is about to be blown!! For realz!!!!
Seriously, two out of my four kids said these babies are the BEST tacos they have ever had. And my two-year-old, who can’t really speak much yet, chowed his down in no time, so I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say he enjoyed them as well. Definitely warmed this mama’s heart 💗.
So what do you need to make these tacos? (+ substitutions)
- Beef chuck roast: You may also make this dish with chicken, veal, goat, lamb, or pork. Aside from beef, I have only tried pork thus far. If you opt to sub pork, I recommend a pork butt roast. The recipe calls for three pounds, however, it does not need to be exact. I’ve used the same ratio of ingredients for a 3 1/3 pound roast.
- Salt and pepper
- Chile de árbols and guajillo chile peppers: My local supermarket carries both varieties, but if yours does not they are also available at Mexican markets or online.
- Garlic
- White onion: For the birria and to top the tacos.
- Water
- Spices: Paprika, cumin, oregano, ground clove, bay leaves, and a cinnamon stick.
- Soft corn tortillas: White or yellow.
- Queso quesadilla cheese: Could sub for Monterey jack or really any other melty cheese.
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Optional toppings: Guacamole, salsa, sour cream, etc.
How do you make beef birria tacos w/ consomé? (+ tips)
Birria is actually very simple to make. It requires little prep, but does need to cook for a significant amount of time. However, since it’s kept at a simmer, it requires little monitoring.
The first step is to sprinkle the meat liberally with salt and pepper. Make sure you cover both sides, then rub it in and set it aside.
Next you will need to remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and place them in a pot along with the onion and garlic. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 15 minutes.
Transfer one cup of the cooking liquid, the chiles, onion, and garlic to a blender. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano, ground clove, salt, and black pepper and pulse until smooth.
Transfer one cup of the cooking liquid, the chiles, onion, and garlic to a blender. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano, ground clove, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until smooth.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for four to six hours. The longer the better as the meat will be much more tender and flavorful.
Remove the meat and shred it using to forks.
Then return it to the pot/dutch oven and simmer for an additional one to two hours.
Finally, to prepare the tacos, preheat a skillet to medium heat.
Dip a tortilla in the consomé (birria broth).
Shake off the excess liquid, transfer to a plate or cutting board, and sprinkle with cheese (approximately 1-2 tablespoons). Dip a second tortilla in consume, shake off excess liquid, and place atop the cheese.
Spray the skillet with non-stick cooking oil and fry the quesadilla for approximately 30 seconds or until slightly browned, then flip and fry an additional 30 seconds or until slightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas/cheese.
Fill each quesadilla/taco shell with approximately 1/4 cup of the beef from the birria. It works really well to use tongs and is advised to shake off some of the excess liquid. Top the tacos with onion, cilantro, and your choice of toppings. Serve with lime wedges and a side of consomé for dipping.
How to store
Refrigerate beef birria in an airtight container or up to four days.
Product Recommendations
If you make this beef birria tacos w/ consomé I’d love your feedback. Please leave a comment and/or a rating below as I greatly value your opinion. Or snap a pic and tag me on Instragram @taoofspiceblog. Love, light and happy cooking ya’ll ♥
Beef Birria Tacos w/ Consomé
These tacos are EVERYTHING!! They start consomé dipped cheese quesadilla shells, then succulent, flavorful beef topped with onions, cilantro, and fresh lime juice. Served with a side of consomé for dipping. Options for stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. Naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
Beef Birria
- 3 pound beef chuck roast (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons salt + more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper + more to taste
- 10 dried chile de árbol peppers, destemmed and deseeded (see notes)
- 6 dried guajillo chile peppers, destemmed and deseeded
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 large white onion, quartered
- Water
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon ground clove (see notes)
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
For the Tacos
- 48 corn tortillas, white or yellow
- 10 ounces Oaxaca cheese, queso quesadilla cheese or Monterey jack, shredded
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced white onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Beef Birria
- Liberally sprinkle beef chuck roast with salt and pepper, rub into roast, and set aside.
- Place the chile de árbols, guajillo chiles, garlic, and onions in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes.
- Remove from stove. Transfer one cup of the cooking liquid, the chiles, garlic, and onion to a blender. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano, clove, two teaspoons salt, and one teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth. *If you wish to remove any chunks from the sauce you can run it through a fine sieve.
- Cut the beef chuck roast into large pieces. Place in a dutch oven or stockpot, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. Add the sauce from step three and enough water to cover the beef by no more than one inch. Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- For stovetop: Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 4-6 hours; shred meat and return to stove to simmer for an additional 1-2 hours. For slow cooker: Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours; shred meat and return to pot. Go ahead and serve or allow to cook an additional 1-2 hours. For Instant Pot: Close the lid and pressure valve and pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release. Shred the meat and return to pot.
- Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
For the Tacos
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Lightly dip a tortilla in consomé (birria broth), shake off excess liquid, and place in the skillet. Sprinkle with cheese (approximately 1-2 tablespoons), then dip a second tortilla in consomé, shake off excess liquid, and place atop the cheese.
- Fry for approximately 30 seconds or until slightly browned, then flip and fry an additional 30 seconds or until slightly browned and cheese is melted. Repeat with remaining tortillas/cheese.
- Fill each shell with approximately 1/4 cup shredded beef and top with onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and side of consomé for dipping.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze for up to three months.
Notes
- You may sub the beef for chicken, veal, goat, lamb, or pork. I have personally only tried pork. If you opt to sub pork, I recommend a pork butt roast. Additionally, this recipe calls for three pounds of meat however, it does not need to be exact. I have used all the way up to a 3 1/3 pound roast.
- To cut some of the heat, I recommend either cutting down the chile de arbol or leaving them out completely and instead adding 2-3 extra guajilo chiles.
- For some people, the taste of clove can be overpowering. If you are not a big fan of clove, feel free to leave it out or add just a pinch.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 3 tacosAmount Per Serving: Calories: 1058Total Fat: 51gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 2gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 198mgSodium: 1233mgCarbohydrates: 88gFiber: 13gSugar: 9gProtein: 67g
The nutritional information provided is computer generated. It is only an estimate and intended for informational purposes only. Nutrition details may vary depending on various factors such as origin, freshness of ingredients, etc
I’m trying this recipe and I used the chile and onion water that was left over along with fresh water to cover the meat. Fingers crossed it isn’t bitter
I know a lot of people find it bitter, but I’ve never found that to be true for me. Hope it turns out <3
Update: it turned out great! Maybe because I used a beef and steak rub on my roast and it added the extra seasoning but my family loved it!
Yay, so happy to hear that! A little more seasoning never hurts in my opinion. Thanks for your feedback!
Are you to dispose of leftover peppers onion garlic water? What you don’t use for meat juice. Thank you!
You will blend the chiles, onion, etc with one cup of the cooking liquid then discard the rest. Add the meat to your pot, pour in the chile sauce, and then cover with fresh water. The water that you cook the chiles in can be bitter to some people, thus the fresh water for cooking the meat. Let me know if you have any further questions, Katie!
If I am using a Dutch oven, how long and at what temperature do I keep it in the oven?
That is the one way I have yet to try. I typically cook it on the stovetop in a dutch oven. I would try sticking it in an oven set to 250 degrees for at least four hours then shredding and sticking it in for another hour or two.
It was delicious! Made it today. Wish I had 3 stomachs! Thank you for the recipe!
Me too, me too. Thanks for trying the recipe. So glad to hear you like it!
Can you cook this in a regular big silver pot?
Absolutely!!
just making sure you do cover pot during the 4-6 simmer? thank you
just in a earlier comment, you DO cover thank you
So sorry the instructions aren’t clear about that, but I’m glad you found the answer quickly. Hope you love the tacos!
Does the consume come from the broth the meat was cooked in? That step is confusing. Thx
Sorry for the confusion! Yes, the consomé is the liquid the meat is cooked in (the broth). Let me know if you need any more clarification!
Two questions, when do you put the meat in? And after you take the cup of liquid, chilis, etc. and blend, do you put that back in and simmer with everything for the 4-6 hours? Thanks for your help, planning to make this tomorrow!
Hi Ashley,
After you’ve blended up the chiles, onion, etc. you will take that sauce and add it to a large dutch oven/pot along with the meat. Cover it with just enough water to completely submerge the meat, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 4-6 hours.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you need any more clarification.
~ Jessica
Perfect, thanks so much for the quick response!
You are very welcome.
Thanks for trying out the recipe! Hope you love it as much as I do <3
Is this recipe spicy?
Honestly, I don’t think I’m the best judge, because my tolerance for heat is pretty high. I wouldn’t consider it spicy, however, and all four of my children eat it frequently and not once have they complained about it being too spicy.
How would you do this in an instant pot?
I just used an instant pot for the first time last week. Unfortunately, I have not yet adapted this recipe for it. I do, however, plan to do so in the near future and will comment when I do.
Would this be able to be made in a crockpot? Looks delish!
Absolutely! Although I haven’t tried in a crockpot yet, many of my followers have commented that they cooked it in a crockpot. I would cook it on low for 6-8 hours, then shred the meat and return it for another hour or two.
I used the crockpot today and it came out very good and it was my 1st time
Fantastic!!! So happy to hear it came out well!
How much water did you use??? Or what is your ratio between meat/water/sauce?
Just enough water to cover the meat.
I made this recipe for my family and it was a smash HIT!!! I had a problem with the corn tortias. Once I dipped them in the consome and added to pan they crumbled😫. Should I have used flour tortillas? Other than that we LOVED IT!
So thrilled to hear your family enjoyed the tacos. Sorry that you had an issue with the tortillas. I do recommend corn tortillas. I think the key is not allowing them to get too wet when dipped in the consomé; just to quickly dip them so they don’t become oversaturated.
am making this tonight for supper. It’s a very interesting blend of seasonings.
Indeed! Hope you enjoyed it!
I’m in the process of making this recipe. I just put sauce in with bay leaves cinnamon stick and waiting for it to boil. Do I put the lid on once I turn down heat to simmer?
So sorry, I’m just seeing this. Yes, I would go ahead and cover it. Thanks for pointing that out! I will update the recipe to include that step. Hope you enjoy it!!!
I followed the receipt Exactly. The sauce smell strong of Clover and left a strong taste. 😓
What a bummer the clove did not suit your tastes. Clove is an ingredient of authentic birria so I wanted to include it. I hadn’t considered it might be overwhelming to some (I will keep that in mind). If you cared to try it again in the future you certainly could leave it out. I very much appreciate you trying the recipe and taking the time to comment!
Love it ❣️I did it in stages, taking a meal for some friends and it all has come out great so far. I just have to assemble the tacos, the taste is great but I did cut back on the clove and no cinnamon stick…as my husband isn’t fond of the sweeter meat flavors in his Mexican foods. Love all the other spices together!! Thank you
That’s so good to hear!! I totally don’t blame you for cutting back on the clove and omitting the cinnamon stick. I can definitely see how those ingredients might be offputting for some. Thanks for your reply and for trying the recipe!!