Birria Tacos Recipe (Beef Quesabirria with Consommé)

Birria tacos are beef slow-braised in a red chile broth, then folded into corn tortillas with melted cheese, pan-fried in the reserved fat until crisp, and dipped in the same broth (the consommé) to eat. This recipe uses beef instead of the traditional goat, so it is easy to make with ingredients from a regular supermarket, with no special trip required.

Most of the work here is hands-off. The beef braises low and slow while you do something else, and the actual assembly at the end takes about twenty minutes. What you get is a taco that is crisp on the outside, melted and juicy on the inside, and served with a bowl of rich dipping broth that makes every bite better than the last.

Why You’ll Love This Birria Tacos Recipe

• Made with beef chuck, not goat, so the ingredients are easy to find.
• The braise does most of the work. About 20 minutes of hands-on time total.
• You get two things in one pot: shredded beef for the tacos and rich consommé for dipping.
• Freezes well, so it is worth making a full batch even for a smaller household.

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 3 hours 30 minutes | Total: 4 hours | Serves: 6 (about 20 tacos)

Ingredients

• 3 lbs (1.4kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 3 to 4 large chunks
• 4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (optional, for extra heat)
• 1 white onion, halved, plus extra finely diced to serve
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 Roma tomatoes, quartered
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups (1L) beef broth, plus water as needed
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, for searing
• Salt, to taste
• 20 small corn tortillas
• 2 to 3 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
• Chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges and sliced radish, to serve

How to Make Birria Tacos

1. Toast the chiles. Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo, ancho and árbol chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 to 45 seconds per side, until fragrant. Watch closely, they burn fast and turn bitter.
2. Soak and blend the marinade. Cover the toasted chiles with hot water and let them soften for 15 minutes. Drain, then blend with the onion half, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and 1 cup of the beef broth until completely smooth.
3. Sear the beef. Season the beef chunks generously with salt. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat and sear the beef in batches, about 2 minutes per side, until deeply browned. Do not crowd the pot.
4. Braise. Return all the beef to the pot. Pour in the chile marinade and the remaining beef broth, adding water if needed so the meat is mostly submerged. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to a low simmer and cook for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the beef shreds apart with almost no resistance.
5. Shred the beef. Lift the beef out and shred it with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim the layer of fat that has risen to the top of the broth and set it aside in a separate bowl, this is what fries the tacos. Strain the remaining broth (the consommé) and taste it for salt.
6. Assemble the tacos. Dip each tortilla in the reserved fat (or the consommé itself) to lightly coat both sides. Lay it on a hot griddle or skillet, scatter cheese and a portion of shredded beef over one half, then fold the tortilla over.
7. Crisp the tacos. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing down gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is deeply golden and crisp and the cheese has fully melted.
8. Serve. Serve the tacos hot, with small bowls of the warm consommé on the side for dipping, plus diced onion, cilantro and lime wedges.

Tips for the Best Birria Tacos

• Sear in batches. Crowding the pot steams the beef instead of browning it, and that browning is where a lot of the flavour comes from.
• Don’t skip skimming the fat. That reserved fat is what gives the tortillas their deep red colour and crisp edge when you fry them. Plain oil is a fine substitute if you run short.
• Keep the consommé warm. A cold dipping broth flattens the whole dish. Keep it on low heat on the stove while you fry the tacos in batches.
• Use a hot griddle. The tortilla should sizzle the moment it touches the surface. If it just sits there, give the pan more time to heat up first.

Variations

• Slow cooker birria: Sear the beef on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours instead of braising on the stove.
• Extra rich version: Add a pound of bone-in short ribs or oxtail along with the chuck roast. The extra bones add body and gelatin to the consommé.
• Birria ramen: Ladle the strained consommé over cooked ramen noodles with shredded beef, a soft egg and sliced spring onion.
• Milder version: Leave out the chiles de árbol entirely. The guajillo and ancho chiles are mild on their own and give plenty of colour and flavour without much heat.

What to Serve With Birria Tacos

Birria tacos are rich enough to be the whole meal alongside their own consommé, but a bright, acidic side balances them well. Our elote-style Mexican street corn is a natural match, and a simple squeeze of lime over sliced radish and onion works as a palate cleanser between bites. If you want to compare it to a simpler weeknight taco, our ground beef tacos take 25 minutes start to finish, versus the slow braise here.

Storage and Reheating

Store the shredded beef and strained consommé separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze both for up to 3 months. Reheat the beef and broth together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming, then fry fresh tacos to order rather than reheating already-assembled ones, since the tortillas lose their crispness in the fridge. Cooked beef is safe to eat once reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C); see the USDA’s safe minimum internal temperature guidance for reference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is birria supposed to be made with goat or beef?

Traditional birria from Jalisco, Mexico is made with goat (birria de chivo). Beef birria (birria de res) became common in northern Mexico and the United States because beef is more widely available and has a milder flavour, and it is now just as popular. Either is authentic, just different regional versions of the same dish.

Why are my tortillas falling apart?

This usually means the tortillas are too thin or dry, or the fat wasn’t hot enough when you dipped them. Use fresh corn tortillas rather than very thin ones, and make sure your griddle is properly hot before the tortilla goes on so it sets quickly instead of soaking and tearing.

Can I make the beef ahead of time?

Yes, and it actually improves overnight in the fridge as the flavours settle. Braise the beef up to 2 days ahead, then reheat the beef and broth together before assembling and frying the tacos fresh.

What’s the difference between birria tacos and quesabirria?

Quesabirria simply means birria tacos made with cheese folded inside and fried in the beef fat until crisp, which is the version in this recipe. Birria tacos without the cheese and griddle-frying step are also common, especially served simply with just meat, onion and cilantro.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Chuck roast is the easiest cut to find and works well because it has enough fat and connective tissue to become tender during a long braise. Beef short ribs, brisket, or a mix of chuck and short ribs also work well.