Beef Birria Tacos w/ Consomé
Level: Difficult Prep Time: 40 minutes Cook Time: 5 hours 39 minutes Yield: 24 tacos
The first time I heard of Birria Tacos was from a video about a food truck in Brooklyn that always has a line late into the night; I can’t remember the food truck name, but I do remember the tacos being dipped in a rich and unctuous broth (consomé)… these are a must try
So, let’s back up a moment for those who don’t know what these are… Birria is rich goat stew (we’ll use beef in this recipe, it’s easier to find and less gamey than goat) from Jalisco Mexico; it’s often a food of celebration. Now birria tacos is that rich stew meat loaded up in 2 dipped and pan fried corn tortilla with cheese sealing the two corn tortillas together… then if that wasn’t enough add in a bit of cilantro & onion and then dip the loaded taco in the rich broth
Before we move down to the directions here’s a high level view to get you ready, as the whole process takes some time and it’s absolutely worth it… Start by marinating the meat in an adobo made of dried chiles, herbs, and spices. Then the meat is cooked low & slow creating the incredibly rich broth. Finally, the meat stew fills two corn tortillas which were first dipped in the rich and fatty top layer of the birria broth, with cheese between, and fried on cast iron griddle. As you eat the Birria tacos, you first dip the taco in Birria broth and then all that luscious deliciousness goes in your mouth
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE BEEF BIRRIA
~3 pound beef chuck roast (see notes for protein substitutes)
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
1/4 - 1/2 tablespoon ground clove (to taste)
1-2 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
FOR THE TACOS:
48 corn tortillas (each taco uses 2 tortillas)
10 ounces Oaxaca cheese, queso quesadilla cheese or Monterey jack, shredded
Non-stick cooking spray
Diced white onion
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE BEEF BIRRIA
Liberally sprinkle salt and pepper onto the beef chuck roast, then rub into roast. Set aside
Place garlic, onions chile de árbols, and guajillo chiles, in a large pot, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes
Remove from stove. Transfer one cup of the cooking liquid, 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 skillet (I used a cast iron griddle, next time I may try a non-stick skillet) over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray
TWO TORTILLAS & CHEESE = 1 TACO - Lightly dip a tortilla in Birria broth, shake off excess liquid, & place on skillet (don’t forget the non-stick cooking spray or it will definitely stick). Sprinkle tortilla with 1-2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Dip a second tortilla in Birria broth, 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.
The tacos will be a bit greasy at first, give them a moment to set a bit before eating. Serve with lime wedges and small bowl of consomé for dipping your taco into
NOTES:
SUBSTITUTE OPTIONS FOR BEEF - chicken, veal, goat, lamb, or pork butt roast. So far I’ve only used beef chuck, I also threw in beef cheeks & some marrow bone which made the stew a bit richer
MEASUREMENTS – Think of this recipe as a guide for you to tweak the spices and ingredients for your personal taste. If you want a little more or less heat you can change up the chilies. Also keep in mind, there’s plenty of broth so it can handle a bit more meat… as noted above I add some extra cuts, which probably added about ½ pound
STORAGE - Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze for up to three months
