Equipment
Ingredients
Beef Base
- 1000 g beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 500 g beef shank, bone-in
- 15 g salt
- 30 ml neutral oil
Adobo & Consommé Aromatics
- 5 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 5 g mexican oregano
- 3 g cumin seeds
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick, whole
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
- 1500 ml beef stock or water
Salsa Roja (Spicy Table Sauce)
- 15 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed
- 2 roma tomato
- 1 garlic clove
- 15 ml white vinegar
Assembly
- 14 corn tortillas, 12-14cm diameter
- 300 g oaxaca cheese, shredded
- 1 white onion, finely diced for garnish
- 30 g cilantro, chopped
- 3 limes, cut into wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 1102 kcal
- Protein
- 127 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 50 g
- Fiber
- 16 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 5551 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 17 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 17 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 283 mg
- Potassium
- 3900 mg
- Calcium
- 524 mg
- Iron
- 17.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 274 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1488 mg
- Zinc
- 37.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1988 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 34 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 32 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 13.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.52 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.03 mg
- Niacin
- 19.8 mg
- Folate
- 68 mcg
- Water
- 422 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Season the beef chunks and shank generously with salt. Let them sit at room temperature while preparing the chilies.
In a dry skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F), toast the Guajillo and Ancho chilies for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant but not blackened. Remove stems and seeds.
Place toasted chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 15 minutes to rehydrate.
In a blender, combine rehydrated chilies, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, and 250ml of the chili soaking liquid. Blend until completely smooth.
Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F. In a large Dutch oven, sear the beef in oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides.
Pour the blended adobo sauce over the beef. Add the beef stock (or water) until meat is just covered. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven.
Braise in the oven for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the meat is fork-tender and falling off the bone.
While beef cooks, prepare Salsa Roja: Boil tomatoes and Arbol chilies in water for 10 minutes. Drain, then blend with garlic, vinegar, and salt until smooth. Set aside.
Remove beef from the pot. Shred the meat, discarding bones and excess gristle. Season the shredded meat with a ladle of the pot liquid (consommé).
Skim the bright red fat from the top of the consommé. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip each tortilla into the reserved red fat, then place in the skillet.
Add cheese to the tortilla. Once melted, top with shredded beef. Fold the tortilla over and fry until crispy on both sides.
Serve immediately with a cup of hot consommé topped with onions and cilantro for dipping, lime wedges, and the salsa roja.
Chef's Notes
- The fat that rises to the top of the pot is 'liquid gold'. Do not discard it; it is essential for frying the tortillas to get that signature orange-red color and crisp texture.
- Using a mix of chuck roast (meatiness) and shank (collagen) creates a consommé with a rich, sticky mouthfeel that coats the taco perfectly.
- For a smoother consommé, you can strain the liquid after removing the beef, but many traditional preparations leave the bits of spice and aromatics for texture.
- If you have time, make the beef a day ahead. The flavors mature significantly overnight, and the fat is easier to separate when cold.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store meat in the consommé to prevent drying out. Separate fat layer when cold for frying later.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze meat and consommé together in airtight containers.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove until simmering; refresh crispness of taco shells in a pan.
Troubleshooting
Consommé tastes bitter
Cause: Dried chilies were toasted too long and burnt
Fix: Add a teaspoon of honey or sugar to counteract bitterness, though strong burning cannot be fully fixed
Prevention: Toast chilies only until fragrant (1-2 mins); if they turn black, discard and start over
Meat is tough
Cause: Braising time was insufficient
Fix: Return meat to liquid and cook for another 30-45 minutes
Prevention: Check meat after 3 hours; if it doesn't shred easily, continue cooking
Cultural Context
Originally from the state of Jalisco, Mexico, Birria was traditionally made with goat meat (chivo) and steamed. The beef version (Birria de Res) gained explosive popularity in Tijuana and later Los Angeles, evolving into the 'Quesabirria' style where the braising liquid is used as a dip.
