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Authentic Birria (Consomé) for Tacos or Stew

Authentic birria delivers deep red consomé with tender shredded beef and a rich spiced broth. Simmer the chile sauce until the beef is fall-apart tender for tacos or a hearty stew bowl with consomé.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Birria beef
  • 4 lb beef chuck roast
Dried chiles and aromatics
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles
  • 1 onion
  • 1 head garlic
  • 8 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Spices and seasonings
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 0.5 salt and pepper to taste
For serving
  • 1 corn tortillas
  • 1 diced onion
  • 1 cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and rehydrate the dried chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring once or twice as the color darkens slightly.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes until softened, then drain well and shake off excess water.
Blend the chile sauce
  1. Blend the drained chiles with halved onion, crushed garlic, cumin, oregano, and apple cider vinegar until smooth, adding a splash of soaking liquid only if needed for blending.
  2. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove skins, pressing with a spoon so you keep the smooth red chile base.
Build the consomé and simmer the beef
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, until shimmering.
  2. Add the strained chile sauce and cook for 5 minutes, stirring until it looks slightly thickened and deeper red.
  3. Add beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick, then bring everything to a boil.
  4. Add the beef chuck roast chunks, return to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
  5. Simmer uncovered for 90-120 minutes, until the beef is fall-apart tender and the broth turns a deep red, skimming only if foam collects at the surface.
  6. Season the consomé with salt and pepper to taste, then stir and taste once more for balance.
Serve as tacos or stew
  1. For tacos, shred the tender beef and keep warm in a ladle of consomé.
  2. Dip corn tortillas in the hot consomé for a quick soak, then fill with shredded meat.
  3. Top birria tacos with diced onion and cilantro for a fresh finish.
  4. For stew, ladle the meat and consomé into bowls and serve with lime wedges.

Notes

For the smoothest consomé, strain the blended chile sauce after blending—this helps you get that silky, deep-red texture. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently to avoid boiling hard. Freeze yes: cool completely and freeze in portions up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and adjust salt at the end so the seasoning still lands right.