Mexican · Main course · Tested 7 times

Birria de Res — Beef Birria Tacos with Consomé

Slow-braised beef cheek and short rib in a chile-rich consomé, pressed into corn tortillas with melty cheese, then crisped in the spiced fat. Served with a bowl of the consomé for dipping.

By Carlos Mendoza · Latin America editor · Published 2026-02-02 · Updated 2026-05-18
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Prep
30 min
Cook
210 min
Total
240 min
Yields
12 tacos (4 hungry people)
Difficulty
Medium
#mexican#tacos#braise#weekend
Quick answer · A 30-second answer

Toast dried guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol; soak and blend with charred onion, garlic, tomato, vinegar, and spices into a deep red adobo. Braise beef chuck and short rib in the adobo with stock for 3 hours. Strain the consomé, shred the meat. Dip corn tortillas in the spiced fat, fill with meat and Oaxaca cheese, crisp on a comal, serve with diced onion, cilantro, lime, and a bowl of consomé.

  • Three chiles, three purposes: guajillo for colour, ancho for sweetness, árbol for heat. Skip none.
  • Beef chuck for flavour, short rib for the gelatinous bite. 70/30 ratio works best.
  • Crisp the tortillas in the spiced fat (consomé fat) — that orange edge is the whole show.

Equipment

  • Heavy Dutch oven (5–7 L)
  • Comal or cast-iron skillet
  • High-speed blender
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Tongs

Ingredients

Adobo

  • 6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 3 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
  • 3 dried chiles de árbol (more for heat)
  • 1 large white onion, halved
  • 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 3 Roma tomatoes
  • 30 ml apple cider vinegar
  • 5 g ground cumin
  • 5 g dried Mexican oregano
  • 3 g ground cinnamon
  • 2 g ground cloves
  • 5 g fine salt

Braise

  • 800 g beef chuck, in 5 cm cubes
  • 400 g bone-in beef short ribs
  • 1.2 L beef stock, low-sodium
  • 2 bay leaves

Tacos

  • 12 small corn tortillas
  • 250 g Oaxaca cheese (or low-moisture mozzarella), shredded
  • 1 small white onion, finely diced
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
  • 2 limes, in wedges

Method

  1. STEP
    01

    Set a comal or dry skillet over high heat. Char the onion halves, garlic cloves (in skins), and tomatoes until blackened in patches and softened — 6–8 minutes total. Peel the garlic.

  2. STEP
    02

    In the same pan, toast the chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable — do not burn. Transfer to a bowl, cover with very hot water, soak 15 minutes until soft.

  3. STEP
    03

    Drain the chiles. Add to a blender with the charred onion, peeled garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and 1 cup of the chile soaking water. Blend until perfectly smooth — at least 90 seconds. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing.

  4. STEP
    04

    Pat the chuck and short ribs very dry. Salt generously. Sear in a hot Dutch oven with a tablespoon of oil, in batches, until deep brown all over — 10 minutes total.

  5. STEP
    05

    Pour the strained adobo over the seared beef. Add the stock and bay leaves. Bring to a bare simmer. Cover and cook in a 150°C / 300°F oven, or on the lowest stove burner, for 3 hours, until the meat shreds easily with a fork.

  6. STEP
    06

    Lift the meat onto a tray. Strain the consomé through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Skim some of the bright orange fat from the top and reserve in a small bowl — this is your taco-frying medium.

  7. STEP
    07

    Pull the meat apart with two forks, discarding bones. Moisten with a ladle of consomé so it doesn't dry out.

  8. STEP
    08

    Heat a comal over medium-high. Dip a tortilla in the reserved orange fat, lay on the comal. Top with cheese and a generous spoonful of shredded meat. Fold in half. Crisp 90 seconds per side until the tortilla is deep orange-red and the cheese is fully melted.

  9. STEP
    09

    Plate the tacos with diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. Pour the hot consomé into small bowls for dipping. Eat immediately.

Make ahead

Make the whole braise 1–2 days ahead. Refrigerate meat and consomé separately. Day-of: skim cold fat off the consomé, reheat both, crisp the tacos fresh.

Storage

Meat and consomé both keep 4 days refrigerated, separately. Both freeze 3 months. The reheated braise is arguably better than fresh — the chile flavour deepens.

Variations

Birria de chivo

Traditional Jalisciense version uses goat shoulder. Same braise time, slightly more pungent, deeply lovely.

Birria ramen

Use the consomé as a broth for instant ramen with the shredded meat, cilantro, onion, and lime. Cursed and excellent.

Birria quesabirria (Tijuana)

Open the folded taco, cover one half with extra cheese and a few chunks of meat, fold, crisp — gets a frico'd cheese edge.

Serve with

Michelada or a cold Mexican lagerTomatillo salsa verdeRice and beansMexican Coca-Cola for tradition

Nutrition per serving

640 kcal 32 g fat 38 g carbs 48 g protein 6 g sugar 6 g fiber 980 mg sodium
Allergens: Dairy
Diet: Gluten-free

Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.

Frequently asked

Can I use just one cut of beef?

All chuck gives you flavourful but slightly less luxurious shred. All short rib gives you incredible texture but the consomé is greasier. The 70/30 chuck/short-rib mix is the sweet spot.

What's a substitute for Oaxaca cheese?

Low-moisture mozzarella is the closest in melt and pull. Monterey Jack works in a pinch. Avoid sharp cheeses — they fight the consomé.

Can I use a slow cooker or instant pot?

Yes. Slow cooker: 8 hours on low. Instant pot: 60 minutes on high pressure with natural release. The oven braise gives the best texture but pressure works.

Is birria spicy?

Medium. The guajillo and ancho are warm and fruity, not punishing. The 3 chiles de árbol bring it to a comfortable simmer of heat. Drop to 1 árbol for mild, add 3 more for hot.

Why corn tortillas?

Flour tortillas burn before they crisp and get soggy in the consomé. Corn holds up to both the fat-fry and the dunk.

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