Learn how to make classic beef birria consomé that is simmered in a delicious pepper broth and shredded to perfection.

Birria tacos come from birria consomé, which is a zesty shredded meat stew that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. The meat from the stew is then cooked inside of corn tortillas that have been dipped in the stew liquid in a hot pan along with shredded Oaxaca cheese and often garnished with diced yellow or white onions and chopped cilantro.

These flavorful tacos will have slight nuances in flavor depending on which Mexican restaurant or street cart you get them from, but rest assured they are all delicious. This traditional breakfast or lunch tacos are classically made with goat meat, but most often nowadays will be made with beef or lamb meat. I used a combination of beef and lamb in my birra taco recipe.

Ingredients for this recipe:

• 3 pounds of assorted beef cuts: chuck, bottom round, shanks
• 2 pounds lamb shanks
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 peeled and roughly chopped white or yellow onions
• 5 garlic cloves
• 4 cored roughly chopped vine-ripe tomatoes
• 4 seeded and stemmed dried guajillo chiles
• 4 seeded and stemmed dried ancho chiles
• 8-10 allspice berries
• ½ cinnamon stick, broken up
• 12-15 black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 cups of water
• 1 gallon of water or beef stock
• sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• juice of fresh lemons
• 20 corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese
• 1 peeled and small diced yellow onions
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of 2 lemons

Serves 10

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 210 minutes

Procedures:

1. Season both the beef and lamb well on all sides with sea salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Next add the oil to a very large pot or rondeau over high heat and once it begins to smoke add in the meat and lamb and sear until well browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes per side.
3. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
4. Now, place in the onions and cook over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or until caramelized.
5. Place in the garlic and give it a quick sauté with the onions for about 4-5 minutes.
6. Next, pout in the tomatoes, chiles, allspice berries, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, cumin seeds, oregano, and thyme and stew medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes to soften up the peppers and cook the tomatoes.
7. Deglaze with 2 cups of water and continue to cook on medium-high heat until the amount of liquid is reduced by ½ or about 15 minutes.
8. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree at high speed until smooth. See note on how to blend hot food.
9. Pour the mixture back into the pot along with water or beef stock. Season this mixture well with salt and pepper.
10. Place the seared meat back into the pot, cover, and cook on medium-medium-high for about 2 hours, or until the meat is easily shredded. The liquid should be at a rapid bubble or a very low boil the entire time.
11. Remove the meat, discard any bones, and roughly chop on a cutting board. Keep aside.
12. Next, strain the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh strainer or chinois and return the strained liquid back to the pot along with the chopped meat.
Prepare the birria consomé but do not add the chopped meat back to the strained liquid in the pot.
13. Making 1 taco at a time, lightly dip two corn tortillas into the top part of the consomé liquid and place them on top of each other in a cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
14. Immediately evenly sprinkle some of the cheese onto the top of the corn tortilla, followed up with evenly adding some of the chopped meat to the one-half side of the taco on top of the cheese.
15. At this point you can also add on diced onions and cilantro, but that part is optional.
16. Cook for a minute or two and then fold the taco over to help form it. Cook for about one more minute.
17. Repeat the process until all of the meat has been used.
18. Serve each taco with a small bowl of the consomé liquid that has been garnished with lemon juice, diced onions, and cilantro.

Chef Notes:

Make-Ahead: The tacos are meant to be eaten right away but you can make them up to 30 minutes ahead of time and keep them warm covered in foil at the lowest temperature in the oven.

How to Store: It is best to store the beef separate from the corn tortilla shells. Store the beef covered for up to 6 days in its liquid, or consomé. This will freeze very well covered for up to 6 months in its liquid, or consomé. Thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

There should be enough fat on the top of the consomé when you dip the tortilla in there to brown it while cooking in the pan. If there is not, add a little oil or butter to the pan first.

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