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Authentic Birria Recipe for Tacos or Stew

Authentic birria delivers a deep red consomé with tender shredded beef and a rich spiced broth. Simmered low and slow, it’s perfect for birria tacos dipped in consomé or served as hearty birria stew.
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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
  

Beef and chile base
  • 4 lb beef chuck roast Cut into chunks for fall-apart tenderness.
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles Use for smoky heat.
  • 1 onion Halved, divided for blending.
  • 1 garlic Crushed (about 1 head).
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.
For serving
  • 1 corn tortillas Diced and used for tacos.
  • 1 diced onion For tacos or garnishing bowls.
  • 1 cilantro Chopped, for serving.
  • 1 lime Wedges for stew; wedges for brightness.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and rehydrate the chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, and chipotle chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring until fragrant and slightly darker at the edges.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly so they blend smoothly without excess liquid.
Blend and strain the chile sauce
  1. Blend the drained chiles with the halved onion, crushed garlic, cumin, oregano, and apple cider vinegar until smooth and brick-red in color.
  2. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve, pressing to extract the liquid and discarding any solids for a silky consomé.
Simmer the birria consomé
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then add the strained chile sauce and cook for 5 minutes to deepen flavor.
  2. Add the beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  3. Add the beef chuck roast chunks and return to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 90-120 minutes until fall-apart tender.
  4. Season to taste with salt and pepper, letting the broth simmer briefly so the seasoning distributes evenly.
Serve as tacos or stew
  1. For tacos, shred the tender meat, dip tortillas in the consomé, fill with meat, and serve with diced onion and cilantro.
  2. For stew, ladle meat and consomé into bowls and serve with lime wedges for brightness.

Notes

Pro tip: strain the chile mixture for a smoother, restaurant-style consomé. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; reheat gently to avoid tightening the meat. Freezing is yes—freeze meat and consomé separately if possible for best texture. For a lighter option, use less olive oil and skim surface fat after chilling.