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Authentic Birria Recipe for Tacos or Stew

Authentic birria delivers deep red consomé with tender shredded beef and a richly spiced chile broth. Simmered until fall-apart tender, it’s ideal for dipping corn tortillas for tacos or serving as a cozy stew bowl.
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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: 750
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Birria beef and consomé
  • 4 lb beef chuck roast Cut into chunks.
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles Stemmed if desired.
  • 4 dried ancho chiles Stemmed if desired.
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles Stemmed if desired.
  • 1 onion Halved.
  • 1 head garlic Crushed.
  • 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.
  • 1 corn tortillas For tacos; diced for serving.
  • 1 diced onion For serving.
  • 1 cilantro For serving.
  • 1 lime For serving, including wedges for stew.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Toast and rehydrate the chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles in a dry cast iron skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring as they darken slightly.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes until softened, then drain them thoroughly.
Blend and strain the chile sauce
  1. Blend the rehydrated chiles with the halved onion, crushed garlic, cumin, oregano, and apple cider vinegar until smooth.
  2. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible.
Simmer the birria consomé
  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Cook the strained chile sauce in the oil for 5 minutes, stirring so it darkens slightly and smells aromatic.
  3. Add beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick, then bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Add the beef chuck roast chunks and return to a boil, making sure the liquid covers most of the meat.
  5. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 90-120 minutes until beef is fall-apart tender, checking occasionally so the broth stays gently bubbling.
  6. Season with salt and pepper to taste near the end of cooking, then keep warm while you prep serving options.
Serve as tacos or stew
  1. For tacos, shred the tender meat, dip corn tortillas in the consomé, and fill them with meat.
  2. Top the tacos with diced onion and cilantro, then serve immediately with lime wedges if desired.
  3. For stew, ladle meat and consomé into bowls and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.

Notes

Pro tip: strain the chile sauce for a smoother, silkier consomé texture before simmering. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; freeze the cooled birria (meat and consomé together) up to 3 months. For a lighter option, use low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt at the end—taste first before seasoning.