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Meat, Americas

Birria tacos with consommé

Birria tacos are cheese crisped corn tortillas filled with shredded chile braised beef, served with a bowl of broth for dipping. This recipe serves 4, takes about 4 hours mostly unattended simmering, rates moderate difficulty, and costs €4.40 per person. Success depends on beef that falls apart on its own and the red fat skimmed from the broth to crisp the tortillas.

The star of social media, birria tacos. Tender chile-braised beef, cheese crisped tortillas, and the broth to dip them in.

Birria tacos with consommé
Total time
4 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.40
Calories per person
720 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Birria started as a spiced Mexican stew, and here it becomes tacos you dunk into their own broth. The beef simmers for hours with tomatoes, chiles, and spices until it turns tender enough to shred, and that same braising liquid becomes a rich consommé served on the side. Cheese melts between the meat and the crisped tortilla, and every bite ends with a dip in warm broth.

This is a weekend project or a day with no rush, since the long simmer needs almost nothing from you once it's going. Kids love dunking their tacos the way they'd dunk toast, and adults get that gentle heat from Espelette pepper. Mon Chou walks you through it step by step, from the Dutch oven to the little bowls of broth at the table.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef chuck or cheek 1 kg

Pantry

  • Corn tortillas 12
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 200 g
  • Smoked paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Espelette pepperoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oreganooften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Apple cider vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Beef brothoften in the pantry 1 l
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2 leaf
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Shredded cheese 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Limes 2
  • Garlic 4 cloves

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the beef into large chunks, season with salt, and brown it in a Dutch oven. 10 min

    Brown in small batches so the meat caramelizes properly.

  2. Blend the tomatoes, garlic, paprika, chile, cumin, oregano, vinegar, and a bit of broth.

    If you can find guajillo peppers, soak them and blend them in instead of the paprika.

  3. Pour the sauce over the meat, add the rest of the broth and the bay leaves, cover, and simmer over low heat. 3 h

    The meat should fall apart with a fork, and the sauce should be deep red.

  4. Shred the meat, strain the broth, and keep it warm, along with the fat floating on top.

    Skim off the fat with a ladle and set it aside for searing the tortillas.

  5. Dip the tortillas in the fat, lay them in a hot skillet, add cheese and meat, fold, and sear on both sides. 10 min

    Keep the heat medium, the cheese should melt while the tortilla browns.

  6. Serve the tacos with broth in small bowls, with onion, cilantro, and lime.

    Dip every bite in the broth, that's the whole point of this dish.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a braising cut rich in collagen, like chuck or cheek, so the meat truly falls apart with a fork instead of staying chewy.
  • Don't skip the fat that rises to the top of the broth, it's what gives the tortillas their red color and crisp edge.
  • If the blended sauce looks too thick, thin it with a splash of broth before pouring it over the meat, it should coat without turning pasty.

The variations

  • Swap the smoked paprika and Espelette pepper for rehydrated guajillo peppers if you can find them, for a more traditional smoky flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with shredded portobello mushrooms and a bold vegetable broth seasoned with the same spices.
  • For a quick kid friendly version, make simplified birria quesadillas, skip the dipping step and just pan sear tortillas with cheese and shredded meat.

What to serve it with

  • Diced raw onion and fresh cilantro
  • Lime wedges
  • Sparkling limeade or agua fresca

Storage

The meat and broth keep for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, stored separately. Both freeze well for up to 2 months, flat bags work best for the broth. Reheat gently in a saucepan before filling fresh tortillas.

Questions about this dish

Can you make birria ahead of time?

Yes, the meat and broth actually taste better reheated the next day. Prepare everything the day before, store the shredded meat and broth separately, then assemble the tacos right before serving.

What beef cut works if you can't find chuck or cheek?

Shin or shank also work well, as long as they're cooked low and slow. Avoid lean cuts, they tend to toughen instead of shredding.

Can you make birria mild enough for kids?

Yes, cut the Espelette pepper in half or swap it for sweet paprika. The smoked paprika already brings plenty of flavor without much heat.

Why dip the tortillas in fat before searing them?

That red fat soaks into the tortilla with color and flavor before it hits the skillet. It's what gives birria tacos their signature golden red look and crisp bite.

How long does it take to make birria tacos with their consommé?

Count 4 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in birria tacos with their consommé?

About 720 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does birria tacos with their consommé cost?

About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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