Mexican Birria Tacos with Consommé are filled with flavorful Mexican stewed of lamb and beef simmered together with chile peppers served in a thick broth to give it a rich, velvety taste.
Consommé is the intensely-flavored liquid, similar to a stew in which the lamb and beef meats are slow-cooked. Making it rich and savory in the process. It’s made of beef stock, softened dried chiles (Ancho, Chiles de Arbol, and Guajillo), Chipotle Chiles in Adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, spices, onion, tomatoes, and garlic that are blended to create a smooth and velvety sauce.
Here’s what you will need.
• 3 lbs Beef Chuck Roast
• 1 lb Lamb Neck or Shank (Bone-In)
• Can of Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp Mexican Oregano (or Regular Dried Oregano)
• 1 tbsp each Kosher Salt + Cracked Black Pepper
• 3 tbsp Beef Tallow (Or Olive Oil)
• 2 White Onions
• 6 Whole Cloves of Garlic
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 Cinnamon Sticks
• 16 oz Beef Stock
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 14 oz can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro
• Street Taco Tortillas (Flour or Corn)
• 1 Tbsp Cotija Cheese
Behind the Ingredients
Beef Chuck Roast: It’s the perfect meat for braising. Get a good cut with lots of fat marbled throughout.
Lamb Neck: I use Lamb Neck since it’s less expensive than Lamb Shank and tastes just as good when braised. Why spend more when you can save and get an underrated cut like the Lamb Neck?
Dried Ancho Chiles: These are the “The Holy Trinity” of Mexican Chili Peppers. The outer flesh has a sweet and rich raisin-like flavor and is very mild tasting allowing it to bring flavor without the heat to a dish.
Dried Guajillo Chiles: These are a bit spicier than Ancho Chiles but still very mild. They are sweet but more on the fruity sweet side with a hint of green tea taste.
Dried Chiles de Arbol: This is where the heat gets kicked up a bit. These chiles taste nutty and provide that subtle smokiness to the dish. If you like Birria on the spicier side, add more Chiles de Arbol.
Chipotle Chiles in Adobo Sauce: This is the key to that smokiness flavor in the Birria. Chipotle Chiles are just smoke-dried jalapenos that are preserved in adobo sauce. As a result, they have a very distinct smoky, spicy flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Mexican Oregano: This version of Oregano has a more lemon-citrus flavor, while Italian and Mediterranean Oregano has more of a minty flavor. If you can’t get Mexican Oregano, you can easily substitute regular Oregano in its place.
Start with rehydrating the dried peppers. Cut the stems off and remove the seeds to cut down on the heat they bring to the dish. If you want it spicier, leave the seeds in. Next, get a medium-sized bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water over the peppers. Let them soak for 10-15 min.
Make sure your meat is fully dry, and there is no excess moisture on the surface. Cut the Chuck Roast into large 3-inch cubes. Mix the Cumin, Oregano, Ginger, Salt + Pepper and thoroughly coat the meat. Massage the spice mix into the meat and fat to ensure the spices penetrate the meat.
Cut one onion into quarters, and the other onion can be diced and soaked in cold water for 15 min to give them a milder onion taste. Using the flat part of the knife blade, crush the garlic, which allows it to release a mild flavor over a more extended period rather than minced, which gives a more immediate intense garlic flavor. Heat your dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tbsp beef tallow or olive oil, and saute the onions and garlic until slightly browned (about 2-3 min).
Grab your food processor or blender and add the rehydrated peppers and the water they soaked in. Toss in the garlic, onions, and a can of Fire-Roasted tomatoes and blend until smooth.
Add in the remaining 2 tbsp beef tallow or olive oil and brown the meat on all sides for 3-4 min. DO NOT MOVE THE MEAT ONCE YOU PLACE IT IN THE PAN UNTIL AFTER 3 MIN. If it lifts off the pan easily then it’s good. Leave it alone if it sticks a bit, and let it cook another minute to form that browned, crispy crust.
Add in the blended pepper mix along with the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Mix to coat the meat entirely, then pour in the apple cider vinegar and beef broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, and cover with the lid or aluminum foil to seal in the moist heat, allowing it to braise for 3-4 hours.
Once it’s cooked, remove the meat with a slotted spoon and shred it. It’s so tender and shreds easily; I just use tongs to break up the meat, so it’s not too shredded. Pour some of the liquid over it to coat the shredded meat in the juices from the consommé.
Assemble The Tacos
Heat a cast iron skillet over low-medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil or butter to the skillet and dip your tortillas in the consommé before you fry them on the pan. This gives the tortillas that crispy orange color that is just so flavorful.
Add your shredded Birria meat and top with Mexican crema, cilantro, soaked diced onions, Cotija cheese, and some habanero hot taco sauce.
Grab a small dipping bowl and pour in some of the consommé (juices left in the pan after removing the meat) to dip the taco in as you eat.
Think of it as sort of the Mexican version of Au Jus sauce that you would dip your sandwich into, but instead of a sandwich you dip your taco.
Got it? Okay. (I’m not the best with analogies, so bear with me here.)
Want to use some of the meat in another dish so you don’t have any leftovers? Add it to some cheese dip for a tasty new way to dip your chips.
Have some leftover Birria?
Store any leftovers in an air-tight food-safe container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave until warm.
SAVE THE CONSOMMÉ! Use it like you would beef stock in any dish you want to add some delicious flavor to elevate the dish. Store it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 3-4 months.
These leftovers are PERFECT for making quesadillas for lunch the next day!
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Large Roasting Pan
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 3 lbs Beef Chuck Roast cut into large 3 inch chunks
- 1 lb Lamb Neck Bone-In, or Lamb Shank with bone
- 2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Dried Mexican Oregano or Oregano
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Cracked Black Pepper
- 2 Dried Ancho Chiles Large, seeds removed
- 2 Dried Guajillo Chiles seeds removed
- 2 Dried Chiles de Arbol
- 1 can Chipotle Chile in Adobo Sauce
- 3 tbsp Beef Tallow or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
- 2 White Onion one cut into 4 wedges and one diced
- 6 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 2 sticks Cinnamon or 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 16 oz Beef Stock
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 14 oz Canned Fire-Roasted Tomatoes Diced or Crushed
- 2 tbsp Cilantro roughly chopped, for topping
- 8-12 Street Tacos tortillas
- Mexican Crema for topping
- 1 tbsp Cotija Cheese for topping
Instructions
- Cut the stems off the dried peppers and remove the seeds to cut down on the heat they bring to the dish. If you want it spicier, leave the seeds in. Place in a medium-sized heat proof bowl.
- Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the peppers. Let them soak for 10-15 min.
- Make sure your meat is fully dry and there is no excess moisture on the surface. Cut the Chuck Roast into large 3-inch cubes.
- Mix the Cumin, Oregano, Ginger, Salt + Pepper and fully coat the meat. Massage the spice mix into the meat and fat to ensure the spices penetrate the meat.
- Cut one onion into quarters and the other onion can be diced and soaked in cold water for 15 min to give them a milder onion taste. Using the flat part of the knife blade, crush the garlic. Heat your dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tbsp beef tallow or olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until slightly browned (about 2-3 min).
- In a food processor or blender, add the rehydrated peppers along with the water that they soaked in. Toss in the garlic and onions and a can of Fire-Roasted tomatoes and blend until smooth.
- Add in the remaining 2 tbsp beef tallow or olive oil and brown the meat on all sides for 3-4 min. DO NOT MOVE THE MEAT ONCE YOU PLACE IT IN THE PAN UNTIL AFTER 3 MIN. If it lifts off the pan easily then it's good. If it sticks a bit then leave it alone and let it cook another minute to form that browned crispy crust.
- Add in the blended pepper mix along with the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Mix to fully coat the meat and then pour in the apple cider vinegar and beef broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and cover with the lid or aluminum foil to seal in the moist heat allowing it to braise for 3-4 hours.
- Once it's cooked remove the meat with a slotted spoon and shred it. Pour some of the liquid over it to coat the shredded meat in the juices from the consommé.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over low-medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil or butter to the skillet and dip your tortillas in the consommé before you fry them on the pan.
- Add your shredded Birria meat and top with Mexican crema, cilantro, soaked diced onions, Cotija cheese, and some habanero hot taco sauce.
- Grab a small dipping bowl and pour in some of the consommé (juices left in the pan after removing the meat) to dip the taco in as you eat.