Tacos de Birria with Consommé

• Prep25 min
• Cook2 h 20 min
• Total2 h 45 min
• Serves4

Ingredients

For the adobo

• 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded (about 35 g)
• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded (about 25 g)
• 2 dried chiles de árbol, optional, for heat
• 200 g Roma tomatoes, halved (2)
• 100 g white onion, in pieces (1/2 medium)
• 5 garlic cloves
• 300 g water (1 1/4 cups)
• 30 g apple cider vinegar (2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp salt

For the beef

• 800 g boneless beef chuck roast, in 4 cm (1 1/2 in) chunks (1 3/4 lb)
• 2 bay leaves
• 200 g water (3/4 cup)

For the tacos

• 16 corn tortillas
• 200 g shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese (2 cups)

To serve

• 1/2 white onion, finely chopped
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Lime wedges

Instructions

1. Place the chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic and 300 g water in the mixing bowl and cook 10 min/100°C (212°F)/speed 1.
2. Add the vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, thyme and salt. Put the measuring cup in place and blend 1 min/speed 5-10, increasing speed gradually, until smooth.
3. Add the beef, bay leaves and 200 g water. Place the simmering basket on the mixing bowl lid instead of the measuring cup and cook 90 min/100°C (212°F)/reverse/speed soft.
4. Check the beef: it should pull apart easily with a fork. If not, cook 20 min/100°C (212°F)/reverse/speed soft more.
5. Lift out the beef with a slotted spoon and shred it with two forks. Remove the bay leaves. Spoon the red fat from the surface into a small bowl. Pour the consommé into a saucepan, taste for salt and keep it warm on the stove over low heat.
6. Heat a large skillet or griddle on the stove over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the red fat (or in the consommé), place it in the skillet, sprinkle with cheese and add some beef on one half.
7. Fold the tortilla over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until crisp and the cheese melts. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, a few at a time.
8. Serve the tacos with cups of hot consommé topped with onion and cilantro, and lime wedges for squeezing.

Tips

• Birria is even better the next day. Refrigerate the beef in its consommé overnight: the fat hardens on top and is easy to lift off for dipping the tortillas.
• For a richer consommé, use half boneless chuck and half bone-in short ribs (keep the total at 800 g so the bowl stays under 2 L), and remove the bones before shredding.
• Without cheese, these are classic tacos de birria; with cheese, many call them quesabirria. Both get dunked in the consommé.
• Leftover birria freezes well in its consommé for up to 3 months.