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Authentic Birria Recipe for Tacos or Stew

Authentic birria delivers deep red consomé with tender, fall-apart shredded beef and a rich, spiced broth. Simmered low and slow for tacos or served as hearty stew with bright lime and fresh garnishes.
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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: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck roast
  • 4 lb beef chuck roast Cut into chunks.
Dried chiles
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
  • 2 dried chipotle chiles
Aromatics
  • 1 onion Halved.
  • 1 head garlic Crushed.
Spices and vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Broth and seasonings
  • 8 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • salt and pepper To taste.
Serving
  • corn tortillas Diced for tacos, or used whole for dipping as described.
  • diced onion For serving.
  • cilantro For serving.
  • lime Wedges for stew; lime for tacos.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and rehydrate chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo chiles, dried ancho chiles, and dried chipotle chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes, and keep them moving so they don’t burn.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 10 minutes to soften, then drain well.
  3. Blend the drained chiles with the halved onion, crushed garlic, cumin, oregano, and apple cider vinegar until smooth, then strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve.
Build the birria consomé
  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the strained chile sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
  2. Add 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, making sure the liquid is actively bubbling around the meat.
Simmer until fall-apart tender
  1. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 90–120 minutes, until the beef is fall-apart tender, with a gentle bubbling throughout.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste and taste the consomé for balance, aiming for a deep red, richly spiced broth.
Serve as tacos or stew
  1. For tacos: shred the tender meat, dip corn tortillas in the hot consomé, then fill with meat and serve with diced onion and cilantro.
  2. For stew: ladle meat and consomé into bowls, then serve with lime wedges.

Notes

Pro tip: straining the chile mixture gives you a smoother, restaurant-style consomé. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; the flavor often deepens overnight. Freeze consomé and shredded meat up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. For a lighter option, use regular beef broth but reduce the tomato paste to 1 tbsp while keeping the simmer time the same for a still-rich broth.