Authentic Beef Birria Tacos with Consomé

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the stemmed and seeded dried chilies for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and steep for 15 minutes to soften.

💡 Tip: Toasting chilies revives their essential oils and yields a deeper pepper paste base.

Pat the beef chuck and short ribs dry with paper towels and season generously with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until deeply browned, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove beef and set aside on a plate.

💡 Tip: Sear in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pot.

In a high-speed blender, combine the softened chilies (along with a splash of their soaking liquid), halved onion, peeled garlic, crushed tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and cloves. Blend on high until completely smooth.

Pour the blended chili sauce into the pot used for searing the meat. Add the beef broth and bay leaves, stirring well to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Return the seared beef and accumulated juices to the pot.

Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender and shreds effortlessly with two forks.

💡 Tip: Maintain a low simmer so the stewing liquid reduces without drying out the meat.

Discard bay leaves and bone pieces. Transfer the cooked meat to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Skim the rich red chili oil off the surface of the remaining broth (consomé) into a bowl. Keep the consommé warm over low heat.

💡 Tip: Saving the skimmed oil is key for frying crispy, flavorful tacos.

Heat a non-stick skillet or cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat. Dip a corn tortilla into the reserved chili oil surface layer, coating both sides lightly, and place onto the hot skillet.

Top one half of the tortilla with a layer of shredded cheese and a scoop of shredded beef. Fold the tortilla in half to form a taco. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until crispy, golden brown, and the cheese has completely melted. Repeat for remaining tortillas and filling.

Ladle the warm consommé into small dipping bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and diced raw onion. Serve the crispy birria tacos immediately with lime wedges and consommé for dipping.