Beef Birria with Consomé

Name: Beef Birria with Consomé
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 205 min
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: mexicana
Ingredients: 2.6 lb beef shank, bone-in; 2.2 lb beef chuck roast; 1 tbsp salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 10 chiles / 2.1 oz dried guajillo chiles; 4 chiles / 1.6 oz dried ancho chiles; 2 chiles / 1.1 oz dried pasilla chiles; 14 oz Roma tomatoes; 1 large / 9 oz white onion; 8 cloves / 1 oz garlic; 1 stick / 0.2 oz Mexican cinnamon; 1 tsp whole cumin; 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano; 4 cloves whole cloves; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 2 leaves bay leaves; 1/4 cup white vinegar; 7 1/2 cups water; 1 cup fresh cilantro; 2 limes limes; 16 tortillas corn tortillas

A traditional Jalisco-style beef stew made by slow-cooking beef in a rich adobo of dried chiles, tomatoes, spices, and vinegar, served with its flavorful consomé. This is a classic, recognizable version, perfect with tortillas, onion, cilantro, and lime.

35 minPrep

205 minCook

240 minTotal

8Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

1200 g beef shank, bone-in (en trozos large)
1000 g beef chuck roast (en trozos large)
18 g salt (or to taste)
4 g ground black pepper
30 ml vegetable oil
60 g dried guajillo chiles (without stalk ni semillas)
45 g dried ancho chiles (without stalk ni semillas)
30 g dried pasilla chiles (without stalk ni semillas)
400 g Roma tomatoes (partidos a the mitad)
250 g white onion (the mitad for cocción and the mitad for servir chopped)
30 g garlic (6 cloves for the sauce and 2 for the cocción)
5 g Mexican cinnamon
4 g whole cumin
2 g dried Mexican oregano
1 g whole cloves
2 g whole black peppercorns
2 g bay leaves
60 ml white vinegar
1800 ml water (approx., for cocción and sauce)
40 g fresh cilantro (chopped, for servir)
120 g limes (in wedges, for servir)
16 piece corn tortillas (for acompañar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

520 kcal

Calories

42 g

Protein

18 g

Carbs

30 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

14 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

No declared allergens

Instructions

1
Season the beef shank and chuck roast all over with the salt and ground black pepper.
2
Heat a large pot or heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Add the oil and brown the meat in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until well colored. Remove and set aside.
3
On a hot griddle or skillet, lightly toast the guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles for 10 to 15 seconds per side, without burning them. Place them in a bowl and cover with 500 ml hot water; let sit for 15 minutes until softened.
4
Roast the tomatoes, half of the white onion, and 6 garlic cloves on a griddle or skillet over medium heat until softened and charred in spots, 8 to 10 minutes.
5
Blend the softened chiles with their soaking liquid, the tomatoes, roasted half onion, roasted 6 garlic cloves, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, cloves, whole black peppercorns, and vinegar until very smooth. Add a little of the remaining water if needed to help blend.
6
Strain the sauce into the pot where you browned the meat and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until it deepens in color and smells fragrant.
7
Return the meat to the pot. Add the remaining 1300 ml water, the 2 whole garlic cloves, the remaining half onion, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook for 3 hours to 3 hours 20 minutes, until the meat is very tender and easy to shred. For the oven method, cover the pot tightly and cook at 325 °F / 165 °C for the same amount of time.
8
Remove the meat and shred it or cut it into medium pieces, discarding large bones if desired. Return the meat to the consomé.
9
Taste the consomé and adjust salt if needed. Finely chop the remaining serving onion portion and combine with the chopped cilantro for serving.
10
Serve the birria very hot in bowls with plenty of consomé. Accompany with the onion-cilantro mixture, lime wedges, and corn tortillas warmed on a griddle. If reheating tortillas, do so over medium heat on a griddle or wrapped in foil in a 300 °F / 150 °C oven for 10 minutes.

Chef tips

For a cleaner consomé, skim the surface during the first 20 minutes of cooking. The birria tastes even better if it rests for 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the fat and adobo can fully meld.

Substitutions

You can use beef shoulder instead of chuck roast. If you cannot find pasilla chiles, add a bit more ancho, though the flavor will be slightly sweeter. White vinegar can be replaced with apple cider vinegar in the same amount.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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