Name: Beef Birria
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 220 min
Total time: 610 min
Ingredients: 3 (8 ounce) beef short ribs; 1 (2 1/2 pound) beef chuck; 4 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves; 7 dried guajillo chilies; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large onion, roughly chopped; 6 cloves garlic, peeled; 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced; 3 large tomatoes, cored and chopped; 2 cups water; 3 bay leaves; 1 tablespoon honey; 0.25 cup white vinegar; 4 cups chicken broth; 2 tablespoons finely diced white onion; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro; 1 medium lime, sliced

Prep Time:

30 mins

Cook Time:

3 hrs 40 mins

Additional Time:

6 hrs

Total Time:

10 hrs 10 mins

Servings:

Yield:

10 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

This Beef Birria is based on two things: An amazing stewed beef recipe from the Mexican restaurant I worked in during college, as well as the equally incredible goat birrias I've been enjoying in San Francisco's Mission District for many years. It's one of my favorite stews of all time, and I don't need any ulterior motives to make a batch. But having said that, this stew was really just the first step toward a follow-up video, in which I used the leftover meat to make some of the greatest tacos I've ever had.

There's no way to prove that Beef Birria Queso Tacos are the best tacos, but at the moment, they're certainly the trendiest. As in so trendy, I couldn't wait the usual three years before filming them, which is my normal M.O. when it comes to these edible viral sensations.

Anyway, back to the stew, which could not be simpler. That's because we're doing a sort of shortcut method, which doesn't involve making a proper bone broth first, using marrow bones, oxtails, and/or shanks. If you have time, feel free, and then proceed with the recipe as shown. But this was plenty rich and beefy, thanks to a combo of short ribs and chuck.

As I mentioned, this is traditionally made with goat, and that is my favorite way to enjoy it. Or you can use lamb, which has a very similar flavor. But even made with the easier to find and milder beef, this really was fantastic. Since this is a stew, go ahead and toss in whatever stew-friendly vegetables you want (although the best birrias I've had were pretty much just meat and sauce).

I say "sauce" because I like to reduce the cooking liquids to get something a little thicker in viscosity, but the classic birria is much more brothy, and soup-like. That's an easy adjustment for you to make. But either way, you're going to want to whip up a batch soon. Just don't forget to not eat it all! Save some for the tacos...

If you've managed the impossible — made a batch of beef birria without devouring it all —you're ready to make the world's trendiest tacos. And, unlike a few other viral edibles I can think of (I'm looking at you, cake pops), this one deserves all the attention, and more. This recipe is the best answer to the rhetorical question, "how can beef and cheese tacos get any better?"

And that would be by pan-frying them in chili-infused beef fat, and then dunking them into a super-savory soup made from the sauce. If you've always thought French dip sandwiches were a good idea, then you're going to think this is genius. By the way, if you make a traditional birria, which as I mentioned in the previous video is much more brothy than my stew-like version, then you don't have to bother prepping the consomé part, since that's what you already have.

Although, if you didn't add veggies to your original stewing liquid, I suggest you do, as I think it makes the whole experience more special, which is saying something. One last piece of advice I'll pass along is do not overstuff your taco. Just like when we make pizza, or sandwiches, if we're too generous, there's a point of diminishing returns.

Yes, we want lots of beef and cheese, and just the right amount of onion and cilantro, but we also want to be able to dip it into the consomé, and have it absorb a decent amount, rather than our bowl of broth absorbing beef and cheese as they tumble out of our tortilla. Either way, I recommend you give these amazing tacos a try soon, and hedge your bets with a spoon. Enjoy!

Get the recipe for Chef John's Beef Birria Queso Tacos with Consomé.

Ingredients

3 (8 ounce) beef short ribs
1 (2 1/2 pound) beef chuck
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
7 dried guajillo chilies
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 cups water
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup white vinegar
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons finely diced white onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium lime, sliced

Directions

Cut each beef short rib through the middle, all the way down to the bone. Cut beef chuck in half; cut each half into 3- to 4-inch pieces.
Place beef chuck and short ribs into a soup pot and season with salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Toss very thoroughly until the meat is evenly coated with the spices, 2 to 3 minutes.
Cover and transfer into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Prep guajillo chiles by snipping off stems with scissors; slice open and scrape or shake out the seeds onto a plate to discard.
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add dried guajillo chiles and toss in the hot oil, about 30 seconds. Add chopped onion, garlic, and ginger; toss to combine. Add tomatoes and water, raise heat to high, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Turn off heat and use an immersion blender to blend the mixture as smooth as possible, or transfer to a regular blender, working in batches as needed.
Remove the soup pot with meat from the refrigerator. Strain the reserved chili mixture into the pot using a large mesh strainer. Add bay leaves, honey, vinegar, and chicken broth.
Bring to a boil over high heat, and then lower to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling-apart tender, 3 to 4 hours. Skim fat off of the top and reserve for future birria queso tacos.
Place some chunks of beef into a soup bowl and ladle some of the cooking liquid over top. Top with white onion and chopped cilantro and squeeze lime juice over top.

Chef John

Chef's Notes:

The rule of thumb for this kind of thing is to use 1 teaspoon kosher salt per pound of meat.

This will work with other dried chiles-such as ancho, pasilla, or California. You can use water with chicken bouillon powder instead of chicken broth.

Water or broth can be added as needed to keep the stew brothy as it simmers, or it can be allowed to reduce and thicken as it cooks. The beef can be served in large chunks or shredded with a fork.

If you enjoyed this with beef, you should really get some goat or lamb and do it that way, too. That little bit of extra gaminess you gain with those meats really does work out, even with this flavor profile.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

375	Calories
28g	Fat
8g	Carbs
21g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 10
Calories 375
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g	36%
Saturated Fat 11g	54%
Cholesterol 82mg	27%
Sodium 1287mg	56%
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 2g	5%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 11mg	55%
Calcium 34mg	3%
Iron 3mg	16%
Potassium 368mg	8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.