Beef Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)
Rich, slow-braised beef in a smoky chilli consomé, crisped on corn tortillas with melted cheddar for utterly addictive tacos.
This is the birria everyone raves about: deeply spiced, slow-braised beef and a rich, drinkable consomé for dunking. The cheese-topped, double-tortilla trick (quesabirria) gives you the best of both worlds — gooey, meaty inside and crisp edges outside.
Make it for a relaxed weekend feast or when you want dinner that rewards the fuss: most of the work is hands-off simmering and marinating. Serve with extra consomé and lime; people will fight over the last taco.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 kg beef shin
- 40 g dried guajillo chillies
- 25 g dried ancho chillies
- 5 g dried árbol chillies — use fewer if you prefer less heat
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 1 brown onion — large, halved
- 6 clove garlic — unpeeled for roasting
- 10 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml ground oregano — Mexican oregano if available
- 5 ml ground cinnamon
- 3 whole cloves
- 5 ml black peppercorns — whole
- 2 bay leaves
- 800 ml beef stock — preferably low-salt
- 60 ml red wine vinegar
- 10 ml fine sea salt — plus extra to taste
- 5 ml sugar — balances acidity
- 350 ml hot water — just off the boil
- 12 corn tortillas — about 3 per person
- 150 g mature cheddar — grated for quesabirria
- 20 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to serve
- 2 limes — cut into wedges to serve
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- large heavy casserole or Dutch oven
- baking tray
- frying pan
- tongs
Instructions
Prepare chillies: slice off stems, shake out seeds (wear gloves if you have them). Wipe the inside with kitchen paper and tear into rough pieces.
Toast the dried chillies and whole spices in a dry frying pan over medium heat until fragrant and lightly blistered, turning frequently — about 4–6 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Roast the onion halves (cut-side down) and the unpeeled garlic cloves on a baking tray under a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) until the edges are charred and the garlic softens, about 20–25 minutes. Cool slightly, then peel the garlic.
Soak the toasted chillies in 300 ml of hot water to rehydrate for 20 minutes.
Make the adobo: place the soaked chillies (drained but keep the soaking liquid), roasted onion, peeled garlic, red wine vinegar, ground cumin, ground oregano, ground cinnamon, a pinch of the black peppercorns, sugar and 100 ml beef stock into a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth purée, adding a little of the reserved soaking liquid if needed to loosen. Taste and add fine sea salt to season.
Place the beef shin in a large bowl or container and pour over the blended adobo so it coats the meat completely. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
After marinating, heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium–high heat. Remove the beef from the marinade (reserve the marinade and any solids) and sear the beef pieces on all sides until browned, about 8–10 minutes in total for all batches. Transfer seared beef to a plate.
Pour the reserved blended adobo and any soaking liquid into the casserole, add the seared beef pieces, bay leaves and the remaining beef stock (about 700 ml). Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat so it barely bubbles; cover and simmer gently until the meat is very tender and falling apart, 150 minutes.
When the beef is fall-apart tender, remove the meat to a board and shred with two forks. Meanwhile, skim off excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid and, if you prefer a more intense consomé, simmer the liquid uncovered for 8–12 minutes to concentrate the flavour.
Assemble and crisp tacos: heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Dip one corn tortilla briefly into the warm consomé, lay into the pan, sprinkle with grated mature cheddar, add a generous mound of shredded beef, then top with another dipped tortilla. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until the cheese melts and the tortilla edges are crisp. Work in batches for all 12 tortillas (about 10–12 minutes total active pan time).
Serve: transfer tacos to a board, scatter with fresh coriander and serve with lime wedges and a small bowl of warm consomé for dunking.
Tips
- Wear gloves when handling hot chillies and avoid touching your face; seeds and oils sting.
- Marinate overnight if you can — it makes a noticeable difference to depth of flavour.
- If your blender struggles with the chillies, pass the sauce through a fine sieve for a silky consomé.
- For a leaner consomé, chill the cooking liquid for 30 minutes and skim off the solidified fat before reheating.
- Make ahead: the braised beef stores well in the fridge up to 3 days and reheats beautifully; reheat in the consomé to keep it moist.
Substitutions
beef shin → beef chuck, same quantity (1500 g)
Stays closemature cheddar → Oaxaca or Monterey Jack, same quantity (150 g)
Stays closedried árbol chillies → additional guajillo plus a pinch of cayenne, small amount to taste
Noticeably differentcorn tortillas → flour tortillas, same quantity (12)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 1350
- Calories
- 107 g
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 88 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 1200 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I speed this up and skip the marinate?
Yes — you can cook the meat straight away in the adobo and still get good results. Marinating overnight deepens the flavour, but an immediate cook will still deliver tender, tasty birria.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep shredded beef and consomé in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the meat in the consomé on the hob until piping hot before stuffing the tortillas.
Can I make this in a slow cooker or pressure cooker?
Yes. Slow cooker: cook on low for 8 hours. Pressure cooker: cook on high pressure for 45–60 minutes, then natural release. Reduce the consomé afterwards to concentrate flavour.
My blender is grainy — will that ruin the dish?
A slightly grainy sauce won’t ruin the dish, but for a smooth consomé blitz the sauce very thoroughly and pass it through a sieve if needed.
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