Beef Birria
Birria is a slow braise, full stop — three hours minimum for shin or chuck. This is the weeknight impostor with an honest face: seared steak strips in a proper toasted chilli consomme, plus the crisp dipping tacos everyone actually came for.
- Total time
- 19 min
- Serves
- 2
- Effort
- Medium
What you need
Written for 2 — nudge the counter and the numbers follow.
0 of 10 in the basket.
How you make it
Toast all the chillies in a dry pan for 30 seconds a side, then soak in 200ml boiling water for 5 minutes.
Sear the steak whole in the oil over high heat for 3 minutes a side, then rest it on a board while you build the consomme.
Blend the soaked chillies and their liquid with the garlic, cumin, oregano and vinegar, strain into the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes, then add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
Slice the rested steak thinly against the grain and stir it through the sauce for 1 minute, no longer, so it stays tender.
Dip each tortilla in the red fat on top of the consomme, then fry it in a dry pan for 1 minute a side, filling with meat and folding as it crisps.
Serve the tacos with a small bowl of the consomme for dipping.
Read all that and thought “absolutely not”?
Completely fair. Beef Birria is sitting in the Mexican kitchen right now, it costs nothing, and it will never arrive.
Order it insteadMore from the Mexican kitchen
Lime, chilli and char, wrapped in something warm.