Why revisit my recipe for beef birria? Because I can and there is always room for improvement. Here’s the scoop! I was in the middle of writing my first cookbook, Mexican Salsa, and I needed to shoot images of birria. Decided to kick up my original recipe and add a few special ingredients! Get the step-by-step recipe here!
In my experience, the corn tortillas that hold up the best are…
I find that homemade corn tortillas are the best when it comes to preparing quesatacos of any kind. The next best ones are organic corn tortillas. Both have the most delicious corn flavor! I am all about the tortilla when it comes to enjoying any taco really.
The Video!
I remember several years back when I thought that I could never learn how to shoot a food video! Don ‘t get me wrong, I still have a lot to learn. There is just something about seeing how the recipe comes together and then the final plating. Makes me hungry! Lol!
What do I do with all the leftover consommé??
I get this question quite often from my followers. Besides enjoying it with or without the beef is delicious. In the past I have used the leftover consommé to prepare caldo de albondigas, vegetable soup, enchilada sauce, rice, add it to masa for tamales, tortillas and gorditas. I use it in place of water once I strain it. It adds incredible flavor. Whenever I visit my sister in North Carolina, she always requests tamales, but my nephew wanted birria. So, I prepared beef birria tamales. They were so delicious served in the consommé! Now I really want some right now!
To prepare these delicious tamales, follow my masa recipe for the chile colorado pork tamales right here on my blog. Replace the pork recipe with this birria recipe. Instead of the ancho chile sauce and broth, you will use some of the strained consommé to add to the masa harina when you prepare the masa for tamales. Follow the instructions on assembling and steaming.
If you are going to make the birria for tamales, I would suggest letting the consommé cook longer so it reduces by half and thickens. This adds more flavor to the tamales in the end. Don’t add the garbanzo beans for tamal recipe.
I am working on a short video to share soon about the birria tamal!
Every Good Taco Needs A Good Salsa!
One of the questions I would get often is, “Do you have a spicy salsa for birria?” Why, yes, I do! Yes, of course you can enjoy with any of your favorite salsa recipes, no doubt! I grew up enjoying a spicy red salsa on many beef tacos, such as barbacoa de cachete and carne asada. It’s so delicious!
Birria Revisited
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chuck roast sliced into large chunks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Avocado or olive oil
- 1 large white onion, divided in half reserve 1/2 for the sauce
- 10 large cloves of garlic reserve 1/2 for the sauce
- 1 gallon of water
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, previously soaked in water for a few hours
Salsa/Sauce
- 2-3 tbsps avocado oil
- reserved onion, sliced
- reserved garlic cloves
- 8-9 chile california pods stems and seeds removed
- 4-5 chile morita chile morita typically comes with no stems, I leave seeds in.
- 1 large roma tomato, sliced into quarters
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp thyme
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
Garnish
- 1 c Diced onion
- 1/2 c Chopped cilantro
- 12-16 Lime wedges
- Spicy Salsa For Birria see link above
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven style pot at medium heat preheat 3-4 tbsps oil for a few minutes
- Add the 1/2 of the onion, 5 cloves of garlic and seasoned beef. Sear and brown for 5 minutes, turning as needed. Pour in 1 gallon of water to the pot. Stir gently. Season with salt, to taste. Add bay leaves. Bring up to a light boil and skim off the foam on top as needed.
- If using uncooked chickpeas that you previously soaked, add them to the pot with beef now. If using canned, wait to add them later.
- Wipe down chile pods if they look dusty. Remove the stems and seeds from large pods. Small chile morita typically comes with no stems. I leave the seeds in to add heat to the recipe.
- In a separate large pot, preheat 2-3 tbsps of oil to medium heat for one minute. Add the remaining onion, garlic, ginger and tomato, Saute for a few minutes. Add the chile pods and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add the spices and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in just enough water to cover chile mixture, about 4 cups. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer softened ingredients to the blender. Then pour in all the liquid with spices. Season with salt to taste. Blend on high until smooth. Taste for salt. If not using a power blender, strain 1/2 of the the chile sauce through a wire mesh strainer directly into the pot with simmering beef. Strain remaining salsa/sauce and refrigerate for 1 month or freeze, for a few months, for another recipe.
- Remove the onion, garlic and bay leaves from the pot and discard. Continue cooking birria until beef is very tender. Add some beef to bowls, then ladle in some of the consome with chickpeas. Garnish with onion, cilantro, lime and salsa. Serve with warm tortillas.
Notes
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Sounds delicious!! Can’t wait to try these with tacos… Yum!! 👍💗✌️😁
Thank you Cindy for stopping by!
Hi what kind of corn tortillas do you recommend for these tacos, I can’t wait to try them!
Hi Mary, I typically make homemade corn tortillas for the quesabirria tacos. If not homemade, I look for organic corn tortillas. They seem to hold up better and the flavor is delicious!
Oh my goodness!!! This was amazing! My family really enjoyed this recipe. I will be making it again. Thank you for this wonderful recipe:)
Hi Marie! I am so happy you and your family enjoyed the birria recipe! Yay! Thank you for taking the time to write!