Focus Tips
- Toast the chiles lightly; burnt skins will make the broth bitter.
- Season the consomme in stages from the start of the braise to the final skim.
- Keep the garnish small and disciplined so the broth stays the star.
Big Dinner
Birria-Style Beef Tacos With Consomme
A project dinner that teaches layered chile flavor, broth development, garnish prep, and service rhythm.
Pull Out Before Starting
- oil
- salt
- beef chuck
- dried guajillo chiles
- dried ancho chiles
- dried pasilla chiles
- white onion
- red onion
- garlic
- cilantro
- limes
- stock
- corn tortillas
- blender
- Dutch oven or braiser
- fine strainer
Prep Before Cooking
- 3 lb beef chuck, cut into large chunks
- 4 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 white onion, rough chopped for the braise
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Taco garnish: 1/2 white onion, very small dice; 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped; 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Quick pickled onion: 1 red onion, very thinly sliced; juice of 2 limes; pinch of salt
- 12 corn tortillas
Technique Spotlight
Layered chile flavor
Target
The consomme should taste deep, round, and chile-rich without bitterness or raw spice edges.
Common Miss
Overtoasted chiles or a gritty blend make the broth harsh and muddy.
- Toast each chile only until fragrant and flexible, not until it darkens sharply.
- Blend the chile base thoroughly with enough soaking liquid, then strain if the sauce feels rough.
Method
How to make it
- Toast the chiles briefly in a dry pan, then cover them with hot water and soak until soft.
- Blend the softened chiles with the rough-chopped white onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, and enough soaking liquid to make a smooth paste.
- Season the beef with salt, sear it in a little oil until browned, then coat it with the chile paste.
- Add the stock, cover, and braise gently until the beef is tender enough to shred.
- Make the pickled onion by tossing the thinly sliced red onion with lime juice and salt. Mix the diced white onion and chopped cilantro for taco garnish.
- Shred the beef and skim the fat from the consomme as needed, then taste and adjust the broth with salt and a little lime if it needs brightness.
- Dip the tortillas lightly in the surface fat or broth, crisp them in a pan, fill with birria, and serve with consomme, onion, cilantro, lime, and pickled onion.