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My Birria Consome is a rich and deeply flavorful Mexican sauce made with a mixture of savory, sweet, earthy, smoky, and spicy seasonings which bring incredible flavor to every single bite. Birria consome can be used as the base for a Mexican beef stew, but I love to take the consume and use it as a sauce for quesabirria tacos, burritos, over rice, or even chimichangas!
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Best Birria Tacos Dipping Sauce
One of my favorite recipes ever lately is beef birria stew. If you have ever had birria, then you know how richly flavorful it is and how incredible the texture of the beef becomes. My favorite part of making beef birria, though, is the birria consome itself.
Oh, it is so delicious! Made with two types of chiles and the perfect blend of seasonings, I just can't get enough of it as a birria tacos dipping sauce and even as a sauce to top off the rice.
Leftover birria consome would be amazing with thinly sliced steak like Carne Asada, and I can imagine how delicious it would taste with shredded pulled pork or even smoked brisket. It is my favorite dipping sauce for empanadas!
I tried it! It came out so good. Was so delicious. Keeper recipe. I shared it with 2 of my friends.😍
Ingrid on Pinterest
What is birria made of?
- boneless chuck roast
- olive oil
- guajillo chiles
- ancho chiles
- tomatoes
- onion
- garlic
- cinnamon stick
- bay leaf
- dried oregano
- cumin
- dried thyme
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- beef broth
To make the best birria consome, you need to cook the beef, too. It adds so much to the depth of flavor of the birria sauce. The best part about making the beef along with the consome is you can then shred the beef to use for birria tacos!
Birria Sauce FAQs
Barbacoa traditionally uses the same meat as birria, but is steamed and slow-cooked rather than cooked submerged in a broth. The result is a dish of smooth, shredded meat, typically not spicy.
Birria, however, is cooked with a variety of spices, submerged in a broth. It has the consistency of a stew, and is typically spicy where barbacoa is not.
Birria tacos are a style of tacos where the tortillas are dipped in the thin layer of fat that floats to the top of the birria, then filled with meat and thrown on the griddle, giving them their Instagram-worthy look and addictive crispy exterior! Birria is often served with lemon juice, diced yellow onions, and cilantro. My birria consome can then be used as a dipping sauce for the tacos, it is loaded with flavor and adds the perfect touch to any of your favorite Mexican dishes.
Birria is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. It is traditionally served as a soup or stew made from a combination of chili pepper-based goat meat adobo, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and thyme, and cooked at a low heat. In the case of this recipe, we use beef.
Birria consome refers to the sauce birria beef is cooked in. Birria is a slow-cooked Mexican stew, and the consome is the broth itself that serves as a sauce, either with the shredded beef as is, or as a dip for birria tacos using the meat.
The leftover birria consome can be repurposed in a number of ways. Use it like stock, to cook beans, and infuse them with all the flavors of the birria, or stretch it into another meal by dropping in some matzo balls to poach or turn into beef stew.
Birria consome is naturally grain and gluten-free. Just be mindful of the beef broth you are using, as some variations may contain gluten.
Traditional birria recipes are typically spicy, but the flavor of my dish is a nice balance of earthy and spicy flavors. Using guajillo and ancho chiles, my birria recipe is only mildly hot.
For more heat, try adding dried chiles de árbol. These hot peppers add a sharp flavor to birria stew that's just perfect for matching with the earthy flavors of the rest of the dish.
Birria consome has a rich, earthy taste and is deeply flavorful without being overpowering. My birria consome recipe has a mild spice level, although you can make it more spicy by adding dried chiles de arbol.
This recipe for birria consome is keto-friendly, and a flavorful way to keep yourself on track.
Typically birria is made with goat meat, but it can also be made with beef or mutton.
How to Make Birria Sauce
- Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When hot, season beef with salt and pepper and add to pot. Sear on all sides. Add half of the onion to the pot and cook two minutes more. Remove dutch oven from heat and set aside while you make the sauce.
- Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile peppers. In a medium pot, add the chiles, tomatoes, half onion, garlic cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Pour in enough water to cover all ingredients, about 4 to 5 cups. Place on stove over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Add remaining seasonings to the sauce pot: dried oregano, cumin seeds, dried thyme, and salt and peppercorns. Give it a stir and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes. Strain the contents of the sauce pot into a large wire-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and discard. Place remaining solids into a blender.
- Add 2 cups of the broth from the sauce into the blender, plus 1 cup of beef broth. Whirl until well blended. Taste and add more salt if needed and blend just until mixed in.
- Place the pot with the beef and onion back on the stove at medium heat. Pour the contents of the blender over the beef. If the sauce is not enough liquid to cover the beef, pour in enough beef broth to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and lower heat. Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 2½ to 3 hours.
Another one of my favorite beef recipes is my London Broil Marinade! It is so easy to prepare and has the most amazing flavors!
Birria Consomé Recipe Tips
- For more heat, try adding dried chiles de árbol. These hot peppers add a sharp flavor to birria stew that's just perfect for matching with the earthy flavors of the rest of the dish.
- When browning the meat, be sure to get a good sear on the bottom of the pan. This is where flavor starts and gives depth to any soup, stew, or sauce.
- Blending the ingredients is super important to achieve the birria consome texture. You want a smooth sauce for dipping.
- For an extra special touch, use homemade beef broth. It will really intensify the flavors!
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
This is an excellent sauce to make ahead of time for moments
- Storage: Birria consome is best kept in a sealed container left in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: To freeze birria consome, place in a sealed, airtight container or freezer bag with a label for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: To reheat from the refrigerator, gently warm the sauce over the stove in a saucepan until the desired temperature is reached. You can also reheat in the microwave in small increments. To reheat from the freezer, allow the sauce to thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat by stovetop or microwave.
What to Serve with Birria Consome
- I love to use this consume to make my Birria Tacos with my Crema Sauce!
- You can also serve this consome over rice or tossed with noodles (I have even come across variations where birria consome is used as the base for birria ramen- yum!).
- As a broth for the base of any other favorite Mexican soups or stews.
- With thin-sliced Carne Asada
- Shredded Grilled Pork Butt
- Over top Smoked Beef Brisket
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📖 Recipe
Amazing Birria Consomé Recipe
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
- Kitchen scissors
- Medium pot
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless chuck roast cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 dried guajillo chiles
- 2 dried ancho chiles
- 2 roma tomatoes quartered
- 1 medium onion halved
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ inch cinnamon stick up to 2-inch
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 cups beef broth
Instructions
- Place a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. When hot, season beef with salt and pepper and add to pot. Sear on all sides. Add half of the onion to the pot and cook two minutes more. Remove dutch oven from heat and set aside while you make the sauce.3 pounds boneless chuck roast, 2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile peppers. In a medium pot, add the chiles, tomatoes, half onion, garlic cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Pour in enough water to cover all ingredients, about 4 to 5 cups. Place on stove over medium-high heat and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.3 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles, 2 roma tomatoes, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 ½ inch cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf
- Add remaining seasonings to the sauce pot: dried oregano, cumin seeds, dried thyme, and salt and peppercorns. Give it a stir and simmer for 10 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple minutes.1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- Strain the contents of the sauce pot into a large wire-mesh strainer over a large bowl. Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and discard. Place remaining solids into a blender.
- Add 2 cups of the broth from the sauce into the blender, plus 1 cup of beef broth. Whirl until well blended. Taste and add more salt if needed and blend just until mixed in.1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste, 2 cups beef broth, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- Place the pot with the beef and onion back on the stove at medium heat. Pour the contents of the blender over the beef. If the sauce is not enough liquid to cover the beef, pour in enough beef broth to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and lower heat. Simmer until meat is tender and shreds easily, about 2½ to 3 hours.
Video
Notes
- For more heat, try adding dried chiles de árbol. These hot peppers add a sharp flavor to birria stew that's just perfect for matching with the earthy flavors of the rest of the dish.
- When browning the meat, be sure to get a good sear on the bottom of the pan. This is where flavor starts and gives depth to any soup, stew, or sauce.
- Blending the ingredients is super important to achieve the birria consome texture. You want a smooth sauce for dipping.
- For an extra special touch, use homemade beef broth. It will really intensify the flavors!
Nutrition
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T says
It was good a lil messy lol 🤣 but great!!!
Bill Harod says
I'm a big onion fan, so I doubled the amount; the consomme came out thicker and slightly chunky (small fine bits, but nonetheless, not a thin consomme texture). So I added beef broth and strain it through a fine sieve, kept the flavor, lost the chunks and it turned out beautiful.
Isabel Laessig says
That is awesome, Bill. Thank you for sharing with us - we love onions too and that sounds delicious. Perfect solution!
TJ says
The best ever!! Very flavorful and of course you can add your own spices but this had the whole house smelling delicious.
Isabel Laessig says
That's so awesome, TJ! Thank you so much for your comment!
Tina says
What do you do with the leftover liquid from boiling the spices I have 2 cups left 😁
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Tina! I would add it to the meat to simmer it down. Thank you for your question!
Aly says
Honestly the best recipe for birria ever. My fiancé rated it better than our local Mexican restaurant😍
Isabel Laessig says
That is incredible to hear, Aly! We're so glad you enjoyed it so much! Thank you!
Tammy says
I have been wanting to make this for quite some time.. have been intimidated haha. But I have the stuff to make it and gonna use this recipe ... I know it will be delicious... cant wait to try....
Stacey Calacal says
Do you have a suggestion on how to to cook this in a crockpot?
em says
Hi Stacey! You can prepare it exactly the same way, then add it to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours. It will be at its best at about 8-10 hours, but it may be done for you by 6 - just check that the meat shreds easily.
Zu says
I have made this a few times now and I love it! I made it on New Year’s Eve for 20 ppl and just multiplied the recipe and everyone loved it. Will continue to make. I don’t really mess with original recipe and just leave it as is works for me! Thank you!
em says
We're so glad you and your guests enjoyed it, Zu! This is by far one of our favorites! Thanks so much!
Mamacita says
What can I substitute for the dried chilis?
Isabel Laessig says
Hi there! It won't taste the same without the chilies, but you could leave them completely out, or I have known some people to replace them with chili powder and canned chipotles in adobo. I would use about 1 teaspoon chili powder.
Ruth says
I have homemade chicken stock, can I use that or should it really be beef stock? This sounds so good!
Isabel Laessig says
Hi Ruth! You can definitely use your chicken stock if you like! It will likely change the flavor somewhat, but it should be absolutely delicious. Enjoy!