Birria adobo and consomme
The red chilli adobo broth behind birria tacos, ready to braise meat in and to serve as a dipping consomme.
Make this once, then cook it into 30 different dishes.
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.02 a head
- Makesabout 1.6 litres of birria broth, enough to braise 1 kg meat and still have consomme to dip
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Toast the guajillo, ancho and pasilla chillies in a dry pan over a medium heat for 15 to 20 seconds a side until fragrant. Add the arbol chillies for 10 seconds. Cover with the boiling water in a bowl and soak for 20 minutes until soft.
20 min - 2
Meanwhile, grill or dry fry the tomatoes, onion and garlic until charred in places, about 8 minutes. Toast the cumin seeds for 30 seconds.
- 3
Lift the chillies into a blender. Add 300 ml of the soaking water, the tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, cloves, peppercorns and vinegar. Blend for 3 minutes until completely smooth, then press through a sieve.
- 4
Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium high heat. Pour in the sieved puree (it will spit) and fry, stirring, for 6 minutes until thick and darker.
6 min - 5
Add the hot stock, the cinnamon stick, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the broth is rich and slightly reduced.
30 min - 6
Remove the cinnamon and bay leaves. Taste and adjust the salt and vinegar. Skim off any excess fat from the top and keep it for frying tortillas.
- 7
To make consomme, braise meat in the hot broth until tender, then strain, skim and season again. Cool quickly if keeping any.
About birria adobo and consomme
Birria adobo and consomme is a spiced red chilli broth made from dried guajillo, ancho and pasilla chillies, vinegar, garlic and warm spices. It is the braising liquid that makes birria, the slow cooked Mexican meat stew from Jalisco, and after the meat has cooked in it, the same liquid becomes the consomme for dipping.
The adobo is the chilli paste at the heart of it, thinned here with beef stock into a rich, tangy, mildly hot broth. Used on its own it is a ready birria broth for noodles or rice. Used as a braise, it gives meat that sticky red colour and deep flavour.
Braise beef shin or chuck, lamb, goat or mutton in it until tender, then shred the meat for birria tacos or quesabirria. Skim the red fat off the top, strain the liquid and serve it in cups for dipping. Make the broth first, then braise: do not use it as a sauce if it has had raw meat in it unless it has been boiled hard.
Tips
- Use the chillies for flavour, not fire. Guajillo and ancho give a rich, fruity broth, and arbol adds heat. Take out the seeds for a milder birria.
- To braise meat, cover 1 kg of cubed beef shin or chuck with the broth and cook in a covered pot at 160C (140C fan) for 3 hours or until falling apart. Strain, skim the fat and keep the liquid as consomme.
- Skim the red fat off the top of the finished consomme and save it. Brush it over tortillas before frying for quesabirria tacos.
- Salt carefully. Taste the strained consomme after the meat has cooked in it, because stock and reduced juices change the saltiness.
- Gluten free and dairy free as written. Use a gluten free beef stock and check the label, since many stock cubes and pots contain wheat.
- For birria ramen, simmer noodles in the hot consomme or serve it over cooked noodles with shredded meat, onion, coriander and lime.
Storing and freezing
Cool quickly, within 1 to 2 hours, and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in 500 ml portions for up to 3 months. Reheat until it comes to a rolling boil and is steaming hot all the way through.
Dishes you can make with birria adobo and consomme
Quesabirria Tacos (Birria Tacos with Melted Cheese and Consomme)
EFNFHPBirria de Res Estilo Jalisco (Slow Cooked Beef Birria Stew)
DFEFNFBirria de Borrego (Lamb Birria with Red Rice)
GFDFEFBirria de Cerdo (Pork Birria with Salsa Taquera)
GFDFEFBirria de Pollo (Quick Chicken Birria)
DFEFNFRamen de Birria (Birria Ramen)
DFEFNFMulitas de Birria (Birria Corn Tortilla Sandwiches)
EFNFHPTorta Ahogada de Birria (Drowned Birria Sandwich)
EFNFHPTostadas de Birria (Crisp Tostadas with Birria Beef)
EFNFHPHuaraches de Birria (Masa Huaraches with Birria and Salsa Verde)
GFEFNFBurritos de Birria (Birria Beef and Rice Burritos)
EFNFHPEnchiladas de Birria (Birria Enchiladas)
EFNFHPQuestions
What is birria consomme?
It is the rich red broth that birria meat cooks in. Once the meat is cooked, the liquid is strained, skimmed of fat and served in small cups for dipping tacos into. It tastes of chilli, spices and slow cooked beef.
Can I use this broth without the meat?
Yes. It is a flavoured, ready to use birria style broth you can sip, use for noodles or rice, or simmer vegetables in. It tastes richer and thicker once meat has cooked in it, but it is good on its own.
What cut of meat is best?
Beef shin, chuck or short rib all work in the UK and give a gelatinous broth. Traditional birria uses goat, lamb or mutton. Cook until it shreds easily with a fork, about 3 hours at 160C (140C fan) in a covered pot.
Is it spicy?
Medium. Guajillo, ancho and pasilla are mild and fruity, while the chiles de arbol bring the heat. Drop the arbol chillies for a family friendly version, or add two more for a hot birria.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, if you use a gluten free beef stock. Check the label, as many stock cubes contain wheat. The chillies, vinegar and spices are naturally gluten free, but always check packaging if you cook for someone with coeliac disease.
How do I make it safe to keep after cooking meat in it?
Cool it within 1 to 2 hours, keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, and bring it to a full rolling boil before serving or reusing. Never reuse a marinade or broth with raw meat in it unless boiled first.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.