• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mexican Food Journal logo
  • Recipe Index
    • Salsas & Sauces
    • Tacos
    • Enchiladas and Enmoladas
    • Soups
    • Desserts
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Chicken
    • Beverages
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Tamales
    • Salads
    • Eggs
  • About
  • Contact
  • Join Community
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Salsas
  • Tacos
  • Enchiladas
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • Seafood
  • Soups
  • Drinks
  • Chiles
×
You are here: Home / Beef / Birria with Consomé

Birria with Consomé

Lori Alcalá, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Beef Birria Wrapped in Tetelas

Eating a bowl of birria is like discovering the richness of Mexican cuisine all over again. Originally from the state of Jalisco, Mexico, birria combines a rich broth with slow-cooked meat, garnished with lime, cilantro and onions, and served with tortillas. While the original recipe calls for goat meat, each region has created unique variations.

Birria is typically eaten as a soup, but in this recipe, we’ll show you how to make beef birria stuffed in a corn tortilla turnover (tetela) with the broth on the side for dipping.

Authentic Mexican Birria

Mexican Beef Birria in Tetela

Inside these tetelas, you’ll find juicy, slow-cooked beef birria. Tetelas hail from the Mixtec region of Mexico (which includes Puebla and Oaxaca). The savory birria broth is the perfect companion.

What to Expect from This Recipe

Birria features a salty, slightly spicy broth. In this beef birria recipe, we slow-cook beef ribs, then chop the meat and reserve the broth for dipping. The meat is then placed in the tetela and topped with Adobera cheese — a fresh cheese from Guadalajara made from cow’s milk. The tetela is then folded, sealed and heated until crispy, and is served alongside the broth for dipping.

How the Recipe Is Structured

This beef birria recipe is broken down into the following sections:

  • Marinating the Ribs
  • Steaming the Ribs
  • Making the Broth
  • Preparing the Tetelas
  • Assembling and Serving

When ready to eat, dip the meat- and cheese-filled delight into the broth and get ready for a flavor explosion!

Mexican Birria

Meet the Chef

This recipe is another creation from Chef Alex Torres, executive chef and founder of  Naakary restaurant in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. (See his recipe for Crispy Ribeye Tacos.)

Chef Alexis Torres Cooking

Learn How to Make Birria with Consomé

Ingredients

For the Beef and Marinade

  • 1.25 lbs. beef ribs
  • 4 Guajillo or mirasol chilis
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 large pinches coarse grain salt
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 8 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 6 ½ cups water
  • 2 Bay leaves

For the Broth

  • ½ lb. Roma tomatoes
  • 3 ozs. yellow pear tomatoes
  • 3 ozs spring onion
  • 2″ fermented garlic scape (stem) + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Tetela, Filling and Garnish

  • 2 ozs. fresh cilantro
  • 1.5 ozs. adobera cheese
  • ¾ lb. corn masa (dough)

Birria Ingredients

Marinate the Ribs

Make the Marinade

Devein your chilis and add them to the blender jar, followed by the garlic powder.

Garlic Powder for Birria Broth

Next, add in the thyme.

Thyme Birria Marinade

Then the ginger powder.

Ginger Powder in Birria Marinade

Next, add in the pepper.

Pepper Birria Marinade

Then the salt.

Adding Salt to Birria Marinade

Next, add the cloves.

Cloves in Birria Marinade

Pour in the vinegar.

Pouring Vinegar into Birria Marinade

Finally, add the fermented garlic scape and vegetable oil to the jar.

Fermented Garlic Scape Birria Broth

Now your marinade is ready to blend.

Birria Marinade Ready to Blend

Blend all the ingredients until smooth. The marinade should be a deep red-orange color.

Birria Marinade

Sear and Marinate the Ribs

Before we marinate the ribs, we’ll sear them to make sure the meat stays juicy. Place the ribs on a preheated grill or griddle and sear for about two minutes. Flip and sear the other side for two minutes.

Ribs on Grill

Transfer the ribs to a bowl.

Seared Ribs in Bowl

Pour the marinade over the ribs.

Marinating Beef Ribs

Stir to cover the entire surface of the ribs with marinade.

Stir Marinate Ribs

Let the ribs marinate for 30 minutes.

Ribs in Marinade

Steam the Ribs

Now it’s time to steam the ribs. First, add the water to a medium-sized pot.

Pouring Water in Pot

Next, add the bay leaves. Tip: If you don’t have a traditional steamer or a basket that fits snugly into your pot, place a small, inverted metal cup into the water, and then add the basket. The cup will serve as a base and keep the basket from sagging or moving around.

Adding Bay Leaves to Pot

Place the marinated ribs in the steamer basket in the pot and cover.

Marinated Ribs in Steamer

Put the pot on the stove and steam over medium-low heat for an hour.

Pot on Grill

Make the Broth

Now we’ll make the broth. After steaming, we’ll cook the ribs in this broth for a few hours until the meat is nice and tender. First, slice the Roma tomatoes into wedges.

Slicing Tomatoes

Next, slice off the green stem of the spring onion and reserve for another use. Then, slice the white portion in half lengthwise.

Slicing Spring Onion

Add the yellow pear tomatoes to the jar.

Yellow Pear Tomatoes

Then add the tomatoes and spring onions to the jar.

Spring Onions for Marinade

Blend all ingredients until you have a deep, smooth broth mixture.

Birria Broth

Cook and Chop the Ribs

Cook the Ribs

Once the ribs have finished steaming, uncover the pot.

Pot with Ribs

Using kitchen tongs, remove the steamer basket with the ribs.

Ribs in Steamer Basket

Put the ribs back into the same pot with the existing broth.
Placing Ribs in Pot

Now pour the newly prepared broth mixture into the pot.

Pouring Birria Broth into Pot

Cover the pot.

Pot of Birria

Cook over low heat for three to four hours, or until the meat is very tender.

Cooking Birria

Chop the Meat

Once the meat is ready, place on a cutting board and remove the bones.

Removing Bones from Ribs

Now chop the meat.

Chopping Rib Meat

Looks so juicy and tasty!

Chopped Beef Ribs

Prepare the Tetelas

Shape and Press the Dough

Now we’re ready to shape the tetelas that will hold the meat. First, grab your pre-made dough.

Ball of Dough

Place the dough into a mixing bowl and pinch off chunks to make about 10 golfball-sized balls.

Tetela Ball of Dough

One at a time, place a ball of dough on a tortilla press lined with plastic wrap and flatten the dough slightly with your hand.

Dough on Tortilla Press

Close the tortilla press to flatten the dough.

Tortilla Press

Transfer the tetela with the plastic wrap to a cutting board and prepare to fill. It looks like a tortilla now, but soon we’ll fold it into a little triangular package.

Tetela Dough Pressed

Fill the Tetela

Place about two tablespoons of meat into the center of the dough.

Filling Tetelas

Slice the adobera cheese.

Slicing Adobera Cheese

Criss-cross three slices of cheese on top of the meat.

Meat and Cheese on Tetela

Fold the Tetelas

Now we’ll fold into a triangular shape. Supported by your plastic wrap or bag, fold one third of the dough over the filling toward the center of the circle.

Tetela Fold 1

Pick up the plastic to fold over the second side, making a triangular point at the top of the two folds.

Tetela Fold 2

Finally, fold the bottom up to complete your triangle.

Tetela Fold 3

Your tetela is now ready to heat!

Folded Tetela

Heat and Eat

Heat the Tetelas

Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Gently place the tetela on the griddle seam side up.

Tetela on Griddle

Heat for 3-5 minutes or until toasted on one side. Then flip and heat the other side.

Heating Tetelas on Griddle

Serve and Enjoy

Transfer three of the heated tetelas to a serving plate with a small bowl for the broth.

Tetelas on Plate

Ladle the birria broth into the bowl.

Ladling Birria Broth with Tetelas

Top the broth off with a squeeze of lime and garnish your dish with cilantro sprigs.

Squeezing Lime in Birria Broth

To eat, dip the tetela into the broth and take an amazing, juicy bite. Be sure to have napkins handy!

Dipping Tetela into Birria Broth

So delicious!

Birria Broth and Tetelas

Beef Birria Wrapped in Tetelas
Print Pin
No ratings yet

Birria

Learn how to make beef birria stuffed in a corn tortilla turnover (tetela) with the broth on the side for dipping.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword beef birria, birria recipe, how to make birria
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 640kcal
Author Andrés Carnalla

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Large pot and lid
  • Griddle
  • Steamer basket
  • Kitchen Tongs
  • Kitchen knife
  • Cutting board
  • Tortilla press
  • Plastic Wrap

Ingredients

For the Beef and Marinade

  • 1.25 lbs. Beef rib meat
  • 4 Guajillo or mirasol chilis
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon Thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon Pepper
  • 2 large pinches Coarse grain salt
  • 8 tablespoon White vinegar
  • 6 ½ cups Water
  • 2 Bay leaves

For the Broth

  • ½ lb Roma tomatoes
  • 3 ozs Yellow pear tomatoes
  • 3 ozs Spring onion

For the Tetela, Filling and Garnish

  • ¾ lb Corn masa (dough)
  • 1 ½ ozs Adobera cheese
  • 2 ozs Fresh cilantro

Instructions

Make the Marinade

  • Devein the chilis and add them to the blender jar.
  • Then add the garlic powder, thyme, ginger powder, pepper and coarse grain salt.
  • Next add the cloves, fermented garlic and oil.
  • Blend all the ingredients until smooth. The marinade should be a deep red-orange color.

Sear and Marinate the Ribs

  • Before we marinate the ribs, we’ll sear them to make sure the meat stays juicy. Place the ribs on your grill or griddle and sear for about two minutes. Flip and sear the other side for two minutes.
  • Transfer the ribs to a bowl and pour the marinade over the ribs.
  • Stir to cover the entire surface of the ribs with marinade.
  • Let the ribs marinate for 30 minutes.

Steam the Ribs

  • Add the water to a medium-sized pot or steamer.
  • Tip: If you don't have a traditional steamer or a basket that fits snugly into your pot, place a small, inverted metal cup into the water, and then add the basket. The cup will serve as a base and keep the basket from sagging or moving around.
  • Next, add the bay leaves.
  • Place the marinated ribs in the steamer basket in the pot and cover.
  • Put the pot on the stove and steam over medium-low heat for an hour.

Make the Broth Mixture

  • After steaming, we’ll cook the ribs in this broth for a few hours until the meat is nice and tender. First, slice the Roma tomatoes into wedges.
  • Next, slice off the green stem of the spring onion and reserve for another use. Then, slice the white portion in half lengthwise.
  • Add the yellow pear tomatoes, Roma tomatoes and spring onions to the jar.
  • Blend all ingredients until you have a deep, smooth mixture. Reserve.

Cook and Chop the Ribs

  • Once the ribs have finished steaming, remove them from the steamer basket using kitchen tongs and place them back inside the cooking water.
  • Now pour the newly prepared broth mixture into the pot.
  • Cover the pot and cook over low heat for three to four hours, or until the meat is very tender.
  • Once the meat is ready, place on a cutting board, remove the bones and chop the meat.

Shape and Press the Tetelas

  • Place pre-made corn masa (dough) into a mixing bowl and pinch off chunks to make about 10 golfball-sized balls.
  • One at a time, place a ball of dough on a tortilla press lined with plastic wrap and flatten the dough slightly with your hand.
  • Close the tortilla press to flatten the dough.
  • Transfer the tetela with the plastic wrap to a cutting board and prepare to fill. It looks like a tortilla at this point, but soon we’ll fold it into a little triangular package.

Fill and Fold the Tetelas

  • Place about two tablespoons of meat into the center of the dough.
  • Slice the adobera cheese and criss-cross three slices of cheese on top of the meat.
  • Supported by your plastic wrap or bag, fold one third of the dough over the filling toward the center of the circle.
  • Pick up the plastic to fold over the second side, making a triangular point at the top of the two folds.
  • Finally, fold the bottom up to complete your triangle.
  • Your tetela is now ready to heat!

Heat and Eat

  • Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Gently place the tetela on the griddle seam side up.
  • Heat for 3-5 minutes or until toasted on one side. Then flip and heat the other side.
  • To serve, transfer three of the heated tetelas to a serving plate with a small bowl for the broth.
  • Ladle the birria broth into the bowl.
  • Top the broth off with a squeeze of lime and garnish your dish with cilantro sprigs.
  • To eat, dip the tetela into the broth and take an amazing, juicy bite. Be sure to have napkins handy! Mmmmmm!

Nutrition

Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 427mg | Potassium: 1143mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2782IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 187mg | Iron: 11mg

More Mexican Beef Recipes from the Blog

  • Crispy Ribeye Tacos
  • Albondigas Mexicanas
  • Bistec a la Mexicana
  • Mexican Carne Asada

 

More Beef

  • Albondigas Mexicanas
  • Grilled Sirloin Cap Roast (Picaña)
  • Ribeye Tacos with Habanero Salsa
  • Pan-Fried Meatballs

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano
D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 Mexico Publishing LLC