Let’s embark on making this incredible Birria de Res:

1. Prepare Chiles and Char Tomatoes:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
• Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Add the stemmed and seeded guajillo, chile de arbol, and ancho chile peppers to the boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Remove the pot from the heat and allow the peppers to soak in the hot water until softened and cool enough to handle (about 15-20 minutes). Drain the peppers, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, line a heavy cast-iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place it over high heat. Arrange the Roma tomatoes in a single layer on the hot foil. Grill, turning occasionally, until the tomato skin is charred on all sides and begins to peel, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Sear the Beef:

• Rinse the beef chuck roast and pat it thoroughly dry with paper towels. Cut the beef into large chunks (2-3 inches) if desired (this helps with browning and even cooking). Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add the seasoned beef chunks to the hot Dutch oven (work in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding). Cook until well-browned on all sides, about 10-15 minutes total. Remove the browned beef from the Dutch oven and set aside briefly. Do not wipe out the pot.

3. Make and Strain the Adobo Sauce:

• Place the cooled, rehydrated chile peppers into a blender. Add the charred grilled tomatoes, white vinegar, garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons black pepper, whole cloves, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, ground thyme, dried marjoram, dried oregano, and a pinch of salt.
• Pour in the reserved 1/4 cup of chile cooking water.
• Blend on high speed until the sauce is completely smooth.
• Strain the blended chile sauce through a fine-mesh strainer directly into the Dutch oven used for browning the beef, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids left in the strainer.

4. Braise the Birria:

• Return the browned beef to the Dutch oven with the strained adobo sauce. Turn the beef pieces to ensure they are completely covered with the sauce.
• Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.
• Bake in the preheated 325°F oven for 3 to 4 hours, basting the meat with the sauce every 45 minutes. The birria is ready when the beef is fork-tender and beginning to fall apart.
• For the final crisping: Remove the lid and bake, uncovered, for about 20 more minutes, until the top of the birria is slightly crispy.
• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Cover it tightly with 2 layers of aluminum foil and allow the birria to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes.

5. Shred Meat and Prepare Consomé:

• Carefully remove the cooked meat to a cutting board. Strain any excess fat from the remaining sauce in the Dutch oven (this sauce is your consomé!).
• Using two forks, shred the beef. Return the shredded meat to the Dutch oven and stir it with the sauce (consomé) to combine. Keep warm.

6. Assemble and Heat Tacos:

• Fill each corn tortilla with a generous portion of the shredded birria. Top with optional shredded queso asadero, finely chopped white onion, and fresh cilantro.
• Heat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. (Optional authentic step: Lightly dip the filled or unfilled tortillas in the fatty layer of the consomé before griddling for extra flavor and color).
• Warm the assembled tacos on the hot griddle, flipping once, until both sides are lightly crispy and the cheese (if using) is melted.

7. Serve:

• Serve the hot Birria de Res Tacos immediately with small bowls of the warm, strained consomé on the side for dipping. Offer extra chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

A true labor of love with spectacular results