Description
Authentic Birria is a traditional Mexican stew made with tender beef simmered in a rich and flavorful sauce crafted from dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles, along with aromatic spices and charred vegetables. This hearty dish is perfect served as tacos with tortillas dipped in the meat’s flavorful consomé, garnished with fresh onion, cilantro, and cheese.
Ingredients
Meat and Broth
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast or short ribs (or a mix), cut into large chunks
- 6 cups beef broth or water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Chiles and Sauce
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 1 medium white onion, halved
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For Serving (Optional)
- Corn tortillas
- Chopped onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Shredded cheese
Instructions
- Toast and Soak Chiles: Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt. Place them in a bowl and cover with hot water; let soak for 15 minutes to soften.
- Char Vegetables: While chiles soak, char the halved white onion, tomatoes, and peeled garlic cloves in the same skillet or under a broiler until they are lightly blackened, adding depth of flavor.
- Prepare Chile Sauce: Drain the soaked chiles and transfer them to a blender with the charred onion, tomatoes, garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, ground cinnamon, cloves, apple cider vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Blend until smooth, adding a small amount of beef broth if necessary to help blending. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve for a silky texture.
- Sear the Meat: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef chunks on all sides until a deep golden crust forms to lock in juices and enhance flavor.
- Braise the Meat: Pour the prepared chile sauce over the seared beef, add the bay leaves and remaining beef broth. Stir to combine, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let cook undisturbed for 3 to 3.5 hours until the meat is tender and easily shredded.
- Finish and Adjust Seasoning: Once cooked, skim any excess fat from the surface and taste the broth, adjusting salt and pepper as needed to balance flavors.
- Serve as Tacos: Shred the braised meat. For an authentic experience, dip corn tortillas into the surface fat and fry them briefly on a skillet until pliable and slightly crisp. Fill tortillas with birria meat, topped with chopped onion, fresh cilantro, and shredded cheese if desired. Serve alongside a bowl of the consommé for dipping.
Notes
- Traditional birria can also be made using goat or lamb for an authentic variation.
- The flavors of birria improve significantly after resting overnight, making it ideal for next-day enjoyment.
- For extra heat, add 1–2 dried arbol chiles to the chile blend before blending.
