Description
Authentic Birria is a traditional Mexican stew made with tender beef slow-cooked in a rich, flavorful chili-based sauce. This hearty dish features a blend of dried chilies, spices, and aromatics, resulting in a deeply savory and slightly smoky flavor perfect for serving as a stew or in tacos with fresh garnishes like cilantro, onion, and lime.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Seasoning
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast (or short ribs, or a mix)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Chili Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chipotle chilies
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
To Serve
- Warm corn tortillas
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Diced white onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the Chilies: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chilies for about 30 seconds on each side until fragrant. Transfer the chilies to a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes to soften.
- Blend the Sauce: Drain the softened chilies and add them to a blender along with beef broth, chopped onion, minced garlic, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, and chopped tomato. Blend until smooth. For a smoother texture, strain the sauce through a fine sieve if desired.
- Sear the Meat: Season the beef chuck roast with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Simmer the Birria: Pour the blended chili sauce over the seared beef in the pot. Add additional beef broth as needed to fully submerge the meat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is fall-apart tender.
- Shred & Serve: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce in the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes to meld the flavors together.
- Enjoy: Serve the birria stew hot with warm corn tortillas. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime juice. The meat can also be used as a filling for tacos.
Notes
- You can use beef short ribs or a combination of chuck roast and ribs for added richness.
- Straining the blended chili sauce is optional but recommended for a smoother texture.
- Adjust the salt to taste at the end, especially if your beef broth is sodium-rich.
- If short on time, the cooking time can be done in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low.
- For extra depth, some recipes recommend adding a cinnamon stick or bay leaves during simmering.
- Serve with a side of consommé, the flavorful cooking liquid, as a dipping sauce for the tacos.
