Description
Authentic Birria is a traditional Mexican stew made with tender, slow-cooked beef simmered in a rich, smoky chili sauce. This recipe combines dried guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chilies with aromatic spices and fresh ingredients to create a deeply flavorful dish perfect for serving as a hearty stew or in tacos with warm corn tortillas.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 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
Serving
- 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. Then 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 and strain the sauce for a smoother texture if desired.
- Sear the Meat: Season the beef with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and 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, adding extra beef broth if needed to fully submerge the meat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours until the beef becomes fall-apart tender.
- Shred & Serve: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and simmer for an additional 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Enjoy: Serve the birria as a stew accompanied by warm corn tortillas or use the meat to make delicious tacos. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro, diced white onion, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, straining after blending is recommended but optional.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste after blending the sauce and before simmering.
- You can substitute beef chuck with short ribs or a combination for varied texture and flavor.
- Leftover birria meat can be refrigerated and reheated for tacos or other meals.
- Serve with consommé (the braising liquid) as a dipping sauce for tacos if desired.
