Description
This authentic Birria recipe features tender, slow-cooked beef simmered in a rich, flavorful chile sauce. Perfect as a hearty stew or delicious taco filling, this Mexican classic combines dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles with aromatic spices to create deep, complex flavors. Serve birria with warm corn tortillas dipped in broth and garnished with cheese, onions, and cilantro for a traditional and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast (or a mix of chuck and short ribs)
Chiles & Spices
- 3 dried guajillo chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 2 dried ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 2 dried pasilla chiles (optional, for extra depth)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Other Ingredients
- 1 medium white onion (quartered)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon oil (for searing)
- warm corn tortillas (for serving)
Instructions
- Soak Chiles: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the dried guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Turn off the heat and let them soak for 15 minutes until softened.
- Prepare Chile Sauce: In a blender, combine the softened chiles, quartered onion, garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cloves, 1 tablespoon salt, and black pepper. Add about 1 cup of the soaking liquid or beef broth to help blend smoothly until you get a rich, smooth sauce.
- Season and Sear Beef: Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until nicely browned to develop flavor.
- Simmer with Sauce: Pour the chile sauce over the seared meat. Add the remaining beef broth, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Stir gently, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 3 to 3½ hours, or until the meat is tender and shreds easily. Alternatively, use a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or a pressure cooker for 1 hour for faster cooking.
- Shred Beef: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded meat to the broth. Skim any excess fat from the surface if desired to lighten the dish.
- Serve: Serve the birria as a hearty stew in bowls. For tacos, dip warm corn tortillas into the birria broth, fry them in a skillet until crispy, then fill with shredded meat, cheese, onions, and cilantro. Accompany with a small cup of broth for dipping the tacos.
Notes
- Substitute lamb or goat for beef to create a more traditional birria.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more or fewer dried chiles according to preference.
- This birria freezes well and the flavors deepen when reheated, making it excellent the next day.
