Tender beef braised in a rich sauce perfumed with chiles and warm spices makes some of the best tacos on the planet. Rich and flavorful, birria is now my favorite Mexican beef dish. Though you see birria used mainly for tacos, it is equally delicious shredded for burritos and quesadillas. You can even serve it as a main dish with Mexican rice and beans. And no doubt, it would also make a superb filling for tamales.
This dish was traditionally made with goat meat, but beef, lamb and chicken can also be used. My preference is to make birria with beef although I’m curious about trying it with chicken too.
My favorite way to serve birria is to tuck some of the shredded meat into corn tortillas with a bit of cheese and pan fry until crispy. It is the same technique I use for tacos dorados.
Dried chiles make the sauce velvety rich and flavorful. Most birrias are not spicy though you can add a few hot chiles for a bolder flavor. To please all palates, keep the birria on the mild side and have your favorite hot sauce available for those who want to spice it up.
Dried chiles are vibrantly colored and can be smooth (Guajillo) or wrinkly (Ancho). They add a depth of flavor that is slightly sweet, smokey and totally satisfying.
Toasting spices intensifies their flavor which in turn enhances the taste of the birria sauce.
Cooked low and slow, the birria emerges from the oven looking crazy good.
Serve the birria with a side of sliced avocado and Mexican rice like this one, or this one. Add some grated cheese, jalapeños, sour cream, and lots of diced onion and cilantro for the perfect taco.
Beef Birria
8 – 10
servingsSpecial equipment: Large Dutch oven with cover, large high powered blender such as Vitamix
Ingredients
- Beef
4 pounds chuck steak, cut into 3-inch cubes
Kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal or 1 1/2 heaping teaspoons Morton’s)
Freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil for frying
- Sauce
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 small cinnamon stick
2 medium ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
4 guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2-3 chile de arbor (optional for spicy version)
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 cloves of garlic, smashed
7 ounces fire roasted tomatoes (half of a 14 ounce can)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 cups beef stock
1/8 teaspoon (a pinch) ground cloves
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- To serve
Corn tortillas, diced onions, cheddar or other melty cheese, cilantro, nacho rings, sour cream, Mexican rice
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees with rack on bottom third level.
- Beef
- Toss meat cubes with kosher salt (about 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 1/2 heaping teaspoons Morton’s) and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven (one that will accommodate all of the beef and sauce) over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches, until deeply browned adding more oil as needed. Transfer beef to a bowl. Do not wash pot.
- Sauce
- In a small skillet toast peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and cinnamon stick on medium-low heat tossing frequently for 1-2 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and set aside. Transfer peppercorns and seeds to a small bowl to cool.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add chiles (seeded and stemmed) submerging them in the hot water. Let soak for 15 minutes to soften. Drain and transfer to a large high powered blender (Vitamix or similar).
- Using the same Dutch oven, heat a few teaspoons of oil over medium heat and sauté onions until softened, about 4 minutes. Add crushed garlic and sauté another minute. Add toasted spices (except cinnamon stick). Add 2 cups of beef stock, vinegar and lime juice. Deglaze the pan. Transfer mixture to a high powered blender along with rehydrated chiles. Add additional 2 cups beef stock, tomatoes, ground cloves and oregano. Blend until completely smooth.
- Add beef back to the Dutch oven and pour sauce over the meat. Give it a stir so the meat is nicely coated and covered with the sauce. Add bay leaf and toasted cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer then transfer to oven and cook covered until meat is very tender and can easily be shredded with a fork, about 3 hours.
- Remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Transfer beef to a large bowl and shred with two forks. See note below on how to prepare corn tortillas for pan frying. You may also choose to serve the birria on warmed corn tortillas or wrapped in a soft flour tortilla.
Notes
- If making pan fried tacos, prepare corn tortillas by lightly spraying or brushing oil on each side. Place tortillas on foil, slightly overlapping. Bake for about 4 minutes at 400 degrees until tortillas are pliable. This will allow you to fill and fold the tortillas without them cracking. Place some shredded meat on half of the tortilla and sprinkle a little cheese over the meat. Fold tortilla and pan fry in a bit of canola oil following my tacos dorados recipe.