Birria's signature red color comes from toasting guajillo chiles until they're almost burnt—most recipes stop too early.
Beef Birria
Dive into the savory world of Beef Birria, a classic Mexican delight that brings rich, tender beef to your table, simmered to perfection in a flavorful consomé. Garnish your bowl with zesty lime, fresh cilantro, and crunchy onions, then wrap it all up in warm tortillas for the ultimate bite. Get ready for a fiesta of flavors that will have everyone coming back for seconds!
The Story
This Jalisco state masterpiece went viral in 2019 Los Angeles when Mexican-American chefs started dunking quesadillas into the chile-stained consommé—suddenly Instagram exploded with 'birria tacos' that traditionalists from Guadalajara initially called culinary blasphemy, but now even abuela admits the cheese-meets-broth combo is pure genius that's conquered American food trucks from coast to coast.
Regional Twist
In Tijuana, they swap the chuck roast for oxtail and short ribs, double the guajillo chiles, then finish with a shot of mezcal that transforms the consommé into liquid fire.
Prep
30
min
Cook
270
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
450
Protein
28g
Carbs
42g
Fat
15g
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 2 ancho chiles
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) beef bouillon
- 4 lbs (1.81 kg) boneless chuck roast
- 1 tsp (5 ml) cilantro seeds
- 10 guajillo chiles
- 2 roma tomatoes
- 0.5 white onion
- 2 árbol chiles
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- apple cider vinegar (to taste)
- bay leaves (to taste)
- beef broth (to taste)
- cumin seeds (to taste)
- garlic cloves (to taste)
- high-heat oil (to taste)
- low sodium soy sauce (to taste)
- mexican cinnamon (to taste)
- mexican oregano (to taste)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- whole cloves (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a pan, lightly toast the spices (dry chiles, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, coriander, bay leaves).
- 2
In a large Dutch oven, char the vegetables (tomato, onion, garlic).
- 3
In a medium pot, add the dried chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, cloves, coriander, beef bouillon, oregano, and beef broth. Simmer until chiles and vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes.
- 4
Add high-heat oil to the Dutch oven, season with salt, and sear the beef in batches. Set aside.
- 5
Once the chiles, vegetables, and spices are softened, blend with the infused broth until smooth.
- 6
Pass the chile sauce through a large mesh strainer into the Dutch oven and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.
- 7
Add the seared beef, soy sauce, vinegar, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves back to the pot with the chile sauce. Reduce heat to low and cover.
- 8
Simmer until the beef is fall-apart tender, about 3-4.5 hours depending on the size of the beef chunks.
- 9
Serve with consomé, cilantro, lime, onion, and a side of tortillas.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast dried chiles for exactly 30-45 seconds per side until fragrant but not blackened - overtoasted chiles create bitter compounds that will dominate the entire consommé.timing30-45 seconds per side
- ✓Char vegetables until 25-30% of surface area is blackened to develop Maillard reaction compounds that add smoky depth without overpowering the chile flavors.technique25-30% surface charring
- ✓Sear chuck roast at 400-450°F oil temperature to create a proper crust while keeping interior below 120°F - this prevents moisture loss during the long braise.technique400-450°F oil temp
- ✓Strain the chile sauce through a fine mesh to remove skin particles, then simmer uncovered for exactly 5 minutes to concentrate flavors and reduce water content by 15-20%.timing15-20% reduction
- ✓Maintain braising temperature at 200-225°F internal pot temperature - higher temps break down collagen too quickly, creating mushy texture instead of tender shreds.technique200-225°F internal temp
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