Birria's signature red color comes from toasted Guajillo chiles that must be charred exactly 30 seconds or they turn bitter.
Birria
Dive into the mouthwatering world of birria, a savory Mexican stew that’s a taco lover's dream! With tender, slow-cooked beef marinated in a rich blend of spices and a hint of smoky chiles, this dish delivers an explosion of flavor in every bite. Perfect for filling your tortillas and topping with fresh cilantro and onions, it's a feast that will keep everyone coming back for more!
Prep
15
min
Cook
190
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion, quartered
- 6 cups of water (1.44 L)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 3 cups of beef broth (720 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- tortillas
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 teaspoons of oregano (7.5 ml)
- 2 tablespoons of salt (30 ml)
📦Other(5)
- 11 guajillo chiles
- 5 arbol chiles
- 3 ancho chiles
- 2 pasillas
- 3 teaspoons of comino (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Deseed and devein the chiles, then rinse them.
- 2
In a stock pot, add the chiles and 6 cups of water, and bring to a boil.
- 3
Quarter the onion and add it to the pot.
- 4
Add the garlic and tomatoes to the pot.
- 5
Blend the mixture and run it through a sieve.
- 6
Sear the chuck meat until golden brown.
- 7
Add the seared meat to the pot.
- 8
Add oregano, comino, black pepper, salt, and bay leaf.
- 9
Let it boil for 10 minutes.
- 10
Add beef broth and simmer on low for 3 hours and 10 minutes.
- 11
Remove excess fat from the meat and chop it.
- 12
Assemble tacos by dipping tortillas in the consomme and adding birria.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast your dried chiles in a dry pan for 30-60 seconds until fragrant before rehydrating to develop deeper, more complex flavors through Maillard reactions.technique30-60 seconds
- ✓Sear chuck roast at 400-450°F surface temperature to create a proper crust - the browning adds umami compounds that will enrich your consommé throughout the 3-4 hour braise.technique400-450°F
- ✓Simmer your birria at exactly 185-195°F rather than a rolling boil to prevent proteins from seizing and creating a cloudy, greasy broth instead of clear consommé.timing185-195°F
- ✓Strain your chile mixture through a fine mesh sieve twice to remove all solids - any remaining pieces will burn during the long braise and create bitter flavors.technique
- ✓Cool your finished birria overnight before reheating to serve - this allows the fat to solidify on top for easy removal and flavors to meld completely.timingovernight
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
190
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Birria's signature red color comes from toasted Guajillo chiles that must be charred exactly 30 seconds or they turn bitter.
Birria
Dive into the mouthwatering world of birria, a savory Mexican stew that’s a taco lover's dream! With tender, slow-cooked beef marinated in a rich blend of spices and a hint of smoky chiles, this dish delivers an explosion of flavor in every bite. Perfect for filling your tortillas and topping with fresh cilantro and onions, it's a feast that will keep everyone coming back for more!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(3)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 onion, quartered
- 6 cups of water (1.44 L)
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 3 cups of beef broth (720 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(1)
- tortillas
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5 teaspoons of oregano (7.5 ml)
- 2 tablespoons of salt (30 ml)
📦Other(5)
- 11 guajillo chiles
- 5 arbol chiles
- 3 ancho chiles
- 2 pasillas
- 3 teaspoons of comino (15 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Deseed and devein the chiles, then rinse them.
- 2
In a stock pot, add the chiles and 6 cups of water, and bring to a boil.
- 3
Quarter the onion and add it to the pot.
- 4
Add the garlic and tomatoes to the pot.
- 5
Blend the mixture and run it through a sieve.
- 6
Sear the chuck meat until golden brown.
- 7
Add the seared meat to the pot.
- 8
Add oregano, comino, black pepper, salt, and bay leaf.
- 9
Let it boil for 10 minutes.
- 10
Add beef broth and simmer on low for 3 hours and 10 minutes.
- 11
Remove excess fat from the meat and chop it.
- 12
Assemble tacos by dipping tortillas in the consomme and adding birria.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Toast your dried chiles in a dry pan for 30-60 seconds until fragrant before rehydrating to develop deeper, more complex flavors through Maillard reactions.technique30-60 seconds
- ✓Sear chuck roast at 400-450°F surface temperature to create a proper crust - the browning adds umami compounds that will enrich your consommé throughout the 3-4 hour braise.technique400-450°F
- ✓Simmer your birria at exactly 185-195°F rather than a rolling boil to prevent proteins from seizing and creating a cloudy, greasy broth instead of clear consommé.timing185-195°F
- ✓Strain your chile mixture through a fine mesh sieve twice to remove all solids - any remaining pieces will burn during the long braise and create bitter flavors.technique
- ✓Cool your finished birria overnight before reheating to serve - this allows the fat to solidify on top for easy removal and flavors to meld completely.timingovernight