Description
This Authentic Birria recipe delivers a rich, flavorful Mexican stew featuring tender, slow-simmered beef in a deeply spiced chili sauce. Perfect for serving as a hearty stew or as a savory taco filling, this dish blends toasted dried chilies, fragrant spices, and slow-cooked beef for a warm, comforting meal that highlights traditional Mexican cooking techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat & Seasoning
- 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
To Serve
- Warm corn tortillas
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Diced white onion
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare the Chilies: Toast the guajillo, ancho, and chipotle dried chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 30 seconds on each side until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water to soften for 10 minutes.
- Blend the Sauce: Drain the softened chilies and place into 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 for a smoother texture if preferred.
- Sear the Meat: Season the beef chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and sear the meat on all sides until well browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Simmer the Birria: Pour the blended chili sauce over the seared beef in the pot. Add additional beef broth as necessary to fully submerge the meat. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is tender and easily falls apart.
- Shred & Serve: Remove the beef from the pot and shred it with forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes to meld flavors.
- Enjoy: Serve the birria stew hot alongside warm corn tortillas, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and lime wedges. The beef can also be served in tacos with the same garnishes.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce texture, strain the blended chili sauce before adding to the meat.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste during simmering for balanced seasoning.
- To deepen flavor, marinate the beef in the chili sauce for a few hours before searing if time allows.
- Leftover birria can be refrigerated and reheated for excellent next-day flavors.
- Warm the corn tortillas on a skillet or griddle before serving for best texture and taste.
