Birria is a heavenly combination of slowly cooked tender beef and a beautifully spicy broth. Serve it as is or make birria tacos!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
●Igredients
●Instructions
●Serve
Ingredients
●10 dried chiles (10g) de arbol, stems and seeds removed and discarded, divided
●6 dried guajillo chiles (30g), stems and seeds removed and discarded
●2 dried ancho chiles (25g), stems and seeds removed and discarded
●5 very ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), halved
●1 large white onion, roughly chopped
●3 large cloves garlic
●1 teaspoon ground cumin
●1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
●1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
●1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
●3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
●2 tablespoons olive oil
●2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
●2 dried bay leaves
●2 cups beef stock
●1 cup water
●Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
●Finely chopped white onion, for garnish
●Finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
●Lime wedges, for garnish
Method
1.Toast and rehydrate the chiles:
Set a kettle or small pot with 3 cups of water over high heat to boil.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 6 chiles de arbol, and all the guajillo and ancho chiles, and toast them for 1 to 2 minutes. (The remaining 4 chiles de arbol will be used to garnish the birria.) The chiles are ready when you can smell them.
Transfer the toasted chiles into a medium bowl and cover with the boiled water. Soak them for 20 minutes, until they turn nice and soft.
2.Char the vegetables and garlic:
Heat the same skillet used to toast the chiles over medium-high heat. Add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic. You don’t need to add any oil. Lightly char them all around, stirring occasionally. This will take you 15 to 20 minutes.
3.Blend the red chile sauce:
Transfer the rehydrated chiles and the soaking water, the charred vegetables, cumin, oregano, peppercorns, salt, and vinegar into a blender. Blend until you get a bright red smooth sauce. This is the flavor base for your consomé.
4.Make the birria:
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add the olive oil and heat it over high heat. Carefully add the red chile sauce and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in the beef, bay leaves, beef stock, and water. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for 2 hours.
5.Prepare the garnishes:
You’ll have three small bowls with garnishes: One with the finely chopped onion and cilantro mixed together. Use your hands to roughly crumble the remaining 4 chiles de arbol into a separate small bowl. And the last bowl will hold the lime wedges.
6.Shred the beef:
Remove the pot away from the heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat into a large bowl. With the help of two forks, shred the meat and return it to the pot. Taste your birria and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, if needed.
7.Serve:
Serve warm in a bowl, garnished with the onions and cilantro, crushed chiles de arbol, and a good squeeze of lime. Enjoy and turn leftovers into birria tacos!
Refrigerate leftovers in a lidded container for 1 week and in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, defrost it overnight in the fridge and warm it up in a saucepan on the stove top with a splash of beef stock or water.