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Birria

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This flavorful Mexican beef stew, made with tender beef chuck short ribs and a rich blend of roasted chilies and spices, is the perfect hearty dish. Enjoy it as a comforting soup or use the meat for delicious quesatacos!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 1/2 lbs beef chuck short ribs
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 9 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 guajillo chilies
  • 3 pasilla chilies
  • 5 roma tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 8 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
  • 1 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
  • 3/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1-inch piece of Mexican cinnamon
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 3 tsp chicken bouillon
  • 2 cups water (for blending)

Instructions

  • Put the guajillo and pasilla chilies in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Let the chilies soak for 30 minutes.
  • Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Cook, turning occasionally, until roasted with blackened spots. The garlic should be done in about 5 minutes; the tomatoes and onion will take a bit longer.
  • Transfer the roasted onion and tomatoes to a blender, and add the peeled garlic cloves. Add the soaked chilies (without the soaking water), vinegar, oregano, thyme, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, chicken bouillon, and 2 cups of fresh water to the blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
  • Season the beef with salt. Heat a large pot over medium heat. In batches, brown the beef on all sides until a golden crust forms.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, then strain the blended sauce into the pot. Stir well to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 1 minute.
  • Return the beef to the pot, add the 9 cups of water, and the bay leaves. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for about 3 hours, or until the meat is tender.
  • Once the meat is tender, transfer it to a large bowl and shred with a fork. Discard any pieces of fat. Return half of the shredded meat to the pot. Use the other half for making quesatacos.

Notes

  • Birria is traditionally served with its rich broth, which can be enjoyed as a soup.
  • This stew pairs well with warm tortillas, fresh lime, chopped cilantro, and onions.
  • Leftover birria meat can be used for quesatacos—crispy tacos filled with the shredded meat and melted cheese!

Nutrition

Find it online: https://easyfoodflash.com/birria/