Description
Mouthwatering Mexican Birria brings authentic slow-cooked beef traditions to your kitchen, blending rich spices and tender meat. Succulent flavors and hearty textures invite you to savor a classic dish that connects culinary heritage with comfort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 4–5 pounds chuck roast, cut in 4-inch chunks
- 12 tablespoons kosher salt
- 12 tablespoons black pepper
- 112 tablespoons olive oil
Chiles and Spices:
- 12 guajillo chiles, cleaned (2.5 ounces / 70 grams)
- 5 ancho chiles, cleaned (2 ounces / 57 grams)
- 5 arbol chiles, stemmed (0.1 ounces / 3 grams)
- 1 4-inch Mexican cinnamon stick
- 12 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 12 teaspoon ground cloves
Aromatics and Liquids:
- 2 large Roma tomatoes
- 12 medium yellow onion
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups beef broth
- 14 cup white vinegar
- 5 cloves garlic
Instructions
- Generously coat beef pieces with salt and black pepper, ensuring even seasoning.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Carefully place meat in pot, working in batches to avoid overcrowding, and sear each side until deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- In a separate pan, combine chiles, tomatoes, onion, and spices with water, bringing to a rolling boil for 10 minutes to extract maximum flavor.
- Transfer boiled ingredients to blender, adding cooking liquid, broth, vinegar, garlic, and additional spices; blend until smooth and uniform.
- Strain the vibrant sauce through a fine-mesh sieve directly into the pot with seared meat, removing any potential solids.
- Bring sauce and meat to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 2.5-3 hours until meat becomes incredibly tender and almost falls apart.
- Remove meat from sauce, shred using two forks, and return to the rich cooking liquid.
- Serve hot as a hearty stew or use as a filling for authentic tacos, garnishing with fresh herbs if desired.
Notes
- Searing meat deeply enhances flavor profiles by creating delicious caramelized exterior and locking in rich juices.
- Batch browning prevents overcrowding, ensuring each meat piece develops perfect golden-brown crust without steaming.
- Consider using chuck roast or short ribs for maximum tenderness and deeper meat flavor in this hearty stew.
- Gluten-free adaptation works perfectly by replacing wheat-based ingredients with cornstarch or alternative thickening agents.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg