Description
This Authentic Birria recipe features tender, slow-cooked beef in a rich, smoky chili sauce made from guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chilies. Perfectly seasoned and simmered for hours, this traditional Mexican stew can be served with warm corn tortillas, fresh cilantro, diced onion, and lime wedges for a flavorful and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 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: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chilies for about 30 seconds on each side until fragrant. Then transfer the chilies to a bowl and cover with hot water for 10 minutes to soften.
- Blend the Sauce: Drain the softened chilies and add them to a blender with beef broth, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, salt, black pepper, and tomato. Blend until smooth. Strain the sauce for a smoother texture, if desired.
- Sear the Meat: Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Simmer the Birria: Pour the blended sauce over the seared beef, adding extra beef broth if needed to fully submerge the meat. Bring mixture to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
- Shred & Serve: Remove the beef from the pot and shred with forks. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes to marry the flavors.
- Enjoy: Serve the birria as a stew with warm corn tortillas or use the meat to make tacos. Garnish with fresh cilantro, diced onion, and a squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, strain the blended chili mixture before adding it to the meat.
- Adjust salt and spice levels according to your taste preferences.
- Leftover birria can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Use beef chuck for best tenderness and flavor; short ribs or a mix also work well.
- Serve with warm corn tortillas and fresh toppings like cilantro, onions, and lime.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
