Authentic Birria
User Reviews
4.8
Authentic Birria
Description
This Birria recipe begins by seasoning and searing chuck roast chunks for a browned exterior, enhancing flavor. Meanwhile, a sauce of guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles is prepared by boiling with Roma tomatoes, onion, Mexican cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns, then blending with beef broth, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. The resulting sauce is strained for a smooth consistency.
The meat is then braised in this sauce until tender, absorbing layers of heat, acidity, and warm spice from the chiles and aromatics. The recipe includes flexible cooking methods: traditional stovetop braising, pressure cooking in an Instant Pot, or slow cooker preparation, adapting to cook times and convenience while maintaining flavor integrity.
Birria’s bold mix of chile varieties balances medium to hot spice levels, modifiable by adjusting the amount of arbol chiles. The use of Mexican cinnamon, a brittle variation distinct from common cassia cinnamon, adds authentic warmth. The finished dish can be served as stew or used in tacos with the meat shredded, often accompanied by consommé from the cooking broth.
Notes highlight ingredient substitutions, spice level adjustments, and cooking method variations, aiding cooks in achieving a personalized version while keeping traditional flavor profiles. The recipe respects birria’s characteristic smoky, spicy, and aromatic qualities through careful ingredient selection and cooking steps.
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 pounds chuck roast cut into large 4-inch chunks
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 12 guajillo chiles rinsed, stemmed, and seeded (about 2.5 oz
- 5 ancho chile rinsed, stemmed, and seeded (about 2 oz
- 5 arbol chiles rinsed and stemmed (about 0.1 oz
- 2 large Roma tomato
- ½ medium yellow onion
- 1 inch cinnamon stick Mexican
- 3 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns whole
- water as needed
- 2 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup white vinegar distilled
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried Mexican
- ½ teaspoon cloves ground
Instructions
- Generously season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides, and heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Working in 2 batches, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the pot from the heat, add the seared meat back into the pot, and set aside.
- While the meat is searing, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, arbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a medium pot. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and all the other ingredients to a large blender.
- Add 1 cup of the chile-soaked cooking water, the beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Blend on high for a few minutes until completely smooth. (You may have to do this in 2 batches if your blender isn’t big enough.)
- Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Discard any solids left behind.
- Stir the meat and chile sauce together to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3 ½ hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Transfer the meat to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Add the meat back into the consomé and serve as a stew in bowls with diced onion and chopped cilantro or as tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro, and diced onions.
Notes
- Mexican cinnamon is preferred for authentic flavor; if unavailable, use a regular cinnamon stick and remove it before blending or use ground cinnamon.
- Mexican oregano can be substituted with regular oregano if necessary.
- Adjust spice level by varying arbol chile quantity: 3 for medium spice, none for mild.
- Use the Instant Pot 'Saute' function to sear meat and then pressure cook the birria with sauce for one hour, with natural pressure release.
- For slow cooker, sear meat first then cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 5 hours with the blended sauce.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 640 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 640kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 22g | 7% |
| Protein | 59g | 118% |
| Fat | 37g | 57% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 196mg | 65% |
| Sodium | 803mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 1647mg | 35% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 7447IU | 149% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 78mg | 8% |
| Iron | 8mg | 44% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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