Authentic Birria

Authentic Birria

from isabeleats.com
Dinner
255 min
8 servings
640 kcal / serving

Authentic Mexican Birria can be enjoyed as a stew topped with onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice or as birria tacos!

Ingredients

  • 4 poundschuck roast, (cut into large 4-inch chunks)
  • ½ tablespoonkosher salt
  • ½ tablespoonblack pepper
  • 1 ½ tablespoonolive oil
  • 12guajillo chiles, (rinsed, stemmed, and seeded (about 2.5 oz))
  • 5ancho chiles, (rinsed, stemmed, and seeded (about 2 oz))
  • 5rbol chiles, (rinsed and stemmed (about 0.1 oz))
  • 2 largeroma tomatoes
  • ½ mediumyellow onion
  • 14-inch mexican cinnamon stick
  • 3bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoonwhole black peppercorns
  • water, (as needed)
  • 2 cupsbeef broth
  • ¼ cupdistilled white vinegar
  • 5 clovesgarlic
  • 1 teaspoonground cumin
  • 1 teaspoondried mexican oregano
  • ½ teaspoonground cloves

Directions

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    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.

  3. 3

    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.

  4. 4

    Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and all the other ingredients to a large blender.

  5. 5

    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.)

  6. 6

    Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Discard any solids left behind.

  7. 7

    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.

  8. 8

    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.