Though birria is traditionally made with goat, we’ve become partial to this beef birria recipe. Full of chiles and spices, it’s a stewy braise that always satisfies.
Categories:
- Dairy-Free
- Gluten Free
- Low-Carb
Chile-Loaded and Versatile, Our Beef Birria Is One for the Books
We first encountered birria when we tried it in the infamously amazing tacos served at Teddy’s Red Tacos in Venice, CA. It was love at first bite, and we’ve been working hard to create a version of birria that’s easy enough to make at home, but still bursting with the beefy, chile-y, spicy goodness that stole our hearts. And sure enough, we eventually figured it out. This recipe hits the spot! If you’re not familiar with it, birria is a traditional dish from the Mexican state of Jalisco, though it can be found throughout Mexico these days, not to mention in homes and restaurants all over the U.S., too! Rich with chilies and cozy, warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, birria is most authentically made with goat meat, but beef birria—”birria de res”—has become popular of late. We just adore this hearty, fragrant, chile-heavy stew-like braise, and we know you will, too.
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Meet Your Main Beef Birria Ingredients
Beef birria is a wonderful recipe to make on a weekend day, when you have time to just let the beef braise slowly—good old low-and-slow—and fill your home with its deeply spiced, wonderfully heady aromas. Though you will need to set aside some time, you won’t need to make any special grocery runs for the ingredients. The main components of this recipe are just:
Dried chiles. We love a combination of three easy-to-find dried chiles! Ancho chiles (which are dried poblanos), guajillo chiles (a tangy, sweet chile that’s really delicious), chiles de árbol (a thin, classic Mexican chile that’s 6 times as hot as a jalapeño!).
Dried herbs and spices: cinnamon, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, ginger
Beef! Beef birria recipes really vary a lot in terms of what cut of beef they call for. We favor chuck roast, which is ideal for a low-and-slow braise like this. Plus, it’s not usually too expensive.
Onion
Fresh garlic
Beef stock
Fire-roasted tomatoes
Vinegar
How to Make Beef Birria
If you’ve ever made a braised beef dish, this whole process will be mostly familiar. Here’s how to make beef birria:
Prepare the dried chiles. Seed, toast, and soak the chiles. It sounds like a whole thing, but it only takes about 20 minutes. Detailed how-to is in the recipe at the bottom of the page.
Brown the beef. Cook it in batches if need be, and make sure you get a nice browning on all sides. Set it aside, or just go ahead and put it right into your Dutch oven.
Make the birria sauce / broth base! There should be some fat and oil left in the pan from searing the beef—that’s a good thing! Use it to cook the onion wedges a bit, then add garlic, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and ginger. After a minute or two, pour in the beef stock and vinegar.
Time to blend! Pour the onion, broth and spice mixture into a blender, and add the seeded, soaked and drained chiles. Blend! Voila! You’ve made the world's best braising liquid.
Pour your chile sauce over all of the beef into a Dutch oven, and cook for about 3 to 3.5 hours, until the meat is falling apart.
How To Serve Beef Birria
There’s so much you can do with beef birria! Here are some ideas to get you started:
Serve it as a hearty, rich stew in bowls, garnished with chopped onion and cilantro with warm tortillas on the side.
As a filling for quesadillas.
Or try our birria tacos!
Tools You’ll Need
More Beefy Braises
Osso Buco
Wine Braised Beef with Mushrooms
Classic Pot Roast
Classic Beef Stew
We Want to See Your Stuff!
If you make this beef birria recipe, let us know how you like it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!
Related Recipes
- Classic Pot Roast
- Classic Beef Stew
- Wine Braised Beef with Mushrooms
Beef Birria Recipe
October 13, 2021
- Serves:8
- Prep Time: 15min
- Cook Time: 3hrs15min
- Calories:366
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 dried, large ancho chiles
- 2 dried guajillo chiles
- 2-3 dried chiles de árbol
- 3-3 1/2 pounds chuck roast, fat trimmed, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, cut into 4 wedges
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
For Serving
- raw white onion, chopped
- cilantro, roughly chopped
- tortillas, warmed
Method
Cut open the dried chiles with kitchen scissors or a knife and discard the seeds. Heat a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the chiles, moving them occasionally, for 4 minutes. (See Note)
Cover the chiles with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat off and let the chilis soak until softened, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position.
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season all over with the salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches as needed, add the chuck and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 15-18 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion wedges to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and toss until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Add the cinnamon, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and ginger to the pan, cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Add the beef stock and vinegar, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Remove the pot from heat and allow ingredients to cool slightly.
Drain the softened chilis (discarding the soaking water) and add them and the tomatoes to the sauce. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth, directly in the pan. (Alternatively, transfer 2 cups of the sauce to the base of a blender, let cool briefly, blend until nearly smooth, and then return the sauce to the pan.)
Return the beef to the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Cover and cook until beef is tender and can be pulled apart easily with a fork, about 2 1/2 hours.
Using 2 forks, shred the beef, discarding any large pieces of fat.
Serve the beef with the remaining broth in bowls garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, in warm tortillas, as a filling for quesadillas, or try our Birria Tacos!
Note: While toasting the chilis turn on your kitchen fan and open a window as it can be create very spicy aroma.
Note: If you don't have a Dutch oven, brown the meat and onions in a large skillet and transfer contents to a large baking dish, covered with aluminum foil and according to instructions.
Nutrition Info
- Per Serving
- Amount
- Calories366
- Protein57 g
- Carbohydrates9 g
- Total Fat13 g
- Dietary Fiber3 g
- Cholesterol130 mg
- sodium963 mg
- Total Sugars3 g
