Description
Birria is a traditional Mexican stew made with tender, slow-cooked meat, typically goat or beef, and seasoned with a rich blend of dried chilies and spices. This savory dish is served with its flavorful broth, often as a soup (consume) or in tacos. Perfect for special occasions or a cozy dinner!
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Meat:
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast or goat meat (bone-in or boneless)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 3–4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Water (enough to cover the meat)
- For the Sauce (Adobo):
- 3–4 dried guajillo chiles
- 2–3 dried ancho chiles
- 1–2 dried pasilla or mulato chiles (optional)
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 5–6 whole cloves (optional)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 small tomato (optional)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup beef broth (for blending)
- For Garnish and Serving:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Diced onions
- Lime wedges
- Corn tortillas (for tacos)
- Sliced radishes (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Meat:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the beef chuck or goat meat, quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf, and salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender and easily shreds. Skim off any impurities from the surface as the meat cooks.
- Make the Sauce:
- While the meat cooks, remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles. Toast the chiles in a dry pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant, then soak them in hot water for about 15 minutes.
- Once softened, blend the chiles with tomato paste, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, and beef broth until smooth.
- Combine the Meat and Sauce:
- Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and shred it with two forks. Discard the bones if using bone-in meat.
- Strain the cooking broth to remove any solids, then return the broth to the pot. Add the shredded meat back into the broth, and stir in the blended adobo sauce. Simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serve:
- Serve the birria with its broth (consume) in bowls or use the meat to fill tacos. Garnish with chopped cilantro, diced onions, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with sliced radishes and warm tortillas for a delicious meal.
Notes
- Birria is often served as a soup (consume) but can also be used to fill tacos, often accompanied by the rich broth for dipping.
- The longer you simmer the birria, the more flavorful it becomes. You can make this ahead of time, and it even tastes better the next day!
- You can substitute the goat meat with beef for a more familiar flavor or use lamb for a unique twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours (including simmering)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl of birria with broth
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg