Mexican Birria

I love food that makes my house smell like a dream. Mexican Birria is that kind of food. It is a slow-cooked meat stew that comes from Jalisco, Mexico. People used to make it with goat meat, but now many people use beef. It is rich, a little bit spicy, and very cozy. If you want to make your family happy, this is the meal to cook. I will show you how to do it right from your own kitchen.

You might have seen videos of people dipping tacos into a red soup. That soup is called consomé. It is the heart of birria. In this article, I will teach you how to make the meat and the soup at the same time. You do not need to be a pro cook to get this right. I made many mistakes when I first started, but I learned how to make it easy for everyone. Let us get started on this tasty adventure!

Want to see how easy it is to make this at home?

The Magic of Birria Ingredients

Before we start cooking, we need to talk about what goes into the pot. Birria is all about layers of flavor. Most of that flavor comes from dried chili peppers. Do not let the word chili scare you! These peppers are more about smoky taste than burning heat. When you soak them and blend them, they turn into a thick, red sauce that makes the meat taste great. I like to use a mix of different peppers to get the best balance.

The meat is the other big part. You want meat that has some fat on it. Fat equals flavor and helps the meat stay moist during the long cook time. I usually look for beef chuck roast because it is cheap and gets very soft. You can also add some beef bones. The bones make the soup thick and healthy. It is a simple list of items, but when they cook together for hours, something special happens. FYI, you can find most of these at any big grocery store these days.

The Meat You Need

Choosing the right meat is the most important step. I always use beef chuck roast. It has streaks of fat that melt away as it cooks. If you use meat that is too lean, it will come out dry and tough. Nobody wants to chew on a rubbery taco! I also like to buy a few beef back ribs or marrow bones. The bones have collagen that makes the soup feel silky on your tongue. If you want to be traditional, you can use goat or lamb, but beef is easier to find for most of us.

I once tried to make this with very lean steak because it was on sale. That was a big mistake! The meat did not shred at all. It just stayed in hard chunks. Now I know better. Stick to the fat parts. You can always skim the extra oil off the top later if you think it is too much. IMO, the fat is the best part because it carries all the spice flavor.

The Dried Chili Peppers

The red color of birria comes from dried chilies. You should look for Guajillo chilies and Ancho chilies. Guajillo peppers are smooth and skinny. They give the soup a bright red color and a mild tang. Ancho peppers are wide and dark. They taste a bit like raisins and add a deep, smoky base. To use them, you have to pull off the stems and shake out the seeds first. If you leave the seeds in, the sauce might be too gritty.

If you cannot find these specific peppers, you can use New Mexico dried chilies. They are very similar. I always tell my friends not to worry about the heat. Once you soak them in water and blend them with other things, the spice level drops a lot. It becomes a warm hug for your mouth instead of a fire. Just make sure they feel a little soft like leather. If they are gray or break like glass, they might be too old.

Spices and Aromatics

We add spices to the blender with the chilies. This is where the smell comes from. You will need garlic, onion, ginger, and cumin. But the secret ingredients are cinnamon and cloves. I know that sounds like a dessert, but trust me! A small piece of cinnamon stick makes the meat taste very rich. It balances the smoky peppers perfectly. I also use Mexican oregano, which smells a bit like lemon and earth.

One tip most blogs skip is to toast your spices. I put my cumin seeds and cloves in a dry pan for just one minute. When you can smell them, they are ready. This tiny step makes a huge difference in the final taste. If you use ground spices from a jar, that is okay too. Just make sure they are fresh. Old spices lose their power and will make your birria taste flat.

How to Cook Your Birria

Now that we have our things ready, it is time to cook. Cooking birria is a slow process. You cannot rush it. If you try to cook it fast on high heat, the meat will be hard. We want the meat to fall apart when you touch it with a fork. I like to do this on a weekend when I am hanging around the house. The smell will fill every room, and it makes everyone very hungry. It is like a delicious torture!

There are two ways to do this. You can use a big pot on the stove or a slow cooker. I prefer the big pot because I can sear the meat first. Searing means browning the outside of the meat in a little bit of oil. This creates a crust that traps the juice inside. It adds a whole new layer of flavor that you just don’t get if you throw raw meat straight into water. Here is the step-by-step guide to making the best beef birria ever.

Full Ingredients List

• 3 pounds of beef chuck roast, cut into large cubes
• 1 pound of beef marrow bones or short ribs
• 5 dried Guajillo chilies
• 3 dried Ancho chilies
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 piece of fresh ginger, about one inch
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• 4 cups of beef broth
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparing the Chili Sauce

1. Take the stems and seeds out of your dried chilies.
2. Put the chilies in a pot of boiling water. Turn off the heat and let them sit for 15 minutes.
3. Put the soft chilies into a blender. Add the garlic, ginger, oregano, cloves, vinegar, and half an onion.
4. Add one cup of the soaking water to the blender. Blend until it is very smooth.
5. Pour the sauce through a strainer into a bowl. This removes any bits of skin so the soup is smooth.

Cooking the Meat Until Tender

First, pat your meat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle a lot of salt and pepper on all sides. Heat some oil in a large pot. Put the meat in and let it get brown and crispy on the edges. Do not crowd the pot! Do it in batches if you have to. Once the meat is brown, take it out and put it on a plate. This is where the flavor starts. The brown bits on the bottom of the pot are like gold. Do not wash them away!

Now, pour your red chili sauce into the pot. Use a spoon to scrape up those brown bits. Add the meat and bones back in. Pour in the beef broth until the meat is covered. Throw in the cinnamon stick and the rest of the onion. Cover the pot with a tight lid. Turn the heat down very low. Let it simmer for about 3 to 4 hours. You will know it is done when the meat breaks apart easily with two forks. If it is still tough, give it another 30 minutes.

Making the Quesabirria Tacos

This is the fun part! Once the meat is done, take it out and shred it with forks. Keep the soup (consomé) in the pot. Take a corn tortilla and dip it into the top of the soup. The orange oil on top will coat the tortilla. Put the tortilla on a hot pan. Add a handful of shredded cheese and some of the meat. Fold it in half and cook until the cheese is gooey and the tortilla is crispy.

Serve these tacos with a small bowl of the soup on the side. You are supposed to dip the taco into the soup before every bite. I like to add chopped raw onions and cilantro to my soup for a fresh crunch. This meal is messy, so keep some napkins nearby! My kids love dipping their tacos, even if they get red sauce all over their shirts. It is part of the experience.

Tips for the Best Birria

Cooking birria is an art, but it is an easy one to learn. I have made this dozens of times. Each time I learn something new. For example, did you know that birria tastes even better the next day? If you have time, make the meat a day early. Let it sit in the fridge overnight. The spices have more time to soak into the meat. Then, just heat it up when you are ready to eat. It makes the flavors very deep and strong.

Another thing to watch out for is the salt. Since the soup cooks down for a long time, it can get very salty at the end. I start with just a little salt. I taste the soup every hour. At the very end, I add more salt if it needs it. This prevents the soup from becoming a salt bomb. Remember, you can always add salt, but you cannot take it out! If it does get too salty, you can add a little bit of water or more beef broth to thin it out.

How to Store and Reheat

If you have leftovers, you are lucky! Birria keeps very well. Put the meat and the soup in an airtight container together. This keeps the meat from drying out. It will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you want to eat it again, just put it in a pot on the stove. Heat it over medium heat until it is bubbling. I do not recommend the microwave for the meat because it can make it rubbery.

You can also freeze birria! It freezes perfectly. I like to freeze the meat and soup in small bags. That way, I can take out just enough for one lunch. It will stay fresh in the freezer for about 3 months. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before you heat it up. It is a great meal prep idea for busy people. It is like having a gourmet meal ready in 10 minutes.

Variations to Try

You do not have to just make tacos. There are many ways to eat birria. One very popular way is Birria Ramen. You just cook some ramen noodles and use the consomé as the ramen broth. Put the shredded meat on top with an egg. It is a mix of Mexican and Japanese flavors that works so well. I tried this once when I ran out of tortillas, and now I might like it even more than the tacos!

You can also make a Birria Torta. This is a big sandwich. You take a crusty bread roll, dip it in the chili oil, and fill it with meat and cheese. Toast it until it is warm. It is very filling and great for people who like big sandwiches. If you want to be healthy, you can even put the meat on a salad. The spicy meat acts as the dressing. There are no rules here, so feel free to get creative with your leftovers.

Common Birria Questions

Is Birria very spicy?

Not really! The dried chilies give it a deep, smoky flavor. It has a tiny bit of heat, but most kids can eat it without any problem. You can remove all seeds to make it even milder.

Can I use a slow cooker?

Yes! Just brown the meat in a pan first. Then put everything in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours. It comes out very tender and saves you from watching the stove all day.

What kind of cheese is best for tacos?

Use a cheese that melts well. Oaxaca cheese is the best and most traditional. If you cannot find it, Mozzarella or Monterey Jack works great too.

Do I have to strain the sauce?

I highly recommend it. Dried chili skins are tough and don’t blend perfectly. Straining makes the soup smooth and fancy. If you skip it, the soup might feel a bit scratchy in your throat.

Can I use chicken instead of beef?

You can, but it won’t be as rich. Use chicken thighs with the bone in so they stay moist. Cook it for a shorter time, about 45 minutes to an hour, so the chicken doesn’t disappear.

Time to Eat Your Birria

You now know all my secrets for making amazing Mexican Birria. It takes a little bit of time, but the reward is a huge pot of flavorful meat and soup that your whole family will love. Just remember to be patient with the slow cooking. The best food is always made with love and time. Go grab your ingredients and start cooking. You are going to be a hero in your kitchen tonight!