Ingredients
Meat
- 3 lb beef chuck roast
- 4 bone-in beef short ribs
Dried Chiles
- 8 dried guajillo chile peppers
- 3 dried pasilla chile peppers
- 2-3 dried arbol chile peppers
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 5 roma tomatoes, quartered (about 1.5 lb)
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 head garlic (10-12 cloves)
- 1 white onion, finely chopped (for garnish)
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- 2 limes, sliced (for garnish)
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon whole cumin seed (or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin)
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander)
- 4 or 5 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root
- 1 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (plus additional to taste)
Accompaniments
- Corn tortillas, warmed for serving
Instructions
- Prepare meat: Remove any large pieces of fat from the chuck roast. Cut it into a few large pieces and season evenly with kosher salt to enhance flavor before cooking.
- Prepare dried chiles: Wearing gloves if desired, rinse the dried chiles. Use scissors to remove the stems, make a slit along the side, and remove seeds to reduce heat or leave whole for spicier broth, especially for the arbol chiles.
- Make chile sauce: In a large stock pot (at least 5.5 qt capacity), heat over medium. Add quartered roma tomatoes and roughly chopped onion, cooking for a few minutes while stirring frequently until they begin to soften. Add whole garlic cloves, rinsed chile peppers, and all dry spices except bay leaves. Continue to cook and stir often for about 5 minutes to release the flavors. Then stir in apple cider vinegar and 4 cups of water, bringing the mixture to a low boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes to meld flavors.
- Blend sauce: Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender and blend until as smooth as possible. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve back into the pot to remove skins and seeds for a smoother texture. Add 4 cups of water to the blender to rinse and extract remaining sauce; pour this rinse into the pot as well.
- Add meat and simmer: Add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, bringing the sauce to a boil again. Carefully add the short ribs, beef chuck pieces, and 3 bay leaves. Cover the pot and reduce heat to a low simmer. Let cook gently for approximately 2 ½ hours until the meat is very tender and infused with the rich flavors.
- Shred meat: Check that the meat is tender by piercing with a fork. Remove the meat from the pot and place on a plate. Discard bones and bay leaves, then chop or shred the meat into bite-sized pieces for serving.
- Serve: Taste the broth and season with additional salt or spices if needed. Portion shredded meat into bowls, ladle the flavorful broth on top, and garnish with freshly chopped white onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with warm corn tortillas for dipping or to make traditional Birria Tacos.
Notes
- Wear gloves when handling dried chiles to avoid irritation and accidental contact with eyes.
- Adjust the quantity of arbol chiles or remove their seeds to control spice level according to preference.
- Using bone-in short ribs adds depth and richness to the broth.
- The sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently before adding meat.
- Serving the birria with warm corn tortillas enhances the traditional experience, especially if making tacos.
- Leftover birria meat and broth store well and make great fillings for quesadillas or enchiladas.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
