The Ultimate Birria Recipe: Juicy, Flavorful Comfort in a Bowl

Beef birria brings a storm of flavor that sweeps through Mexican cuisine with bold, rich traditions.

Slow-cooked birria recipe delivers an explosion of tender, spicy goodness that melts in your mouth.

The deep, complex marinade transforms simple ingredients into a culinary masterpiece bursting with authentic regional spices.

Succulent meat becomes infused with dried chilies, fragrant herbs, and a secret blend of seasonings.

Each bite tells a story of generations-old cooking techniques passed down through family kitchens.

The robust aromas will transport you directly to street markets in Jalisco.

Get ready to savor an incredible dish that celebrates the heart of Mexican comfort food.

FAQs

• What is the origin of Birria?

Birria originated in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, traditionally made with goat meat but now commonly prepared with beef.

• How spicy is Birria?

The spice level depends on the chilies used. Guajillo and pasilla chilies provide a mild to medium heat, making it flavorful without being overwhelmingly hot.

• What makes the meat so tender?

The slow cooking process of simmering the beef for 3 hours in a flavorful sauce breaks down the meat’s connective tissues, resulting in incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat.

• Can I use a different type of meat?

While beef is common, you can use goat, lamb, or even chicken to make Birria, though cooking times might vary slightly depending on the meat.

Reasons to Love Birria

• Craft Heart-Warming Love: Personalize these adorable heart-shaped cookies for your special someone, making Valentine's Day extra romantic and memorable.
• Master Quick Baking Skills: Simple recipe allows even beginner bakers to create professional-looking cookies with minimal kitchen experience and basic ingredients.
• Customize with Creativity: Decorate with sprinkles, chocolate drizzle, or personalized designs to match your unique style and surprise your loved ones.
• Spread Sweet Affection: Perfect for sharing love through homemade treats, whether gifting to a partner, family, or friends during Valentine's celebrations.

Ingredients for Traditional Birria

• Beef: A tender, flavorful meat that becomes the star of this traditional Mexican dish.

• Guajillo Chilies, Pasilla Chilies: Dried peppers that provide deep, rich, and complex flavors to the birria sauce.

• Onion, Garlic, Tomatoes: Roasted vegetables that add sweetness, depth, and a smoky base to the sauce.

• Oregano, Thyme, Cumin, Cloves, Cinnamon, Peppercorns: A blend of warm and earthy spices that create a complex and robust flavor profile.

• Vinegar: Adds a tangy brightness to balance the rich flavors.
• Chicken Bouillon: Enhances the overall savory taste of the dish.
• Bay Leaves: Provides a subtle herbal background note.
• Salt: Helps to season and bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Water: Used to create the braising liquid for slow-cooking the beef.

How to Prepare Authentic Birria

Step 1: Prepare Dried Chilies

Submerge guajillo and pasilla chilies in water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover.

Allow chilies to soak for half an hour, softening their texture and releasing deep flavors.

Step 2: Roast Vegetables

Heat a pan over medium temperature.

Add onion, garlic, and tomatoes. Cook while turning occasionally until vegetables develop blackened spots.

Garlic will finish quicker than tomatoes and onions.

Step 3: Create Flavor Base

Transfer roasted vegetables to blender.

Include peeled garlic cloves. Add soaked chilies, vinegar, oregano, thyme, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns, chicken bouillon, and fresh water.

Blend until completely smooth.

Step 4: Brown Beef

Season beef with salt.

Use a large pot over medium heat. Sear beef in batches, creating a golden crust on all sides.

Step 5: Combine Sauce and Meat

Lower heat to medium-low. Strain blended sauce into pot.

Stir to incorporate browned bits from pot bottom. Cook briefly.

Step 6: Slow Cook Birria

Return beef to pot. Add water and bay leaves.

Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer approximately three hours until meat becomes incredibly tender.

Step 7: Shred and Serve

Remove meat from pot. Shred with fork, discarding fatty pieces.

Return half the shredded meat to pot. Reserve remaining meat for quesatacos.

Tips for Better Birria Flavor

• Submerge dried chilies in hot water to soften and release deep, rich flavors without bitterness.
• Char onions, garlic, and tomatoes to develop a smoky, caramelized base that adds complexity to the sauce.
• Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a silky-smooth texture without any chunky bits.
• Cook beef low and slow to break down tough connective tissues, creating melt-in-your-mouth pulled meat.
• Reserve half the shredded meat for quesatacos, maximizing your recipe's potential and reducing cooking time later.

Variations for Birria

• Slow Cooker Birria: Replace stovetop cooking with a slow cooker, allowing the meat to tenderize over 6-8 hours on low heat for an even more melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Goat Meat Version: Swap beef for goat meat, maintaining the traditional Mexican preparation method while offering a more authentic regional flavor profile.
• Vegetarian Birria: Create a plant-based alternative using jackfruit or mushrooms as the protein base, keeping the rich chili sauce and spice blend intact for a hearty vegetarian option.
• Instant Pot Method: Reduce cooking time by using an Instant Pot, which can complete the entire process in about 1 hour while maintaining the deep, complex flavors of the original recipe.

Best Pairings for Birria Dish

• Complement the deep, complex flavors of birria with a bold red wine like Tempranillo or Zinfandel. These robust wines match the intense meat's spiciness and provide a smooth, complementary taste experience.
• Select a crisp Mexican craft beer such as Modelo Negra or Bohemia Oscura to cut through the birria's richness. The beer's carbonation and slight bitterness help cleanse the palate between savory bites.

Storing Tips for Birria

• Store leftover birria in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Cool the dish completely before sealing to prevent bacterial growth.
• Pack birria in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Remove excess air, seal tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Label with the date for easy tracking.
• Place birria in a microwave-safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel to retain moisture. Heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval until thoroughly warmed.
• Pour birria into a pot, add a splash of water or broth to prevent drying. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through, about 5-7 minutes.

Birria Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.5 from 36 reviews

• Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Sizzling Birria tacos bring Mexican culinary magic straight to home kitchens with tender, slow-cooked beef bathed in rich, spicy sauce. Crispy tortillas and melted cheese create an irresistible street-food experience you won’t forget.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Meat:

• 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms) beef chuck short ribs

Spices and Seasonings:

• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1.5 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 0.75 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 1-inch piece of Mexican cinnamon

Chili Peppers and Vegetables:

• 5 guajillo chilies
• 3 pasilla chilies
• 5 roma tomatoes
• 0.5 white onion
• 8 garlic cloves (unpeeled)

Additional Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 9 cups water
• 0.25 cup vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups water (for blending)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Hydrate dried guajillo and pasilla chilies by submerging them in water, bringing to a boil, then allowing them to steep for half an hour.
2. Roast onion, garlic, and tomatoes in a pan over medium heat until charred, with garlic taking approximately 5 minutes and other vegetables requiring slightly longer.
3. Combine roasted vegetables, soaked chilies, garlic, vinegar, herbs, spices, and chicken bouillon in a blender. Process until achieving a smooth, uniform consistency.
4. Generously season beef with salt, then methodically brown meat in batches over medium heat to develop a rich, golden exterior.
5. Strain the blended sauce into the pot, stirring to incorporate browned meat remnants and allow flavors to meld for one minute.
6. Reintroduce beef to the pot, pour in water, and add bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for approximately 3 hours until meat becomes exceptionally tender.
7. Remove meat from cooking liquid, shred thoroughly with a fork, discarding fatty pieces. Return half the shredded meat to the pot and reserve remaining meat for alternative preparations like quesatacos.

Notes

• Carefully choose chili peppers for optimal flavor, ensuring they are fresh and vibrant with no signs of mold or dryness.
• Roasting vegetables deepens their flavor profile, creating a more complex and rich sauce base for the birria.
• Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to achieve a silky smooth texture without any chunks or seeds.
• Low and slow cooking is crucial for breaking down tough beef fibers, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth tender meat that easily shreds.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 3 hours
• Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Mexican

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 320 kcal
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 850 mg
• Fat: 20 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
• Trans Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Cholesterol: 110 mg