Beef Birria
Beef Birria is a rich, slow-simmered Mexican stew packed with layers of smoky, spicy, and savory flavor. Made from tender chunks of beef chuck roast and a blend of dried chiles, warm spices, aromatics, and tomatoes, this dish is deeply comforting and traditionally served with fresh tortillas, lime, and chopped onion and cilantro.The process starts by searing seasoned beef for flavor, then simmering it low and slow in a deeply spiced broth. The chile-based sauce is made from guajillo, ancho, and optional arbol chiles blended with toasted spices, onion, garlic, and ginger for complexity. As the stew simmers, the beef becomes incredibly tender and shreddable.Perfect for tacos, stews, or just served with warm tortillas, this birria is bold, aromatic, and totally irresistible. It’s a celebration dish in many Mexican households, but you’ll want to make it a regular feature at your table.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup high-heat neutral oil
- 5 lbs of chuck roast or diezmillo de res, cut into large chunks
- 16-18 cups water
- 8-10 10 dried chiles guajillo deveined and deseeded
- 1-2 dried chile ancho deveined and deseeded
- 2-4 dried chiles de árbol optional, for heat
- 2-3 roma tomatoes halved
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp whole peppercorns
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/2 of a large cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp sesame seeds lightly toasted
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium-sized onion quartered
- 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp sugar optional, for balancing the flavors/acidity
- Salt and pepper to taste
For serving:
- Chopped onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Warm tortillas
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper on both sides, then heat the oil in a large pot and sear the beef in batches, so as to not overcrowd the pot. Once seared, set the beef aside.
- Add the 16 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil, then add the dried chiles and tomato, and allow this to come to a boil.
- While this boils, lightly toast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon stick, sesame seeds and dried oregano in a small pan over medium heat for about 1 minute, stirring constantly so that the ingredients don’t burn and become bitter. Once toasted, add them to a blender.
- Next, lightly char the ginger, onion and garlic in the same pan for a few minutes, then add them to the blender as well.
- Once the dried chilies and tomatoes are soft and cooked through, add them to the blender, along with 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and blend until completely smooth.
- Add the seared beef back to the pot of water, then strain the chili mixture into the pot and stir. Add the bay leaves, then allow this to come to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 3–4 hours covered, or until the meat is fork tender.
- Once tender, remove the lid from the pot and add the remaining 2 cups of water if needed to thin out the broth. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly, using the 1/2 tsp of sugar if needed to balance out the acidity and flavors.
- Transfer the beef to a cutting board or big bowl, shred it with a fork, then return it back to the pot.
- Serve the birria with chopped onion, cilantro, rice, warm tortillas and lime wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have whole spices or fresh ginger on hand, that’s okay! You can use 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp ground clove, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp frozen minced ginger in a pinch.
- For deeper flavor, let the stew rest 20–30 minutes before serving.
- Birria freezes well—store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
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