Authentic Mexican Birria de Res
A deeply savory and aromatic traditional Mexican stew made with tender, slow-braised beef infused with a rich adobo of dried Mexican chiles, warm spices, and herbs, served swimming in its flavorful consommé.
Ingredients
- •2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into large 3-inch chunks
- •1 lb bone-in beef shank or short ribs
- •1 tablespoon kosher salt
- •5 whole dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- •3 whole dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- •2 whole dried chiles de árbol, stemmed (optional for heat)
- •2 medium Roma tomatoes, halved
- •1 medium white onion, halved
- •6 cloves garlic cloves, peeled
- •2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- •1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- •0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
- •0.25 teaspoon ground ginger
- •4 whole whole cloves
- •0.5 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- •1 stick Mexican cinnamon stick (canela)
- •3 whole dried bay leaves
- •4 cup beef broth or low-sodium beef stock
- •2 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard
- •0.5 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped (for garnish)
- •0.5 cup white onion, finely diced (for garnish)
- •2 whole limes, cut into wedges (for serving)
- •12 whole warm corn tortillas (for serving)
Instructions
- 1.
Pat the beef chuck and bone-in shanks dry with paper towels and season evenly with kosher salt. Let rest at room temperature while preparing the marinade.
- 2.
Heat a dry skillet or comal over medium heat. Press the seeded dried guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles flat against the pan for 10 to 15 seconds per side until fragrant. Do not allow them to burn. Transfer toasted chiles into a bowl, cover with boiling water, and let soften for 15 minutes.
- 3.
In the same dry skillet over medium-high heat, roast the tomato halves, halved onion, and peeled garlic cloves until charred in spots, turning occasionally, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- 4.
Drain the rehydrated chiles and place them into a blender along with the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, Mexican oregano, ground cumin, ground ginger, whole cloves, whole peppercorns, and 1 cup of the beef broth. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until completely smooth.
- 5.
Pour the blended chile sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, using the back of a spoon to press all liquid through and discard the tough solids.
- 6.
In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat the oil or lard over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned beef pieces in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer seared meat to a plate.
- 7.
Reduce the heat to medium. Pour the strained chile adobo sauce directly into the hot pot and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 8.
Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the remaining 3 cups of beef broth, and add the Mexican cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Ensure the meat is mostly submerged in liquid.
- 9.
Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then cover tightly with a heavy lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 3 to 3.5 hours, or until the beef is meltingly tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
- 10.
Carefully remove the meat from the broth and transfer to a cutting board. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and bones. Coarsely shred the beef with two forks. Skim the rendered red chili oil from the top of the broth and reserve it if making quesabirria tacos later.
- 11.
Divide the shredded beef among warm bowls, ladle the rich, steaming consommé generously over the meat, and top with chopped cilantro and diced white onion. Serve hot with fresh lime wedges and warm corn tortillas.
Tips
- 💡Using a combination of beef chuck and bone-in beef shank or short rib is essential for maximizing both rich flavor and natural gelatin in the consommé.
- 💡Do not skip straining the chile sauce after blending; it ensures a velvety, silky smooth consommé free of tough chile skins.
- 💡To turn this into famous 'Quesabirria Tacos', dip corn tortillas into the skimmed red fat from the broth, fry on a griddle with Oaxaca cheese and shredded beef, fold in half until crispy, and serve with a small bowl of hot consommé for dipping.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux