Though birria is traditionally made with goat, we’ve become partial to this beef birria recipe. Full of chiles and spices, it’s a stewy braise that always satisfies.
Chile-Loaded and Versatile, Our Beef Birria Is One for the Books
We first encountered birria when we tried it in the infamously amazing tacos served at Teddy’s Red Tacos in Venice, CA. It was love at first bite, and we’ve been working hard to create a version of birria that’s easy enough to make at home, but still bursting with the beefy, chile-y, spicy goodness that stole our hearts. And sure enough, we eventually figured it out.
This recipe hits the spot! If you’re not familiar with it, birria is a traditional dish from the Mexican state of Jalisco, though it can be found throughout Mexico these days, not to mention in homes and restaurants all over the U.S., too! Rich with chilies and cozy, warm spices like cinnamon and ginger, birria is most authentically made with goat meat, but beef birria—”birria de res”—has become popular of late. We just adore this hearty, fragrant, chile-heavy stew-like braise, and we know you will, too.
Meet Your Main Beef Birria Ingredients
Beef birria is a wonderful recipe to make on a weekend day, when you have time to just let the beef braise slowly—good old low-and-slow—and fill your home with its deeply spiced, wonderfully heady aromas. Though you will need to set aside some time, you won’t need to make any special grocery runs for the ingredients. The main components of this recipe are just:
- Dried chiles. We love a combination of three easy-to-find dried chiles! Ancho chiles (which are dried poblanos), guajillo chiles (a tangy, sweet chile that’s really delicious), chiles de árbol (a thin, classic Mexican chile that’s 6 times as hot as a jalapeño!).
- Dried herbs and spices: cinnamon, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, ginger
- Beef! Beef birria recipes really vary a lot in terms of what cut of beef they call for. We favor chuck roast, which is ideal for a low-and-slow braise like this. Plus, it’s not usually too expensive.
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Beef stock
- Fire-roasted tomatoes
- Vinegar
How to Make Beef Birria
Please continue to the next page (>) for the full list of ingredients and complete cooking instructions. Enjoy this meal!
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