Beef Birria Recipe (Birria de Res)

Savory, rich, aromatic, and with a hint of spicy flavors, birria is one of the most iconic and traditional dishes in Mexican cuisine. Served with tortillas and fresh garnishes like chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges, it definitely makes for a memorable meal.

Birria is a dish I love because of the tender, juicy meat that is infused with flavor from the aromatic guajillo chile marinade it’s cooked in. This marinade simmers along with water and the rendered fat from the meat, which makes a wonderful, tasty broth called a consomé. This consomé is one of the best parts of the birria!

This is a dish everyone will enjoy and is a classic for a reason!

What is Birria?

Birria originated in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, and like many classic Mexican dishes, it carries a rich culinary history. It was originally made with goat after the Spanish introduced the animal to Mexico in the 1500s. At the time, the Spanish typically ate young kid goat meat, disliking mature goat because of its gamey taste and tough texture. Seen as food for the poor, mature goat was far from a prized cut of meat.

The native people of Jalisco took this mature goat meat and transformed it into something remarkable. To tame the gamey flavor and break down the tough texture, they created a deeply aromatic marinade made with guajillo chiles and warm spices. The meat was then cooked low and slow until it became tender and succulent. I find it incredible how the native cooks took an undesirable ingredient and turned it into a culinary masterpiece! Today, birria stands as one of the most beloved and famous dishes in traditional Mexican cooking.

Types of Meat

Over time, birria evolved as it spread across the country. To make the dish more accessible, mainly in regions where goat wasn’t easily available, beef and lamb began to replace it. In modern recipes, even chicken can be used. The core flavors stay the same; only the choice of meat changes. The birria recipe I’m sharing with you today is made with beef.

What cut of meat to use?

There are several cuts of beef that make excellent choices for birria. Some good options are chuck roast, beef short ribs, and country-style ribs. These are cuts that are tough and have plenty of fat and connective tissue, so they benefit from cooking at low temperatures for several hours. This method of cooking will yield tender, juicy, and succulent meat.

How to Make Beef Birria?

1. Place the guajillo chiles and garlic in a small pot. Fill with water to cover them.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chiles are soft, changed color, and rehydrated.

3. Remove the chiles and garlic from the pot and transfer to a bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
4. Let the chiles and garlic cool down for about 5 to 10 minutes.
5. While the chiles and garlic cool down, cut beef chuck roast into about 3 inch chunks.
6. Salt the beef chunks on both sides.
7. Preheat oven to 300°F.
8. Once the chiles and garlic are cool, transfer them to a blender along with 1 cup of their cooking liquid, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar.
9. Blend until smooth.
10. Transfer the beef to a large pot and pour all of the marinade over the meat. Make sure all the pieces of meat are well coated in the marinade. Toss them with tongs if necessary.

9. Add enough water so that the meat is almost fully submerged. Only the very top surface of the meat should be a bit exposed.
10. Cook in the oven for three and a half to four and a half hours or until meat is very tender and is easily shredded with a fork.

11. Remove the beef from the pot and transfer to a bowl. If necessary let it cool down and then shred or chop the meat if desired into smaller pieces.
12. Return the chopped or shredded meat to the pot. Turn the heat on the stove to medium. Simmer meat for a few minutes to warm back up if needed. 

Tips and Suggestions

1. You can also use beef short ribs or country style ribs. Cuts of beef that have plenty of fat and connective tissue work well, which when you cook at low temperatures and for several hours they become tender.
2. When adding the water to the pot, stop as soon as the meat is almost fully submerged and only the top surface is exposed a bit. If the meat is fully submerged it’s ok, you will just have more consomé  left over from the cooking.
3. Check after three hours if the meat is tender when shredded with a fork. If it shreds easily, it’s ready. If it’s not ready yet, continue cooking and check every 30 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.
4. Patience is important, even if the meat reaches the correct internal temperature, if it is not easily shredded with a fork, it’s not ready yet. Keep slow cooking until the meat is fork tender.
5. Spoon some of the consomé  or broth that’s made during the slow cooking onto your birria when serving. It will provide an extra layer of rich flavor and help keep the meat moist.

How to Store Beef Birria

Beef birria can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to store in an airtight container.

How to reheat Birria

To reheat beef birria, add the leftovers along with the consomé  to a pan, then pour in a splash of water to help generate steam. Bring the birria to a simmer and cook on medium to medium-low heat, covered for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.

How to serve beef birria

Birria is typically served in a bowl as a stew. You get a generous portion of tender birria meat along with that rich broth or consomé . It’s garnished with fresh chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The onion and cilantro give a fresh, crisp crunch, while the lime juice brings a pop of acidity to cut through the richness of the meat. Warm tortillas are served on the side, meaning you can build your own birria tacos or simply roll up a tortilla and dip it directly into your bowl.

Whichever way you decide to enjoy your birria, it’s going to be a fantastic meal!

I hope you enjoy this beef birria recipe. Please let me know in the comments below if you make it and how it went.

Gracias y provecho!

Raul

Beef birria recipe

This traditional beef birria recipe is easy to make at home. Tender beef chuck roast are slow-simmered in a rich guajillo chile consomé  for maximum flavor!

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 lbs beef chuck roast
• 10 guajillo chiles rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp groud cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

For Serving & Garnish

• white onion finely chopped
• cilantro finely chopped
• lime wedges

Method

 

1. Place the guajillo chiles and garlic in a small pot. Fill with water to cover them.
2. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chiles are soft and changed to a red color.
3. Remove the chiles and garlic from the pot and transfer to a bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
4. Let the chiles and garlic cool down for about 5 to 10 minutes.
5. While the chiles and garlic cool down, salt the beef on all sides.
6. Preheat oven to 300°F.
7. Once the chiles and garlic are cool, transfer them to a blender along with 1 cup of their cooking liquid, oregano, cumin, black pepper,  and apple cider vinegar.
8. Blend until smooth.
9. Transfer the beef to a large pot and pour all of the marinade over the meat.
10. Add enough water so that the the beef is almost fully submerged. Only the very top surface of the meat should be a bit exposed.
11. Transfer to the oven and cook for three and a half to four and a half hours or until meat is very tender and is easily shredded with a fork.
12. Remove the beef from the pot and transfer to a bowl. If necessary let it cool down and then shred or chop the meat into smaller pieces.
13. Return the chopped or shredded meat to the pot. Turn the heat on the stove to medium low. Heat meat for a few minutes to warm back up if needed.

To Serve

1. Serve the meat along with the consomé  in medium bowls. Garnish with fresh chopped onion and cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime juice and serve with tortillas for dipping into the consomé or for making tacos.

Notes

1. You can also use beef short ribs or country style ribs for this recipe. Cuts of beef that have plenty of fat and connective tissue work well, which when you cook at low temperatures and for several hours they  become tender.
2. When adding the water to the pot, stop as soon as the meat is almost fully submerged and only the top surface is exposed a bit. If the meat is fully submerged it’s ok, you will just have more consomé left over from the cooking.
3. Check after three hours if the meat is tender when shredded with a fork. If it shreds easily, it’s ready. If it’s not ready yet, continue cooking and check every 30 minutes or until the meat is fork tender.
4. Patience is important, if it is not easily shredded with a fork, it’s not ready yet. Keep slow cooking until the meat is fork tender.
5. Spoon some of the consomé or broth that’s made during the slow cooking onto your birria when serving. It will provide an extra layer of rich flavor to the meat.