Birria
Birria
Ingredients
For the Birria
- 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into large, manageable pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 arbol chiles
- 2 ancho chiles
- 4 guajillo chiles
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups water
- 4 cups beef broth, or as needed to cover meat
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon tomato bouillon, such as Knorr brand
For the Quesabirria Tacos and Garnish
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the cut chuck roast pieces generously with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Heat cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chuck roast pieces and sear until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
While the meat is searing, prepare the sauce ingredients: chop 1/4 of an onion, peel 5 garlic cloves, and gather the arbol chiles, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Once the meat is seared, add 3 cups of water and an additional pinch of salt to the pot. Add the chopped onion, garlic cloves, arbol chiles, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Pour beef broth into the pot until the meat and other ingredients are sufficiently covered. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot with a lid.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Carefully use tongs to transfer the solid ingredients (chiles, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves) from the pot into a blender. Leave the meat in the pot.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
To the blender, add the beef bouillon cube, dried thyme, dried oregano, tomato bouillon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 3 cups of the cooking liquid (broth) from the pot to the blender.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Blend the ingredients until a smooth sauce is formed. This may take 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
Place a fine-mesh strainer over the pot containing the meat. Pour the blended sauce through the strainer into the pot, pressing the solids with a spoon or spatula to extract all liquid. Discard any remaining solids in the strainer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Stir the sauce and meat in the pot to combine. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily shredded.
⏱️ 180 min
- 11
While the birria is cooking, finely chop the cilantro and additional onion for garnish.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
After 3 hours, remove the tender meat from the pot and transfer it to a cutting board or shallow dish. Shred the meat using two forks or tongs.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
To prepare quesabirria tacos: Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the birria broth (consomé) from the pot, coating both sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 14
Place the broth-dipped tortillas in the hot frying pan. Add a portion of the shredded birria meat onto one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the meat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 15
Fold the tortillas in half to create tacos and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are slightly crispy and golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
⏱️ 5 min
- 16
Serve the quesabirria tacos immediately with a side bowl of consomé for dipping. Garnish the consomé with chopped onion and cilantro.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Birria
For the Birria
- 3 pounds chuck roast, cut into large, manageable pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/4 onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 5 arbol chiles
- 2 ancho chiles
- 4 guajillo chiles
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups water
- 4 cups beef broth, or as needed to cover meat
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon tomato bouillon, such as Knorr brand
For the Quesabirria Tacos and Garnish
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
- 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Season the cut chuck roast pieces generously with salt and pepper.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Heat cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chuck roast pieces and sear until browned on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
While the meat is searing, prepare the sauce ingredients: chop 1/4 of an onion, peel 5 garlic cloves, and gather the arbol chiles, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Once the meat is seared, add 3 cups of water and an additional pinch of salt to the pot. Add the chopped onion, garlic cloves, arbol chiles, ancho chiles, guajillo chiles, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Pour beef broth into the pot until the meat and other ingredients are sufficiently covered. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover the pot with a lid.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Carefully use tongs to transfer the solid ingredients (chiles, onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves) from the pot into a blender. Leave the meat in the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
To the blender, add the beef bouillon cube, dried thyme, dried oregano, tomato bouillon, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add 3 cups of the cooking liquid (broth) from the pot to the blender.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Blend the ingredients until a smooth sauce is formed. This may take 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
Place a fine-mesh strainer over the pot containing the meat. Pour the blended sauce through the strainer into the pot, pressing the solids with a spoon or spatula to extract all liquid. Discard any remaining solids in the strainer.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Stir the sauce and meat in the pot to combine. Cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours, or until the meat is very tender and easily shredded.
⏱️ 180 min - 11
While the birria is cooking, finely chop the cilantro and additional onion for garnish.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
After 3 hours, remove the tender meat from the pot and transfer it to a cutting board or shallow dish. Shred the meat using two forks or tongs.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
To prepare quesabirria tacos: Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Dip each corn tortilla into the birria broth (consomé) from the pot, coating both sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 14
Place the broth-dipped tortillas in the hot frying pan. Add a portion of the shredded birria meat onto one half of each tortilla. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the meat.
⏱️ 5 min - 15
Fold the tortillas in half to create tacos and continue cooking until the cheese is melted and the tortillas are slightly crispy and golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side.
⏱️ 5 min - 16
Serve the quesabirria tacos immediately with a side bowl of consomé for dipping. Garnish the consomé with chopped onion and cilantro.
⏱️ 2 min