Learn the secret to authentic Mexican birria. Make birria tacos, or enjoy as a stew topped with pickled onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Video.
Divine guidance always arises like a whisper. It does not yell and it does not insist. It is a quiet thing. We cannot hear the whispers of divine guidance until we have embraced who we are. ~Adyashanti
Say hello to the best Birria recipe. Ok, maybe I am a little biased, but over the years, I've tested and retested this recipe so many times - perfecting it until it consistently delivers the rich, bold, yet comforting flavors you’ll find at your favorite authentic Mexican restaurant. Since then, it has become a reader favorite, with dozens of 5-star reviews from home cooks who've made it successfully in their own kitchens.
The secret to the best birria lies in the flavor of the consommé, a rich, savory chile broth which we use to simmer the meat. Trust me, this is where all the magic happens! Dried Mexican chiles, warming spices, and a few of my chef’s tips create a silky, aromatic consommé that's perfect for sipping or dunking birria tacos.
Short on time? I've tested this recipe multiple ways, and the Instant Pot delivers incredibly tender meat in about 45 minutes of pressure cooking. Prefer a slower approach? You can simmer it gently on the stovetop for about 3 hours, or let it cook low and slow in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours. Each method works beautifully, so you can choose what fits your schedule - without sacrificing flavor.
What is Birria?
Birria is a flavorful Mexican stew made with meat (typically beef or goat), savory Mexican spices, and dried chilies, cooked low and slow until meltingly tender. It literally melts in your mouth. Use it to make quesabirria tacos with a side of flavorful beef consommé to dip them in, or serve it up as a hearty stew. Either way, you’ll love it!
Watch How to Make Birria
Birria Ingredients
- Stew Meat- Tough cuts of stew meat (beef, lamb or goat) work well here and will tenderize in the flavorful sauce. Beef stew meat, beef chuck roast, beef shank, or beef shoulder, lamb leg, lamb shoulder, lamb stew meat or lamb leg, or bone-in leg of lamb or goat all work great.
- beef stock (or sub-chicken stock)
- Dried chiles- use a combination for the best flavor: guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, chile de arbol, or Pasilla chilies, chipotles, or casabel.
- Fresh onion and fresh garlic – white onion, red onion or yellow onion.
- Optional diced tomatoes– canned fire-roasted or fresh.
- Mexican Spices: cumin, coriander, Mexican oregano, ground cloves, allspice, bay leaves, chile powder, cinnamon
- Apple cider vinegar– balances the richness of the consommé and adds acidity.
- Salt and black peppercorns
- Garnishes: Fresh cilantro, lime, oaxaca cheese ( for tacos) radishes, avocado, pickled onions
Serve with tortillas, melty cheese, pickled onions, cilantro and avocado.
What is the best meat for birria?
Birria is typically made with goat meat, but we prefer the ease of lamb or beef. Any tougher cuts of meat like chuck roast, stew meat, lamb shoulder, leg of lamb or beef shoulder will work great here.
How to make Birria
*See the recipe card for Instant Pot and slow cooker versions.
1. Toast the chilies in a dry skillet, being careful not to burn. This will allow them to release their oils. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and let simmer and soften until you are ready to add them to the stew. Drain the water and remove the seeds- draining is key to keeping birria consommé from becoming bitter.
2. Saute. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven and saute the onions and garlic. Note: If you have extra time, brown the meat first for the best flavor. (See recipe card).
Add all the spices, and saute for a couple of minutes, lightly toasting them.
Then add the tomatoes and their juices.
3. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and brown it for the BEST flavor.
4. Add the meat to the pot, along with the stock.
5. Drain the softened chilies, remove the seeds, and place them on top of the stew; cover tightly.
6. Create a tighter seal by placing a thin kitchen towel between the pot and the lid. Simmer on medium-low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring every hour. (Alternatively, Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes.)
7. When the meat is tender, remove the chilies and place them in a blender with 1 cup of broth from the stew.
8. Blend into a smoother puree.
9. Pour this back into the Birria.
10. Add vinegar and adjust salt and pepper to taste. You want the consommé to taste rich and flavorful.
11. If serving as a stew in bowls, feel free to add more broth or water to loosen it. Or keep it thick for tacos.
12. If serving in tacos, strain the meat and shred it. Cover with just enough of the broth to keep the meat moist and juicy. You’ll serve the consommé on the side.
How to Serve Birria consommé
- Strain broth separately after cooking, and skim the fat.
- Serve hot alongside quesabirra tacos for dipping.
- You can also dip the tortillas into the consommé when making the quesabirra tacos for the best flavor (see below).
How to make QuesaBirria Tacos
Dip tortillas into the rich Birria consommé, which softens the tortillas and infuses them with goodness! Then place them onto a greased griddle, flat top, or skillet. Tip: This will also help to skim some of the fat from the consommé.
Sear. Place the dipped corn tortillas on a hot, greased skillet (or griddle or flat top) to crisp them up.
Fill. Add melty cheese like queso fresco or Oaxacan string cheese, top with shredded birria meat, and cilantro.
Crisp them up. Fold the tortilla over and pan-sear each side until crispy and melty. Keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.
Serve Birria Tacos with your favorite toppings- pickled onions, avocado, or this hot sauce alongside some of the flavorful broth for dipping.
How to make Birria in an Instant Pot
Using an Instant Pot to make birria cuts the cooking time in half! Fast and easy.
- Toast the chilies in a dry skillet, being careful not to burn. This will allow them to release their oils. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and let simmer and soften until you are ready to add them to the stew. Drain the water and remove the seeds.
- Season and brown the meat generously with salt and pepper. Brown the meat with a little olive oil, using the saute function, and set aside.
- Saute the aromatics. Heat more oil in an Instant pot on the saute setting and add onion and garlic, stirring and sauteing until fragrant, tender, and golden. Once softened and golden, add all the spices: cloves, allspice, cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, bay leaves, and cinnamon– and saute for 1 minute, lightly toasting them.
- Add the optional tomatoes and the beef stock. Stir and scrape up any browned bits.
- Add the browned meat and stir.
- Add the softened chilies. Nestle into the stew.
- Pressure cook: Set the instant pot to 45 minutes on high pressure. Let it naturally release.
How to serve Birria as a Stew
Birria can also be served in bowls as a stew. Top with cilantro, onions, or pickled onions, queso fresco if you like, or sour cream and avocado is nice. Crunchy radishes are also a nice touch. The pickled onions really help to cut the richness of the consommé.
Authentic Birria Recipe FAQs
Birria is a rich, brothy, flavorful stew, infused with Mexican chilies and tastes slightly spicy, earthy, and full of flavor. The meat is deliciously tender with the perfect amount of heat.
Authentic Birria is often made with goat meat in Mexico, but beef or lamb are both good substitutes.
Birria originates from Jalisco Mexico and is meat braised in a flavorful chili-infused sauce. Barbacoa is the traditional Mexican technique of barbequing the meat- typically placed in a hole in the ground over hot stones.
Birria can be as spicy or as mild as you like, and it greatly depends on the types of chilies you use. We use milder chilies here that offer a little spice but are not too overwhelming.
If dry chilies are not toasted first and soaked in hot water, the stew can become bitter. Discard the soaking water, as this is the likely cause. Over-toasting or burning the chilies or the spices can cause Birria to be bitter.
Birria should be a little thin, with a good amount of broth -perfect for serving as a soup, or dunking the tortillas in before frying the tacos. The rich birria consommé is typically served on the side of Birria Tacos.
The leftover Birria can be used in enchiladas, tostadas, quesadillas, nachos, or even frozen for another time.
WHAT to Serve with Birria
- Birria is quite rich, so I like to serve it with something light and refreshing like this Mexican Slaw.
- For some extra side dishes, add our Cilantro Lime Rice or Mexican Pinto Beans.
- For an extra special meal, try your hand at making Homemade Tortillas, they are easier than you think.
- Birria would also be good with Mexican Papaya Salad, Fresh Tomatillo Salsa, Pickled Red Onions and Salsa Roja
I hope you enjoy this Mexican dinner as much as we do! It is such a crowd pleaser. Please let us know what you think in the comments below. xoxo Sylvia
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- Korean Beef Bulgogi
- Chicken Carnitas
- Mexican Short Rib Tacos
- Rajas Tacos
- Pulled Pork Tacos with Five spice
- Korean Tacos
- Sloppy Joes
Authentic Mexican Birria Recipe
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: beef, dinner recipe, lamb, Mexican recipes, stew, tacos
- Method: Baked, instant pot, slow cooker
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Learn the secret to the best Mexican birria. Make birria tacos with consomme, or enjoy it as a stew, topped with pickled onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Video. Stovetop, Instant Pot, and Slow Cooker instructions.
Ingredients
- 4–6 dried chilies (2 guajillo chiles, 2 ancho chilies, and 2 chipotle chilies) – stems and seeds removed- see notes.
- 3 lbs beef stew meat (or lamb or goat) cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces – chuck roast, beef shoulder, lamb leg, lamb shoulder.
- Salt and pepper to taste (1 teaspoon salt per pound of meat)
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick ( or sub 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- Optional- 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes or 1 cup fresh, diced tomatoes
- 3 cups beef stock (or chicken stock)
- 1–2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, optional
- Optional additions: 3-inch piece orange zest, 1-2 chipotle chiles (or 2-3 tablespoons adobo sauce sauce from the can)
Serve with: Tortillas, melty cheese, cilantro, chopped onions or pickled onions, Hot Sauce, avocado, sour cream, and radishes.
Instructions
- Toast the chilies in a dry skillet, being careful not to burn. This will allow them to release their oils. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and let simmer and soften until you are ready to add them to the stew. Drain the water and remove the seeds.
- Season the meat generously with salt and pepper, then sear and brown it in an extra-large skillet over medium-high heat. Set it aside. (If you are in a hurry, you can skip the browning step and add it raw and seasoned to the stew, but browning elevates the flavor.)
- Sauté: Heat oil in an Instant Pot on the “saute” setting or in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, stirring and sauteing until fragrant, tender, and golden. Once softened and golden, add all the spices: cloves, allspice, cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, bay leaves, and cinnamon– and saute for 2 minutes, toasting them.
- Combine. Add the optional tomatoes and the beef stock. Stir and scrape up any browned bits. Add the browned meat and stir. Add the softened chilies on top.
- Instant Pot Instructions: (60 mins) Set the Instant Pot to 45 minutes on high pressure. Let it naturally release.
- Dutch Oven Instructions: (3 hours) Cover tightly, and simmer gently on the stovetop, on medium-low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until meat is very tender, stirring every hour. (Alternatively, bake in a 350°F oven.)
- Slow Cooker Instructions: (8 ½ hours) Place this in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
- Blend the chilies: Once the meat is tender, remove the chilies and blend them with a cup of the warm broth in a blender until pureed. Return to the pot and stir it in. You can also just remove the chilies if the broth is spicy enough.
- Season: Taste and season, adding a teaspoon or two of vinegar and adjusting salt and pepper to taste. If it tastes bland, it needs salt.
- Tacos: If making tacos, shred the meat and strain the consommé. Skim most the fat- a little fat is OK if making quesabirria tacos. Pour a little consommé over the shredded meat to keep it juicy.
Serving Options:
- Make Birria Tacos: Dip tortillas into the rich consommé, lightly coating each side, and place in a greased skillet over medium heat. Top with cheese, birria stew meat, and cilantro. Fold the over ( like a quesadilla) and pan-sear each side until crispy. Keep warm in the oven until serving. Serve with a small bowl of consommé for dipping.
- Bowl of Birria Stew: (feel free to thin this out with a little more broth if you prefer) Serve in a bowl, topped with cilantro, radish, cucumber, chopped onion or pickled onion, cotija cheese or sour cream and lime. (Freshly chopped things add good texture.)
Notes
Chilies: Use dry mild chilies like Guajillo and Ancho Chiles to add flavor and depth – but not too much heat. (Feel free to use other dried chilies, paying attention to heat level.) Add Chipotle for more heat and smoky flavor. If you want a milder stew, I suggest using only Guajillos (like 6). You can always add more spice at the end (cayenne, chili flakes, chipotle powder) if not sure. Using dried chilies really makes this dish, but they must be toasted and simmered to remove bitterness.
If you prefer a brothier stew, you can always add more chicken or beef broth at the end of cooking, seasoning with a little more salt.
Tomatoes: I have made this with and without tomatoes. Both are delicious. I almost prefer this without.
MEAT: I used a mixture of lamb and beef. Tougher cuts of meat work great here like stew meat. Shoulder, shank, leg, etc. Goat meat is traditional.
To Remove Fat: Make the stew ahead, strain and cool the consommé – the fat will solidify at the top and then can be easily removed. You can also skim it, while it is warm.
My original Recipe can be found here (i’ve updated it slightly) https://web.archive.org/web/20200922043438/https://www.feastingathome.com/birria-recipe/
Nutrition
- Serving Size: using beef, and no toppings
- Calories: 392
- Sugar: 9.3 g
- Sodium: 1764.7 mg
- Fat: 12.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.7 g
- Fiber: 5.7 g
- Protein: 52.9 g
- Cholesterol: 151.3 mg
5 Stars for the recipe as it was pretty well explained and the outcome was good! It did come out very oily from the peppers, for my personal taste it wasn’t my favorite but I added sour cream to dillute the oiliness and ate as a stew, while adding lime and mexican cheese to the finished product and dipped raddishes and cucumbers. Thank you!
Can I substitute beef with a Boston pork butt?
I bet that would work great!
This is super authentic! I lived in Mexico and this is exactly what I ate! Thank you!!!
Thanks Matthew, appreciate this!
Hi what do I do with the rest of the tomato mixture? I blend one cup…and then what do I do with the rest?
Leave it in the pot. You are basically only blending one cup of it. Not all of it. 🙂
This was amazing! I’ve been eating Birria at our local restaurant for the last 30 years. This was way better! I used beef because I couldn’t find goat. Skipped the shredding in the pot and served stew style. Will definitely make this on regular basis. Served with Spanish rice, black beans, cilantro, onions, avocado, lime, and flour tortillas.
Thanks for recipe
Sounds perfect and glad you liked it!
I made this today and while cooking my house smelled amazing! I am going to use low carb corn tortillas! I can waiy to dive in!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hubby and I just made the Birria sauce tonight, added some leftover smoked lamb, simmered it a little while and had a delicious meal!
Oh dear. Can you tell me more specifics on what you would change? Or what you didn’t like. It would be helpful. Thanks.
Excellent. Our family love it. We used beef and lamb.
Made this with lamb shoulder and it was delicious.
How many oz do you recommended for the can of fire roasted diced tomatoes?
14 ounces.
Interested in making this but I’m a little confused as to where there cinnamon stick gets reintroduced as there’s no mention of the cinnamon after roasting and pulling it before blending. Maybe I missed something?
Dont blend the cinnamon. Just tuck it into the cooking stew. Remove before serving.
Can I use beef stock instead of chicken stock when cooking?
Yes, totally.
Will this recipe work with bone-in beef short ribs? if so, how many lbs? Thanks
Hi I would cut the meat off the bones. Not sure if the “sauce” is enough to accommodate that much volume. You would most likely get burn error.
This was excellent! I added tomatillos (blackened with onion in a skillet) and ginger to the sauce, and topped at the end with a tomatillo pico de gallo, pickled onions, and radish. I will definitely make this again, but might skim a bit of the fat at the end next time. This ended up giving me a little bit of that “coated mouth” feel because there was just a bit too much fat in the broth.
Thanks Danielle, yes some cuts of meat are fattier. In Mexico, they dip the tortillas in that fat above the stew before frying on a griddle- which I think soaks a lot of it up. I refrigerated the leftovers, then the next day was able to remove that layer of fat. I’ll note the recipe. 🙂
I am planning on using dried spices, what would the measurements be? The recipes says to see notes but don’t see anytime mentioned in the notes section. Thanks so much!
I added to notes, sorry about that!
Thank you!
For how many people will this be good for? Sorry, kinda new to the recipes so I’m not sure what it means when it shows “Yields: 8”.
I usually just cook the food according to the recipe and hope it’s enough for the family.
Thanks!
So 8 people, 4 ounces each ( which is a pretty small serving) or 4 people, 8 ounces of meat each. 🙂
Hi – What kind of beef should i buy at the store? I’m not a huge fan of meats with a lot of fat where it’s all slimy.
You want to get some type of stew meat or roasting meat- shoulder, chuck roast, etc.
Am I adding the chopped onion and tomatoes and garlic to the pot or to the blender?
To the pot first! Cook them first.
Can you use beef roast for this recipe?
Yes, you can!
Would you be able to add rice and make this a one pot meal? What measurements would you suggest if so?
I love the idea- but don’t think it would work here. Rice would get over soggy cooked as the lamb needs the full time to get tender. I would cook separately.
I have never had Birria. I noticed in the recipe some ingredients have been removed. Will the recipe be good without those ingredients?
Which are you referring to?
What type/cut of beef would be ideal for this recipe?
A tougher cut of beef like roasting meat or stew meat- shoulder, leg, chuck.
Excellent! Turned out perfect!
After 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes ( and juices) it says “1 1/2 cups fresh, diced”, but doesn’t say what is to be diced. Is there an ingredient missing? Looks delicious!
Sorry there was a typo. It is fixed now- should have said or use 1 1/2 cups fresh diced tomatoes.