What does Birria taste like?

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.

What is the difference between Birria and Barbacoa?

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.

Why does my birria taste bitter?

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.

Should birria be thick or thin?

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.

Authentic Birria Recipe

Name: Beef Birria Meat (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican
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; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ 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 ¼ 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)

Description

How to Make Birria (and Birria Tacos)- a traditional Mexican stew, that can be made in an Instant Pot, Dutch Oven (Baked or Stovetop), or in a slow cooker. Serve in a bowl as a hearty stew, or make Quesabirria tacos with a side of flavorful consommé. Great for meal prep and freezes well.

Ingredients

Units Scale

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.

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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, and sear and brown the meat 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.)
Heat oil in an Instant pot on the saute setting (or large Dutch oven over medium heat) 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 2 minutes, 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 on top.
Instant Pot: Set the Instant Pot to 45 minutes on high pressure. Let it naturally release.
Dutch Oven: 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: Place this in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
Blend the chilies: Once the meat is tender, fish out the chilies, and blend with a cup of the warm broth in a blender until pureed. Return to the pot, stirring it in. You can also 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.
If making tacos, shred the meat and strain the consommé, and keep it separate. Skim 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