Authentic Birria (Birria de Res)
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Hailing from the Mexican state of Jalisco, Birria, also known as Birria de res (beef stew), is a rich, tender chili pepper-based meat adobo. A traditional dish made from goat, this version uses beef chuck, or short ribs, and I share two different methods to cook.
I first posted this recipe just after the beginning of the COVID lockdown back in August of 2020. I have since tinkered around with the recipe to better streamline and make it more approachable to the everyday cook.
The original recipe had several more steps and a few things added to the consommé as well. I also have updated both an oven braised method, as well as a quicker version, using the Instant Pot.
Table of Contents
What is Birria?
Birria is a chili pepper-based meat adobo made rich from sesame seeds, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, cloves and thyme, that’s braised until the meat is tender and falls apart.
Traditionally, the meat marinates in a rich adobo sauce, then it’s braised in banana leaves and soaked in more sauce before serving. To shorten what is otherwise a multi-day process, this recipe skips the banana leaf braising. Instead, we cook the meat low and slow in the oven for 4 hours (or stovetop if preferred). I also give a quicker Instant Pot method which cooks in less than 30 minutes!
Because both goat and lamb can be expensive and are more difficult to find, it’s become common for people to use beef instead. Regardless of the meat used (beef shank, beef chuck or beef short ribs), each bite of this dish is full of flavor from the chiles and spices used throughout the cooking process.
- Adobo Paste – This is made from rehydrating guajillo and ancho chilies and pureeing them with toasted sesame seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon, clove, and herbs with garlic and white vinegar.
- Birria – I’m using the more readily available beef chuck, but beef short ribs or shank can be used. Traditionally goat or lamb is used.
- Serving – The meat is shredded and served with the cooking liquid known as the consummé. Ladled into deep soup bowls and topped with chopped onions, cilantro and lime wedges to squeeze on top.
- Make the adobo paste. You can make this up to 5 days ahead of time if you’d like. Just be sure to cover the container well and refrigerate.
- Soak the chiles. Dried chiles are very lightweight. Use a heavy plate to keep them submerged.
- Toast the spices. You’ll be toasting them in a dry pan. Watch them closely to prevent them from burning.
- Puree into a thick paste. Use 1 cup of the soaking liquid to puree and tap water to help get the right consistency if more is needed. Some people like to use all of the soaking liquid, but I think it adds a bitter taste.
- Sear and cook the meat. Sear the meat in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, which will cause it to steam rather than brown.
- Place all the beef back into the pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves to the seared beef. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Oven (375°F): Pop in the oven for 3.5 to 4 hours, or Stovetop: Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 4 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
When serving birria as a stew
You can complement its rich and flavorful profile with a variety of side dishes to create a well-rounded feast. Here are some traditional and popular options:
- Consommé: The cooking liquid used to braise the birria meat is often strained and served as a consommé or broth alongside the stew. This broth is rich and makes for a delicious and warming starter.
- Rice: A simple white or Mexican-style Cilantro Lime Rice can be a great side to balance the richness of the stew. You could also consider making the tomato-based rice Arroz Rojo with vegetables and spices for added color and flavor.
- Beans: Refried beans, Borracho beans, Charro beans, or pinto beans are excellent choices to serve on the side. Their creamy texture and earthy taste complement the birria stew well.
- Tortillas: Warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas are a must-have to scoop up the tender birria meat and soak up the consommé. You can also use the tortillas to make birria tacos or quesabirria.
- Salsa and Condiments: Offer a variety of salsas, such as salsa verde, salsa roja, or pico de gallo, to add an extra layer of flavor. Sliced radishes, chopped onions, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges are common garnishes that enhance the dining experience.
- Cheese: Crumbled queso fresco, grated cheddar, or melted Oaxaca cheese can be sprinkled on top of the stew or used to garnish tacos or quesabirria.
- Avocado: Sliced or diced avocado adds a creamy and refreshing element to balance the richness of the stew.
- Pickled Onions: Escabeche Rojo or these Quick-pickled red onions provide a tangy and slightly sweet contrast that pairs well with the savory birria.
What is the Difference between Birria and Barbacoa?
The traditional cooking method for both birria and barbacoa beef is the same – beef, goat or lamb is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked in an underground oven until tender.
However, barbacoa is essentially just cooked meat, while birria also flavors the meat by submerging (braising it) it in a spiced sauce. The end result is a stew that can be eaten as-is, served with rice, or pan fried in tortillas dipped in the sauce created when cooking.
Storing and Reheating Birria de Res
Storage – Keep leftover meat and sauce in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Or, freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating – Heat in the microwave on medium power so the meat doesn’t dry out, or simmer in a pot on the stove until warmed through.
Birria is traditionally made with goat, beef or lamb meat. Beef cuts like chuck roast, brisket, or shank, as well as goat meat, are often used due to their tenderizing potential during the slow-cooking process. You can choose the meat that best suits your taste and availability.
The birria marinade is a key component of the dish’s delicious taste. It’s known as an adobo that typically includes ingredients like dried chilies (such as guajillo that give the red color, ancho, and pasilla), garlic, onions, vinegar, and various spices like cumin, Mexican oregano, and cloves. You’ll need to rehydrate the dried chilies, blend them with the other ingredients and some soaking liquid, and then cook it low and slow until fall apart goodness happens.
Traditionally the shredded meat is served in bowls with the broth and is topped with diced onion, cilantro and lime to squeeze on top. Another is to make birria tacos or quesabirria (birria quesadillas). To make birria tacos, you’ll dip corn tortillas into the flavorful birria cooking liquid, known also as consummé, pan fry them and then fill them with the shredded meat, diced onions, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Quesabirria involves stuffing the birria meat and toppings inside a folded tortilla with melted cheese!
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Authentic Birria (Birria de Res)
Ingredients
Adobo Paste
- 10 dried guajillo chiles
- 10 dried ancho chiles
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp whole cloves or 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 roma plum tomatoes halved
- 1 4-inch cinnamon stick (broken) (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon powder)
- 4 tsp dried thyme
- 4 tsp Mexican oregano or regular oregano
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
Birria
- 5-6 lbs beef chuck roast (See Note 1)
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- adobo paste (see above)
- 1 white onion peeled and cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cups water or beef broth
Serving
- 1 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 medium white onion diced
- pickled red onions optional
Instructions
Adobo Paste
- Remove stems and seeds from dried chiles and break into pieces. Transfer dried chiles to a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and set chiles aside. Reserve 1 cup soaking liquid.
- In a skillet over medium-high heat toast the sesame seeds, peppercorns and cloves. Sesame seeds should be a light brown and spices aromatic.
- Transfer toasted seeds and spices, garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, thyme, oregano, ginger and cumin, drained chiles, 1 cup soaking liquid and vinegar to a blender and puree. Add water as needed for a smooth, thick paste consistency (See Note 2). Strain through a sieve and discard any debris if needed (I use a Vitamix that does a great job, so no need to strain).
Birria (3 Methods)
Oven Cooking Option
- Preheat oven to 375°F. This can be made on the stovetop as well (see below), but I feel the oven method works better for a more even cooking.
- Season beef all over liberally with salt and pepper. Sear meat all over in a Dutch oven with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to over crowding pot.
- Place all the beef back into the pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves to the seared beef. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Place in lower rack of oven and cook for 4 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the meat, reserving the cooking liquid (consommé), and shred with 2 forks. Add 2 cups water or beef broth to cooking pot and stir if needed to thin it down to broth consistency after cooking 4 hours. Add the meat back into the consommé in Dutch and serve as a stew in bowls. Top with diced onion and chopped cilantro.
Stovetop
- Season beef all over liberally with salt and pepper. Sear meat all over in a Dutch oven with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn't steam due to over crowding pot.
- Place all the beef back into the pot. Add the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves to the seared beef. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 4 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the meat, reserving the cooking liquid (consommé), and shred with 2 forks. Add 2 cups water or beef broth to cooking pot and stir if needed to thin it down to broth consistency after cooking 4 hours. Add the meat back into the consommé in Dutch and serve as a stew in bowls. Top with diced onion and chopped cilantro.
Instant Pot Option
- Set to Saute setting. Season beef all over liberally with salt and pepper. Sear meat all over with a little oil. Work in batches so the meat sears and doesn’t steam due to over crowding pot.
- Place all seared meat into the Instant Pot along with onion, garlic cloves and bay leaves. Pour in the adobo paste, and cover with water by 1 inch. Cook on Meat/Stew setting, High, for 45 minutes. Allow for Natural steam release. If you prefer a Slow Cooker method, cook on High for 4 hours or until meat is easily shredded.
- Remove the meat, reserving the cooking liquid (consommé), and shred with 2 forks. Add 2 cups water or beef broth to cooking pot and stir if needed to thin it down to broth consistency after cooking 4 hours. Add the meat back into the consommé in Instant Pot and serve as a stew in bowls. Top with diced onion and chopped cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Birria is traditionally made with goat or lamb. Some recipes use beef, chicken or pork. Beef shank or short ribs work well too. If using beef short ribs, purchase 8 pounds total weight. For lamb, loin chops, leg or shoulder are great.
- Thin with water, not the soaking liquid, as I find it gets too bitter.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi Kevin! I’d just like to double-check the instructions– the cinnamon stick is put in the blender too? That sounds a little scary, like putting a stick in the spokes of your bike wheel 🙂
Yes, you can use a high speed blender to puree it all, cinnamon stick included just fine. If you’re unsure of using yours, you can substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. I hope you give this one a try Carolyn!
You say preheat the oven to 375 but the recipe instructions are all on the stove top please could you explain this because this recipe sounds really good
There are 3 updated methods on the recipe card for you, Oven, Stovetop and Instant Pot. I hope this clarifies it for you Damon. Enjoy!
Whenever I see a Mexican recipe that says “authentic” I have to try it. I taste tested with my MIL who is Mexican and she gives this 2 thumbs up. Fantastic flavor and it really made a lot. We had the stew one night (she made fresh tortillas) and we made queso tacos with it the next afternoon. Great weekend feast, thanks Kevin. I thought you’d like to know.
THis make sme very happy, thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know Marisol.
Generally speaking Rachel, the cook time will remain the same for the recipe whether you are making a full batch or a half batch. Here is a great post with more info if you’re interested.
If i want to half this recipe, what should the cooking time for the instant pot be??
Hi Kevin, they were dried red Kashmiri chillies. I’m sure it’d be better with the right Mexican kind, but this was still delicious!
Appreciate you coming back to let me know Aaron. Glad this worked for you. Which dried chiles did you use?
These were absolutely fantastic. Pretty hard to come across the dried Mexican chillies in Melbourne so I had to use another variety, but it still came out so well. Thanks!
Definitely Merissa. Cook for 3-5 hours (depending on meat used), or until the meat is very tender and pulls easily with a fork. I would stir it occasionally, too. While placing it in the oven allows for a more even heat as it circulates all around the dutch oven.