You'll love this Mexican Beef Birria. Juicy and tender beef is slow-cooked in a rich sauce made with aromatic spices, tomato, garlic and guajillo chiles. Enjoy it as a stew or in quesabirria tacos!
There's something magical about a dish that warms your soul and satisfies your cravings with every bite. That's exactly what Beef Birria does.
This traditional Mexican recipe combines tender beef, aromatic spices, and a rich chili sauce to create a mouthwatering experience that will leave you wanting more.
The beauty of Beef Birria lies in its simplicity. With just a few key ingredients and some patience, you can create a dish that is bursting with flavor.
The guajillo peppers, known for their mild heat and fruity undertones, form the base of the chili sauce. Their vibrant red color adds a beautiful hue to the dish.
The combination of oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and chili pepper flakes elevates the flavors and adds a depth that is truly delightful.
Cubes of beef are seared to develop a rich caramelized crust before being simmered in the chili sauce. As the beef cooks low and slow, it becomes incredibly tender and easily shreds apart. Each bite is a melt-in-your-mouth experience that will have you savoring every moment.
Serve it up in birria tacos, or with Mexican Stuffed Poblano Peppers or Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice.
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What is Birria?
Birria is a traditional Mexican dish characterized by tender meat, usually beef or goat, slow-cooked in a rich and flavorful chili sauce. It is often served in tacos or as a stew, accompanied by consommé for dipping. Birria has gained popularity worldwide for its delicious taste and comforting qualities.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
You only need simple pantry ingredients for this recipe!
- Guajillo peppers: These dried peppers have a mild heat and a fruity flavor. Soak them in hot water to rehydrate before blending them into the chili sauce.
- Vegetable oil: Used for sautéing the onions and frying the beef, vegetable oil adds richness to the dish. You can substitute it with other neutral-tasting oils like canola or grapeseed oil.
- Onion: Sliced onions add a subtle sweetness to the dish and complement the flavors of the beef and spices.
- Garlic: Minced garlic brings its aromatic essence to the dish, enhancing the overall flavor profile.
- Dried oregano: This herb adds a pleasant earthy note to the chili sauce, enhancing its depth of flavor.
- Ground cumin: Cumin lends a warm and slightly nutty flavor that pairs wonderfully with the beef.
- Ground coriander: Coriander adds a fresh and citrusy flavor to the dish, balancing the richness of the beef birria.
- Ground cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon adds warmth and depth to the chili sauce, creating a harmonious blend of flavors.
- Chili pepper flakes: These flakes bring a mild heat to the dish. Adjust the quantity to suit your spice preference.
- Beef: Choose a cut of beef suitable for slow cooking, such as chuck or brisket. The long cooking time will tenderize the meat, resulting in melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
- Beef broth: Provides a savory base for the dish, enhancing the flavors of the beef and spices. You can substitute it with vegetable broth if desired.
- Canned chopped tomatoes: These tomatoes add a hint of acidity and sweetness to the chili sauce, balancing the richness of the beef.
- Bay leaves: Bay leaves impart a subtle herbal note to the dish, enhancing its overall flavor profile.
- Apple cider vinegar: A splash of apple cider vinegar brightens the flavors and adds a tangy note to the chili sauce. You can substitute it with white vinegar if needed.
See the recipe card for quantities and method.
How to make Beef Birria
Follow these step-by-step instructions, then scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.
Cut the deseeded and stemmed guajillo peppers into pieces. Place them into a bowl, cover with hot water and set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until they turn translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute. Stir in the oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, chili pepper flakes and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a blender and set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet, then add the beef and fry over a high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes until browned all over. Transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven and set aside.
Drain the guajillo peppers, and add them to the blender of onions and spices, along with the beef broth, tomatoes, and vinegar, and blend until you have a smooth, thick sauce.
Pour the chili sauce over the seared beef in the Dutch oven and stir well. Add the bay leaves.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for about 2 hours until the beef becomes tender and easily shreds.
Once the beef is cooked, let it rest in the sauce for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pot (reserve the cooking sauce) and shred it using two forks. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce, over a medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Scroll down for the full ingredients list and method.
Serving Suggestions
When it comes to serving Beef Birria, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few serving suggestions to inspire you:
- Traditional Tacos: Fill warm corn tortillas with the shredded beef birria and chili sauce. Top with diced onions, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with a side of consommé for dipping.
- Rice and Beans: Serve the Beef Birria alongside steamed rice and beans for a complete and satisfying meal. The rich flavors of the birria will complement the simplicity of the rice and beans.
- Birria Quesadillas: Use the shredded beef and chili sauce as a filling for crispy quesadillas. Layer the beef and cheese between two tortillas, then cook until golden and melted.
- Birria Nachos: Build a mountain of crispy tortilla chips and top them with the shredded beef, chili sauce, melted cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and a dollop of sour cream.
Variations
Chicken Birria: If you prefer poultry over beef, you can substitute the beef with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or breasts. The cooking time may be slightly shorter for chicken, so make sure to adjust accordingly. You can swap the beef stock to chicken stock.
More Beef Recipes
Storage
- Refrigerator: Allow the Birria to cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer: If you have a large batch or want to make ahead, Birria freezes well. Store the shredded beef and chili sauce in separate airtight containers. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Recipe Tips
- Soaking the guajillo peppers: Ensure the peppers are fully submerged in hot water and let them soak for the full 10 minutes. This step rehydrates the peppers and makes them easier to blend into a smooth sauce.
- Browning the beef: When searing the beef, make sure not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook the beef in batches if necessary to ensure each piece gets a nice caramelized crust.
- Low and slow cooking: To achieve tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, simmer the Birria on low heat for the suggested time. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld and the beef to become tender.
- Shredding the beef: Once the beef is cooked, let it rest in the sauce for 15 minutes. This allows the meat to absorb the flavors fully. Use two forks to shred the beef easily, pulling it apart against the grain.
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📖 Recipe
Beef Birria
Equipment
- Skillet
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- blender
Ingredients
- 3 guajillo peppers stemmed and seeded
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- 2 lbs beef cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 ½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Cut the deseeded and stemmed guajillo peppers into pieces. Place them into a bowl, cover with hot water and set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 4 minutes or until they turn translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute. Stir in the oregano, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, chili pepper flakes and cook for a further minute. Transfer to a blender and set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet, then add the beef and fry over a high heat, stirring often, for 5 minutes until browned all over. Transfer to a large pot or Dutch oven and set aside.
- Drain the guajillo peppers, add them to the blender of onions and spices, along with the beef broth, tomatoes, and vinegar, and blend until you have a smooth, thick sauce.
- Pour the chili sauce over the seared beef in the Dutch oven and stir well. Add the bay leaves.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for about 2 hours until the beef becomes tender and easily shreds.
- Once the beef is cooked, let it rest in the sauce for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pot (reserve the cooking sauce) and shred it using two forks. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce, over a medium heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Serve the beef birria in tacos, as sloppy joes, over rice etc…
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Tara
Ooooh, this beef birria was absolutely fantastic. You had me at the aromatic spices, tomato, garlic and guajillo chiles. Such wonderful flavors.
Toni
Thanks so much for this amazing recipe! Everyone loved it!
Kelly Anne
Made it and had it with tacos. Lots left over so having it tonight with mashed potato and green beans.