Birria
Birria originated in Jalisco, likely developed by cooks who needed a way to use goat meat after Spanish colonizers introduced the animals to Mexico and local herds grew faster than anyone knew what to do with them. Slow-cooking the meat in a fiery blend of dried chiles, garlic, and warm spices tenderized the tougher cuts and masked any strong flavor, turning what was once considered a lesser meat into a dish reserved for weddings, baptisms, and Sunday gatherings. Today birria is made with goat, beef, or a mix of both, and it exists in two beloved forms: a deep bowlful of stewed meat and broth eaten with tortillas on the side, and quesabirria, tortillas dipped in the reserved fat, folded around shredded meat and melted cheese, then griddled until crisp and served with a cup of consommé for dipping. The quesabirria version, born from Tijuana food trucks in the last couple of decades, has carried birria far beyond Jalisco and made it one of the most recognizable Mexican street foods worldwide.
Fiery guajillo-ancho adobo
Toasted dried chiles are blended into a deep red adobo that coats and flavors the meat as it stews.
Slow-braised until tender
Hours of gentle simmering break down tougher cuts of beef until they shred effortlessly with a fork.
Rich, dippable consommé
The skimmed cooking broth, glistening with fat, is served alongside for spooning or dipping tortillas.
Crispy quesabirria tacos
Tortillas dipped in the meaty fat, filled with cheese and shredded meat, turn golden and crunchy on the griddle.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1.5 kg beef chuck, cut into large pieces
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chiles de árbol
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, plus 2 bay leaves and a cinnamon stick
- 1 white onion, chopped (plus extra for garnish)
- Corn tortillas and lime wedges, for serving
How to make it
- 1Toast the dried guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles in a dry skillet for a minute until fragrant, then soak them in hot water for fifteen minutes to soften.
- 2Blend the softened chiles with garlic, onion, thyme, marjoram, and a splash of the soaking liquid into a smooth, deep-red adobo sauce.
- 3Sear the beef chunks in a hot pot until browned on all sides, then pour in the adobo sauce along with the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- 4Add enough water or broth to just cover the meat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- 5Cover and cook for about three hours, until the meat is fork-tender and easily shreds apart.
- 6Skim the flavorful fat from the surface of the broth and set it aside for dipping tortillas, then shred the meat directly in the pot.
- 7Serve the birria in bowls with its rich broth, or dip tortillas in the fat, fill with meat and cheese, and griddle them into crispy quesabirria tacos.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
