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Birria

Ingredients:
  • 6-8 lbs chuck roast or combination of chuck roast and short rib
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 carrot, cut into pieces (or like 6 baby carrots)
  • 1 garlic bulb 
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 8 guajillo chiles
  • 3 ancho chiles
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp oregano 
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
Directions:
  1. Combine ingredients in a large pot and cover with water and bring to a simmer
  2. After 30 minutes, remove the peppers, onion, carrot, and garlic and place in a blender (squeeze the garlic out of the skin)
  3. Blend until very smooth, adding a little bit of the simmering liquid if needed to loosen it up
  4. Pour the blended mixture through a strainer, then add back to the pot, stirring to combine
  5. Cover the pot and simmer for another 3-4 hours, until the meat is tender and easily shreds
  6. Taste and season as needed, then turn off the heat and allow the meat to cool in the broth for at least an hour
  7. Remove the meat, discarding any bones, and shred. Keep the liquid, including the fat on top.
Tacos:
  1. If making tacos, dip the tortilla in the top layer of oil in the broth, then add to a medium heat pan
  2. Build the taco in the pan, adding the shredded meat and some good melting cheese (mozzarella is what we usually use), and fold together like a quesadilla.
  3. Serve with a small bowl of the broth topped with diced white onion and cilantro
Soup:
  1. Put the meat back in the broth
  2. Serve in bowls with diced white onion and cilantro