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Bringing authentic Jalisco flavors home, this Mexican beef birria fills your kitchen with amazing smells. Melt-in-your-mouth beef slowly cooks with smoky chiles and warm spices, creating the ultimate comfort food. You can enjoy it as a rich stew or turn it into crispy, cheese-filled tacos - your family will ask for it again and again.
A Memorable Dish
Our beef version makes this classic more accessible than the traditional goat meat, but doesn't skimp on incredible flavor. When you cook it slowly, the meat gets super tender and builds a deep, rich taste. What I really like is how you can switch things up - sometimes we have it as a hearty stew, other times we make those addictive crispy tacos for dinner.
Your Grocery Run
- 3-4 pounds beef chuck roast: Find pieces with good fat marbling, cut them into 2-inch chunks so they cook evenly.
- Dried chiles: 2 ancho, 3 guajillo, and 2 arbol chiles with seeds and stems taken out for better taste.
- Fresh aromatics: 1 large onion, 4 whole garlic cloves, 2 ripe tomatoes to build the sauce foundation.
- Spice blend: 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt and pepper as needed.
- Liquids: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar to soften the meat, 4 cups low-sodium beef broth.
Easy Cooking Method
- Prep Your Chiles
- Take out all seeds from the ancho, guajillo, and arbol chiles. Put them in water and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes until they get soft.
- Brown Your Veggies
- Set your onion, tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet and broil for 4-6 minutes, keeping an eye on them until they get slightly blackened.
- Mix Your Sauce
- Throw the softened chiles and 1 cup of their soaking water into a blender. Add your browned veggies, all spices except bay leaves, vinegar and broth. Blend everything until it's smooth.
- Start Cooking
- Put your beef pieces in the slow cooker, pour the sauce on top, drop in bay leaves and mix lightly. Cover and let it cook for 8-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high until meat pulls apart easily.
- Complete Your Dish
- Pull out the meat, tear it apart with forks, then mix it back into the sauce. Take out bay leaves, stir everything well and let the flavors come together.
Helpful Tricks
You can use a Dutch oven too, just brown the meat first for more flavor. Save time by making the sauce a day ahead. Want it spicier or milder? Just change how many arbol chiles you use. If the meat won't shred yet, don't worry - cook it longer and it'll get there.
Ways to Enjoy
Have birria as a traditional soup with fresh cilantro, onions and a squeeze of lime on top. For amazing quesabirria tacos, soak tortillas in the tasty sauce, stuff them with meat and cheese, then cook until they're crispy. It's also great poured over chips with melted cheese for the perfect snack while watching sports.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → What makes each chile special?
Guajillo adds sweetness, ancho contributes smokiness, and arbol kicks up the heat. Together, they create a flavorful balance.
- → Why soak the chiles first?
It softens them so they blend easily, plus the soaking liquid enhances the sauce's depth and richness.
- → Is there a way to make it less spicy?
Skip or use fewer arbol chiles. The guajillo and ancho keep the flavor intact while reducing heat.
- → How do I know the beef is ready?
You’ll know when it shreds easily with a fork. If it’s not there yet, let it cook a bit longer.
- → Do I really need to roast the veggies?
Roasting caramelizes their natural sugars and adds those smoky, rich layers to your dish, so don’t skip it!
Conclusion
Made with fall-apart tender beef and a deeply spiced chile sauce, this slow-cooked Mexican dish shines in both tacos and as a standalone stew. Rich, flavorful, and irresistible.