Beef Birria

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This Beef Birria (Birria de Res) is a rich, slow-simmered Mexican stew made with beef, dried chiles, warm spices, and a glossy red consommé. Perfect as a base recipe for tacos, sliders, grilled cheese, or anything you want to load with deep birria flavor. Full traditional method using beef chuck, short ribs, and a proper chile blend.

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Birria de res comes from the Mexican states of Jalisco and Michoacán. Traditionally made with goat, beef versions became popular because of availability and the deep flavor you get from slow-cooked chuck roast and short ribs. This version follows authentic technique with clean chile toasting, a smooth strained base, and proper separation of birria fat at the end.

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WHAT YOU'LL NEED (scroll to full ingredient list)

• Beef tallow

• Knife

• Ranch Pan or Dutch Oven

• Mixing Bowl

• Blender

• Strainer

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DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: TOAST

• Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30–45 seconds per side until fragrant. Do not burn.

  
  

  

STEP 2: SOFTEN

• Transfer toasted chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water for 15 minutes to soften.

STEP 3: SEAR

• Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sear with beef tallow over medium to medium-high heat. The goal here is just to get a crispy brown sear on the beef, but it will not be fully cooked yet.

  • Dutch oven: sear directly in the pot.

  • Crock pot: sear in a cast iron or stainless skillet and transfer all beef plus pan drippings to the crock pot.

STEP 4: BLEND

• Combine softened chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, 3 cups beef broth, Mexican oregano, cumin, coriander, cloves, vinegar, and salt in a blender.

• Blend until smooth.

• Strain through a fine strainer.

STEP 5: COOK

• Pour the strained sauce over the seared beef.

• Add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and enough beef broth to nearly cover the meat.

• Add 1 tablespoon extra beef tallow on top.

  • Dutch oven: 300F, covered for 2½–3 hours until tender.

  • Crock pot: cook on LOW 7–8 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours.

STEP 6: SKIM

• Turn off the heat and let the pot rest 5–10 minutes so the birria fat rises.

• Skim the red fat layer with a ladle and set aside for dipping.

STEP 7: SHREAD

• Remove beef and let it rest briefly for handling.

• Shred by hand and moisten with a few spoonfuls of hot consommé.

STEP 8: FINISH

• Taste the consommé and adjust salt.

• Reduce on the stove if you want a deeper, glossier broth.

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INGREDIENTS

Makes about 6-8 servings

BEEF

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks

• 1 lb beef short ribs, bone-in

• Kosher salt

• Coarse black pepper

• 1 TBSP beef tallow for searing, plus 1 TBSP added to the pot before simmering

CHILE BASE

• 6 guajillo chiles, stemmed and deseeded

• 2 ancho chiles, stemmed and deseeded

• 2 pasilla chiles, stemmed and deseeded

• 3 chili arbol, stemmed (optional for spiciness)

• 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered

• 1/2 white onion, quartered

• 6 garlic cloves peeled

• 3 cups Beef broth

SPICES

• 2 tsp Mexican oregano

• 1.5 tsp cumin seeds or ground cumin

• 1 tsp coriander seeds or ground coriander

• 6 whole cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 cinnamon stick (2-inch piece)

• 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

• 2.5 tsp kosher salt

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