Beef Birria (Birria de Rez) Recipe: A Flavorful Mexican Classic
A rich and aromatic Mexican dish featuring tender beef chuck roast cooked in a smoky chili sauce with guajillo, ancho, and arbol chilies. Perfect for tacos or as a comforting stew, this halal-friendly version excludes pork and alcohol.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 520kcal
Ingredients
- 4 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch chunks
- 10 guajillo chiles, deseeded and rinsed
- 5 ancho chilies, deseeded and rinsed
- 3 arbol chilies, deseeded and rinsed
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 bay leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Chiles: Slice stems off the guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles. Shake out all the seeds and rinse the chiles under cold water to remove any remaining seeds or debris.
- Simmer the Chiles: Place the cleaned chiles in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 15 minutes until the chiles soften. Turn off heat but leave chiles in warm water.
- Char the Vegetables: Preheat your oven’s broiler. Arrange the Roma tomatoes, quartered onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves on a sheet pan. Broil for 4-6 minutes, turning once if needed, until the skins are nicely charred and blackened.
- Blend the Sauce: Transfer the softened chiles with 1 cup of the chile soaking water to a blender. Peel the garlic cloves and add to the blender along with the charred tomatoes and onion. Pour in the beef broth, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Assemble in Slow Cooker: Place the beef chuck chunks into the slow cooker. Pour the blended chili sauce over the beef and add the bay leaves. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the beef is tender and falls apart easily.
- Serve: If serving as tacos, warm corn tortillas and top with Birria; if serving as stew, serve directly from the cooker.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Tip: For a smokier flavor, toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes before simmering them.
Variation: Use corn tortillas if serving tacos. Serve with onions, cilantro, and lime for extra freshness.
Tip: For a smokier flavor, toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes before simmering them.
Variation: Use corn tortillas if serving tacos. Serve with onions, cilantro, and lime for extra freshness.