Make THE BEST Birria with juicy, tender, slow cooked beef and a rich flavorful broth, made with chiles, tomatoes and vinegar. This authentic, flavorful recipe can be served as a soup or stew, or made into tacos, quesadillas or chilaquiles. It’s an incredibly versatile Mexican recipe that’s hearty, spicy and bursting with flavor!

birria in bowl with forks

In 2016, my husband and I took a trip to Guadalajara, Mexico, in the state of Jalisco. It’s best known for mariachi music and tequila. But for my husband, he wanted to go there for one reason, to get authentic birria de chivo, translated to goat birria.

Birria is an authentic Mexican dish made by marinating goat, lamb or beef, in a combination of chiles, spices, tomatoes and vinegar.

At the time, I had never heard of birria, but he raved about this tender braised goat meat, so I knew that I had to try it. We found a very small restaurant that was highly recommended to us to have the best birria in Guadalajara. I tried it and loved it, but it wasn’t until a couple of years later that I thought about birria again.

All of the sudden, I started to see birria popping up in food trucks and Mexican restaurants around San Diego. Continue on a couple of years, and it’s literally everywhere!

I always joke that my husband should be a “trend forecaster” because it seems like everything he likes becomes trendy within 3-5 years. And birria certainly did!

When making birria at home, I almost always use beef, instead of traditional goat meat. It’s much easier to find in the US, making it easier to buy and prepare at home. This birria is known as birria de res.

Because this is one of my husband’s favorite dishes of all time, I made it several times, testing and perfecting it until it got his stamp of approval. Now I’m so excited to share this perfectly tender, incredibly flavorful birria recipe!

Why you’ll love it

  1. It has layer upon layer of flavor! Seriously, this is one of the most flavorful dishes I’ve ever made. It’s tangy, salty, spicy and just so good!
  2. The meat is fall-apart tender. Slow braising the meat adds to the flavor, mentioned above, and makes the meat so juicy and tender, it practically melts in your mouth!
  3. You’ll feel like you’ve taken a trip to Mexico. Don’t be intimidated by using dried chiles. This is what gives this dish the authentic flavors that will take your taste buds on a trip straight to Jalisco!
ingredients for birria on white wood board

Ingredients

I’ve included notes and descriptions below for each ingredient in this recipe. For the exact ingredient measurements, jump to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  • Dried guajillo chiles – dried chiles, like these and the chile de arbol, can usually be found in the hispanic section of most major grocery stores, or on an end-cap near the spices. Guajillo chiles are mild to medium in spice. They add a rich, sweet and somewhat fruity flavor to this birria recipe.
  • Arbol chilies – these little chiles are spicy! In fact, they’re about 6 times as hot as a jalapeno. I like to use 5-6 of these for a medium spiced birria, or throw in 8-10 for a spicy birria. Feel free to adjust how many arbol chiles are added for your preferred spice level.
  • Vegetable oil – or another neutral-flavored oil, like canola or avocado oil.
  • Onion – for this recipe you’ll need 1 cup of diced, yellow onions. This will equal about half of a large onion.
  • Garlic – I recommend fresh minced cloves for the best flavor.
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – you’ll find these canned in the hispanic section of the grocery store. For this recipe, you’ll use the entire can of peppers and the sauce. This will also spice up the recipe, so if you’re sensitive to spice, I recommend leaving out the arbol chiles and keeping the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for the delicious flavor it adds to this recipe.
  • Crushed tomatoes
  • White distilled vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) – I’ve used both to make this recipe and honestly I like them both for different reasons. If you want a more acidic, vinegar-forward flavor, go with the white distilled vinegar. If you want a more fruity, tangy flavor, go with the apple cider vinegar.
  • Salt + black pepper – to season the birria.
  • Mexican oregano – while there is a difference between Mexican oregano and traditional oregano, you can use them interchangeably in this recipe if you don’t have Mexican oregano on hand. Mexican oregano is a bit stronger in flavor, but their shared peppery flavor, means that you can use either one and end up with similar flavors.
  • Smoked paprika – I recommend smoked over sweet paprika in this recipe because the smoky flavor pairs so well with the chiles.
  • Ground cloves – the spiciness of cloves adds another layer of flavor to this dish.
  • Ground cumin – this spice adds a warm, earthy layer of flavor to the dish.
  • Beef chuck roast – for this beef birria recipe, I used a beef chuck roast, cut into chunks. It has a rich, beefy flavor, and is great for braising and slow cooking, making it the perfect cut of beef for this recipe. You can also use a combination of chuck roast and short ribs, which are both primal cuts that come from the shoulder area. They have a similar flavor and texture, and are both great for slow braising.
  • Beef stock – since this is the main ingredient in the broth used to cook the beef, I recommend purchasing, or making, a high-quality beef stock. I recommend stock for this recipe because it has a richer, deeper flavor than beef broth. I found this Custom Culinary Beef Base at a restaurant supply store in San Diego and am absolutely obsessed with it. You can order it online direct with a $5 shipping charge. It’s a little expensive for beef bouillon, but oh my gosh the flavor is so good. (Not sponsored, just obsessed!)
  • Cinnamon stick + bay leaves – let these ingredients simmer in the birria broth to add even more layers of flavor to the dish.

Instructions

I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. Rehydrate the chiles. Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove over high heat. Once the water is boiling, add the dried chiles and make sure they’re submerged in the water. Place a lid on the pot, remove the pot from the heat and let the chiles soak for 15 minutes.
  2. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles. After the chiles have soaked for 15 minutes, remove one cup of the water that they soaked in and set it aside. Remove the chiles from the water. Slice the stems off of each chili, slice it open and remove the seeds.
  1. Cook onions and garlic. Before adding fresh onions and garlic to the marinade, you want to soften them by cooking them in vegetable oil on the stove over medium-high heat. Cook the onions for 4-5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  1. Prepare the marinade. Add an entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to a blender. Add a can of crushed tomatoes and apple cider vinegar to the blender. Place the rehydrated chiles in the blender, along with the cooked onions and garlic. Add salt, pepper, oregano, smoked paprika, ground cloves and cumin, along with the reserved cup of chili soaking water.
  2. Blend all of the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
  1. Place chunks of beef chuck roast in a large, deep casserole dish.
  2. Pour the prepared marinade from the blender over the beef in the dish. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours to marinate.
  1. Sear the beef. After the beef is marinated, use tongs to remove each of the pieces of beef from the marinade. Do not discard the marinade! The beef will be braised in the marinade and beef broth. Heat a large pot, or dutch oven, on the stove over high heat. Add the beef and sear on all sides for 1-2 minutes. Depending on how big the pan is, you might have to do this in two batches.
  2. Add the marinade and beef broth. Once all of the beef is browned on all sides, pour the marinade from the casserole dish over the beef in the pot. Add beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil.
  1. Once the liquid is boiling, add a cinnamon stick and bay leaves to the pot. Cover the pot with a lid, or if you don’t have a lid that fits, cover it tightly with foil. Transfer it to an oven, preheated to 350°F, and cook for 2 hours.
  2. Remove the birria from the oven after 2 hours. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Use tongs to remove the pieces of beef from the liquid and place them on a cutting board. At this point, the beef should be fall-apart fork tender. Use two forks, or meat claws, to shred the beef. Depending on how you’re going to serve the birria, you can either add the beef back to the broth, or keep it separate. See the section below for all of the ways you can serve birria.
quesabirria tacos on plate with side of tomato beef broth in a small bowl

Ways to serve it

Birria is traditional served as a soup or stew, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onions. If serving traditional birria stew, after shredding the beef, add it back to the broth and use a ladle to serve the stew in bowls, topped with cilantro and onions.

The broth that the beef is cooked in is called a consomé, and it makes a delicious base for ramen or chilaquiles. The birria beef is perfect for making incredibly flavorful tacos, burritos or nachos! Try using prepared birria to make any (or all!) of these dishes.

  • Quesabirria tacos (pictured above) – these tacos are so simple. Corn tortillas, dipped in birria broth, then fried and filled with shredded beef birria and oaxaca cheese. This will be your new favorite taco recipe! Grab the recipe for quesabirria tacos to make them at home.
  • Birria ramen (pictured below) – I can’t say enough good things about this easy and delicious ramen recipe! Simply bring the birria broth to a boil, add Instant ramen noodles, then add some shredded beef birria and serve with toppings like sliced jalapenos, lime wedges, fresh cilantro and diced onions. Grab the birria ramen recipe here.
  • Chilaquiles – I used our famous Chilaquiles Rojos recipe, but instead of enchilada sauce, I used the broth from the birria to simmer thick tortilla chips to make birria chilaquiles. I stirred in some of the shredded beef birria and topped the chilaquiles with sour cream, cotija cheese, cilantro and diced onion. This was an incredible breakfast that I can’t wait to have again and again!
  • Quesadillas – I made quesadillas with the beef birria that were similar to the quesabirria tacos, but instead of dipping the tortillas in the broth, I served it on the side for dipping. To make these at home, place a corn tortilla in a hot, greased skillet. Add about 1/4 cup shredded beef birria, then top it with shredded oaxaca cheese, or Monterey jack cheese. Place another corn tortilla on top and cook for 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Serve with a side of warm birria broth on the side for dipping.
  • Tacos – in Mexico, it’s common to see birria served in a bowl with warm tortillas on the side. You can dip the tortillas in the soup, or scoop the beef from the soup into the tortillas for a simple birria taco.
  • Bowls – substitute the carne asada in these carne asada bowls with beef birria to make delicious birria bowls.
  • Burritos – add the shredded beef birria to the middle of a large tortilla with your favorite burrito fillings like black beans, cilantro lime rice or fajita veggies. Add shredded cheese (oaxaca, Monterey jack or pepper jack) on top, then roll up the burrito. I recommend searing both sides of the burrito in a hot skillet for 30-60 seconds. This will help seal the burrito closed and melt the cheese inside. Serve the burrito with a side of the birria broth for dipping.
  • Fries – just like carne asada fries are a popular taco shop menu item, birria fries have become a thing in recent years. Simply prepare frozen fries according to the package directions. Place the fries in an even layer on a baking sheet and top with warm birria. Cover with shredded cheese. Place under the broiler in the oven for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese. Top with diced onions, cilantro and a dollop of guacamole and sour cream.
  • Nachos – top a baking sheet full of chips with shredded beef birria, then shredded cheese, or nacho cheese sauce. Place the nachos under the broiler in the oven for 1-2 minutes to melt the cheese (if using shredded cheese). Top the melted cheese with all of your favorite nacho toppings, like guacamole, jalapenos, pico de gallo and sour cream.

With all of these great ideas, you can make this birria recipe on Sunday, then eat it several different ways throughout the week.

cooked ramen noodles in beef broth in bowl topped with diced onions and sliced jalapenos

Recipe tips

These helpful tips will guarantee that your homemade birria is perfect every time!

  • This recipe has a medium spice level. To make it more spicy, add more arbol chiles. For a mild spice, omit the arbol chiles.
  • cast iron dutch oven is best for this recipe as it will maintain an even temperature throughout the cooking process, and it’s large enough to hold the recipe. If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, use a pot that’s at least 12 inches wide with sides that are 6 inches tall so that the recipe will fit in the pot.
  • If you don’t have a lid for the pot, tightly cover it with foil before placing it in the oven.
  • You can make this recipe ahead of time. After braising the beef for 2 hours at 350°F, simply turn the oven to warm and leave the birria, covered in the oven, for up to 4 hours.
  • If all of the pieces of beef will not fit in the bottom of the pot you’re using, you can sear them in two batches. As you can see from the photos, it was a very tight squeeze getting them all in the bottom of my dutch oven!
  • You can braise the birria on the stove, instead of in the oven, if you prefer. Simply cover the pot, set the stovetop temperature to medium-low heat and allow the beef to simmer in the liquid for 2 hours on the stove.

Storage and reheating

  • Store leftover birria in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • You can reheat the beef in the braising liquid, or remove it from the braising liquid.
  • To reheat the beef birria in the braising liquid, place it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Reheat for 15-20 minutes, or until the beef and liquid are hot and bubbling.
  • If reheating the beef without the liquid, I recommend wrapping the shredded beef in foil. Reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. This way the beef won’t dry out.

How to make it in a slow cooker

Want to set it and forget it? It’s easy to make birria in a slow cooker using the ingredients listed in this recipe and by following these simple steps.

  1. Rehydrate the dried chilies using the instructions above, then add them to a blender.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and cook the onions for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  3. Transfer the onions and garlic to the blender with the chiles.
  4. Place the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat.
  5. Season the chunks of beef with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides for 1-2 minutes.
  6. Transfer the beef to a slow cooker.
  7. Add the chipotle peppers, vinegar, crushed tomatoes, Mexican oregano, smoked paprika, ground cloves and cumin to the blender. 
  8. Blend until smooth, then add the mixture to the slow cooker.
  9. Pour the beef stock in the slow cooker and stir to combine the ingredients.
  10. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
  11. Slow cook for 8-10 hours on low, or 4-5 hours on high.
  12. After the cooking time, use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the slow cooker.
  13. Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred the beef before serving.
shredded beef in birria broth in a bowl with forks
shredded beef birria in bowl with broth
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Birria

Make THE BEST Birria with juicy, tender, slow cooked beef and a rich flavorful broth, made with chili peppers, tomatoes and vinegar. This authentic, flavorful recipe can be served as a soup or stew, or made into tacos, quesadillas or chilaquiles. It's an incredibly versatile Mexican recipe that's hearty, spicy and bursting with flavor!

Ingredients

Instructions

Rehydrate the dried chiles.

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Turn off the heat, add the guajillo chiles and arbol chiles to the hot water, cover and soak for 15 minutes.
  • After you’ve soaked the guajillo and arbol chilies, remove them from the water and set aside one cup of the chili soaking water.
  • Cut off the stem of the chiles, slice them open and remove the seeds.

Prepare the marinade.

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
  • Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
  • Transfer the onions and garlic to a blender.
  • Add the entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the entire can of crushed tomatoes and apple cider vinegar to the blender.
  • Add the salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, cloves and cumin to the blender.
  • Add the soaked chiles and cup of chili soaking water to the blender.
  • Blend until smooth.

Marinate the beef.

  • Place the chunks of beef in a deep casserole dish and pour the sauce from the blender over the beef.
  • Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours.

Cook the birria.

  • After the beef has marinated, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Heat a large dutch oven over high heat on the stove.
  • Use tongs to remove the pieces of beef from the marinade and add them to the hot pan on the stove.
  • Sear the beef on all sides for 1-2 minutes, then pour the marinating liquid over the beef in the pan.
  • Add the beef stock to the pan and bring the liquid to a boil.
  • Once boiling, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
  • Place a tight-fitting lid on the dutch oven, or if you do not have a lid, cover tightly with foil.
  • Remove from the stove and place in the preheated 350°F oven for 2 hours.
  • After 2 hours, remove the birria from the oven and use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the dutch oven.
  • Use tongs to remove the pieces of beef from the liquid and place them on a cutting board.
  • Use two forks, or meat claws, to shred the beef.
  • Depending on how you’re going to serve the birria, you can either add the beef back to the broth, or keep it separate.
  • If serving the birria traditionally as a soup or stew, place the beef back into the broth and use a ladle to serve the stew in bowls, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onions.
  • Refer to the blog post above for other ways to use the birria, like in tacos, ramen, quesadillas and more.

Notes

  • This recipe has a medium spice level. To make it more spicy, add more arbol chiles. For a mild spice, omit the arbol chiles.
  • cast iron dutch oven is best for this recipe as it will maintain an even temperature throughout the cooking process, and it’s large enough to hold the recipe. If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, use a pot that’s at least 12 inches wide with sides that are 6 inches tall so that the recipe will fit in the pot.
  • You can make this recipe ahead of time. After braising the beef for 2 hours at 350°F, simply turn the oven to warm and leave the birria, covered in the oven, for up to 4 hours.
  • If all of the pieces of beef will not fit in the bottom of the pot you’re using, you can sear them in two batches. As you can see from the photos, it was a very tight squeeze getting them all in the bottom of my dutch oven!
  • You can braise the birria on the stove, instead of in the oven, if you prefer. Simply cover the pot, set the stovetop temperature to medium-low heat and allow the beef to simmer in the liquid for 2 hours on the stove.
  • Store leftover birria in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  • You can reheat the beef in the braising liquid, or remove it from the braising liquid.
  • To reheat the beef birria in the braising liquid, place it in a pot on the stove over medium heat. Reheat for 15-20 minutes, or until the beef and liquid are hot and bubbling.
  • If reheating the beef without the liquid, I recommend wrapping the shredded beef in foil. Reheat it in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes. This way the beef won’t dry out.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 387kcal (19%)Carbohydrates 11g (4%)Protein 38g (76%)Fat 22g (34%)Saturated Fat 9g (45%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 1gCholesterol 125mg (42%)Sodium 1146mg (48%)Potassium 1044mg (30%)Fiber 3g (12%)Sugar 5g (6%)Vitamin A 1778mg (36%)Vitamin C 9mg (11%)Calcium 80mg (8%)Iron 6mg (33%)
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