Mexican Birria Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 5 ancho peppers

  stems and seeds removed
• 5 guajillo peppers

  stems and seeds removed
• 2-3 chiles de arbol

  optional, for spicier
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large white onion

  chopped
• 3 large tomatoes

  chopped
• 5 cloves garlic

  chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 tablespoon sea salt

  or to taste
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 large roasted tomatoes

  chopped
• 4 cups beef stock

  separated
• 3.5 pound lamb shoulder

  or you can use beef shank or chuck roast

Instructions

• 1 Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the
  hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
• 2 Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot
  water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
• 3 While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium
  heat.
• 4 Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
• 5 Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
• 6 Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor.
• 7 Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the
  soaking liquid.
• 8 Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef
  stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. You can strain if you’d
  like for a smoother sauce. See the RECIPE NOTES below.
• 9 Cut the lamb (or beef) into large chunks and add to a large bowl.
• 10 Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the
  meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
• 11 When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped
  roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook
  at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred.
  Add more beef stock or some of the reserved soaking liquid if needed for a
  soupier birria.
• 12 Serve the braised birria into bowls as a soup, or shred the meat and serve it up
  onto tortillas as birria tacos, with the reserved liquid consome from the pot as
  a side soup/broth.

Nutrition Info