How to make birria beef for tacos, quesadillas, on top of pizza or to toss shredded chicken with this homemade consume Birria Sauce. Adjust how spicy you want it to be with more or less guajillo chiles. Using chuck roast instead of goat or lamb, on the stove or a pressure cooker comes out fork tender.
Birria beef is delicious and can be served in so many ways. Easy shredded meat cooked in a spicy sauce packed with flavor! An authentic Mexican dish that has been brought to the states that everyone loves. Easy one pot meal for this week. (affiliate links present)
Copycat Trader Joes Beef Birria
In the recipe card below we will explain how long to cook beef in consume sauce in a Dutch Oven on the stove. If you wanted to make this faster you could follow our Instant Pot Birria Tacos. Under high pressure you will get the same result in less time, pressure cooker style. 😉
What is birria meat?
Traditionally, this Mexican dish, is made with goat meat or lamb, but beef is a common alternative, especially in regions where goat or lamb is less readily available. The beef used for birria is typically a tougher cut that benefits from slow cooking to become tender and flavorful like Chuck Roast.
Table of contents
Birria Recipe Beef
This is also a great way of How to Cook Beef Arm Roast. A normally unusual cut that is quite cheap, it gets better the longer it cooks and will soak up the spicy sauce well giving it a rich taste with great texture.
How to make birria tacos?
Is cow tongue used for birria tacos? In some areas it is. Many times it is the sauce that people really want, the meat can be adjusted according to what is available and affordable. Cow Tongue is also another protein that takes quite a while to boil to perfection.
- Cut the guajillo into pieces and cut off the stem. Pour in boiling water for 10 minutes to blanch. Drain and set aside.
- In oil, fry beef over high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Transfer the beef to a large pot or Dutch Oven.
- Fry chopped onion for 4 minutes on medium heat, then add the chopped garlic and fry for another 1 minute.
- Add salt and all spices, mix and fry for another minute. Pour in beef broth and apple cider vinegar, bay leaf into the pan, stir and bring to a boil.
- Put tomatoes in a blender, add guajillo peppers. Pour the sauce from the pan into the blender, removing the bay leaf in advance. Blend thoroughly until you get a smooth, thick sauce.
Pour the sauce back into the pot with the beef and cook on low heat for 2 hours. If there is not enough liquid, add water or broth. When the beef is cooked to fork tender, let it cool for 15 minutes in the sauce. Shred meat with two forks. Basically you’re making the sauce and cooking your protein inside of it until it’s tender. Serve in small tortillas for street tacos.
Birria Broth Ingredients
Now you can use this sauce to mix with other shredded meats too. You can also make Chicken Birria Tacos with it that takes less time. Poultry will take a fraction of the time to become fork tender vs. cuts of beef as you probably well know.
- Guajillo chiles should have seeds removed and adjust according to heat preference
- Vegetable oil or other variety that has a mild flavor
- 1 onion sliced or diced into small pieces
- Bay leaves are optional
- Diced tomatoes will give it oomph with some flavorful liquid to boot
- 3 c beef broth is better than water or vegetable broth
- Salt added in the sauce and may need more at the end, adjust
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes should be adjusted for heat levels you want
- Cumin (or Mexican oregano) will add punch
- Cinnamon is a surprising ingredient but you’ll love it
- Ginger should be added as powdered or crushed
- Apple cider vinegar are needed for a bit of balance
- 2 tbsp minced garlic is added to all the things, great for you and adds flavor
What meat is similar to birria?
If you’re looking for something similar, use venison or short ribs. This meat has a rich flavor that can complement the spices and cooking method typically associated with this dish. We use beef here which is popular, or pork can work well too. They may not have the exact same flavor profile as goat meat but the choice depends on personal preference and availability.
Can you make birria with chicken?
Absolutely, you can cook all the meats inside this same sauce. Many times we will use this inside corn tortillas for tacos or this is How to Make Birria Quesadillas with it. Chop white onions and cilantro to add in there with a squeeze of lime in between to add a bit of citrus punch and it is the best lunch ever.
These are both traditional Mexican dishes, but they are not the same. Here are the main differences between the two: Birria is typically made with goat meat or beef, while barbacoa traditionally uses beef, lamb, or goat. Barbacoa, is traditionally cooked by steaming or slow-cooking meat underground, or modern variations use a slow-cooker or slow cooked stewed meat in the oven.
The spiciness can vary depending on the recipe and the type of dried chiles and dried peppers used. Traditionally, birria is made with a variety of dried chili peppers, such as guajillo, ancho, and chiles de arbol. These give you a moderate level of heat. However, the level of spiciness can be adjusted by varying the amount added and type of chili peppers used.
What if birria is too spicy?
First off, there are SO many different colors and and Types of Green Peppers out there to choose from. Some are on the milder side of things and others have different levels amongst them like hatch we use inside our quesabirria tacos. To tame remove seeds, dice very fine, and start out with a little because you can always add more later. If already made and it is too hot, add coconut milk or heavy cream to tame your sauce.
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Birria
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. chuck roast or other beef, venison or lamb cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3 guajillo chiles
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 c diced tomatoes
- 3 c beef broth
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 tsp ginger powdered or crushed
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
Instructions
- Cut the guajillo into pieces and cut off the stem. Pour in boiling water for 10 minutes to blanch. Drain and set aside.
- In oil, fry the beef over high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Then transfer the beef to a large pot or Dutch Oven. Fry the chopped onion for 4 minutes on medium heat, then add the chopped garlic and fry for another 1 minute.
- Add salt and all spices, mix and fry for another minute. Pour in the beef broth and apple cider vinegar, bay leaf into the pan, stir and bring to a boil.
- Put tomatoes in a blender, add guajillo peppers. Pour the sauce from the pan into the blender, removing the bay leaf in advance. Blend thoroughly until you get a smooth, thick sauce.
- Pour the sauce back into the pot with the beef and cook on low heat for 2 hours. If there is not enough liquid, add water or broth. When the beef is cooked to fork tender, let it cool for 15 minutes in the sauce. Shred meat with two forks.
- Use to make birria tacos, sloppy joe or other dishes. Birria beef can also be served with chopped cilantro and white (yellow) onion.