Beef Birria Recipe

5 from 4 votes

This birria recipe leads to the best beef for tacos, burritos, and more. The mix of spices, chiles, and more is unbelievably tasty!

Prep Time30

Cook Time3 30

Total Time4

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

4 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and deseeded
3 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and deseeded
2-3 dried chiles de Arbol stemmed and deseeded
2 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
1 white onion rough chopped, plus more for garnish
1 pound tomatoes roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon kosher salt or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 3-inch pieces. You can also use oxtail or short ribs in place of half of the chuck.
3 cups beef stock
Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for garnish

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and toast, stirring often, until fragrant.
4 dried Guajillo chiles, 3 dried Ancho chiles, 2-3 dried chiles de Arbol
Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 white onion, 1 pound tomatoes, 5 cloves garlic
Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil. Once hot, brown the beef in batches.
2 pounds boneless beef chuck
Add all the beef back into the dutch oven. Pour in the sauce and beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.
3 cups beef stock
Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. Pour over some consommé, or sauce, from the beef.
Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro if desired.
Chopped fresh cilantro

Use more or less arbol chilis for spice.
If you can’t find any dried chiles, try a blend of smoked paprika, cayenne, and a little tomato paste for richness. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will still give your birria a bold, flavorful kick.
Don’t forget to save the braising liquid for dipping!

Storage: Store birria in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.