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Authentic Mexican Birria

Authentic Mexican birria made with a smoky chile sauce and slow-simmered beef until it shreds into a rich, mahogany-colored stew. The method creates a flavorful consomé perfect for dipping warm tortillas.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Rest 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck roast
  • 3 lb beef chuck roast
Dried guajillo chiles
  • 6 dried guajillo chiles
Dried ancho chiles
  • 4 dried ancho chiles
Dried chipotle chiles
  • 3 dried chipotle chiles
Onion
  • 1 onion quartered
Garlic
  • 6 garlic cloves
Tomatoes
  • 4 tomatoes halved
Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
Oregano
  • 1 tsp oregano
Bay leaves
  • 4 bay leaves
Beef broth
  • 8 cup beef broth
Salt
  • 1 salt to taste
Black pepper
  • 1 pepper to taste
Corn tortillas
  • 1 corn tortillas for serving
Onion
  • 1 onion diced for serving
Cilantro
  • 1 cilantro fresh, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Toast and soak the chiles
  1. Toast the dried guajillo chiles, dried ancho chiles, and dried chipotle chiles in a dry skillet for 1 minute per side, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Visual cue: look for blistered spots and a deep chile aroma.
  2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 15 minutes, until soft and pliable. Visual cue: they should turn more flexible and darker in color.
Blend chile sauce
  1. Blend the soaked chiles with the quartered onion, garlic cloves, halved tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, cumin, and oregano until smooth. Visual cue: the mixture should look like a thick, uniform red-brown sauce.
Brown the beef and simmer birria
  1. Heat oil in a large pot and sear the cubed beef chuck roast until browned on all sides. Visual cue: caramelized edges form on the beef.
  2. Add the blended chile sauce and beef broth to the pot, then stir to combine. Visual cue: the broth turns rich mahogany-colored.
  3. Add the bay leaves, bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook covered for 2.5 to 3 hours until the meat is very tender. Visual cue: the beef should pull apart easily with a fork.
Shred and rest
  1. Shred the beef and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Visual cue: shredded strands soak up the consomé and look glossy.
  2. Rest the birria for 30 minutes off the heat to let flavors meld and slightly thicken. Visual cue: the broth becomes a little deeper in color and more cohesive.
Serve
  1. Serve the birria in warm corn tortillas with diced onion and fresh cilantro, and offer the flavorful consomé as a dipping sauce on the side. Visual cue: tortillas should be warm and ready to dip.

Notes

Pro tip: after blending, taste the chile sauce before adding it—if it seems too sharp, simmer it briefly in the pot with the broth before the full covered cook. Refrigerate birria in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat gently to keep the beef tender. Freezing works well up to 3 months (freeze the meat and consomé together). If you prefer a lighter option, use less oil for searing and skim any visible fat after chilling.