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Dive into this mouthwatering Mexican birria de res straight from Jalisco's culinary tradition. Your home will fill with amazing scents as beef slowly cooks with spicy chiles and warm spices. It works great as a rich stew or turned into crunchy, cheese-filled tacos – your family will ask for it again and again.
A Tasty Creation
We've swapped the traditional goat for beef to make this dish more family-friendly without losing any wow factor. The long cooking time turns the meat super tender and builds incredible flavor depth. What I really love is how you can switch things up – sometimes we eat it as hearty stew, other times we make those addictive crispy tacos for dinner.
What You'll Need
- 3-4 pounds beef chuck roast: Pick one with good fat running through it, chopped into 2-inch pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Dried chiles: 2 ancho, 3 guajillo, and 2 arbol chiles with seeds and stems taken out for better taste.
- Fresh aromatics: 1 big onion, 4 whole garlic cloves, 2 ripe tomatoes form your sauce foundation.
- Spice blend: 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 teaspoon ginger, 2 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon cumin, plus salt and pepper as needed.
- Liquids: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar that breaks down the meat fibers, 4 cups low-sodium beef broth.
Cooking Process
- Prep Your Chiles First
- Take the seeds out of your arbol, ancho and guajillo chiles. Boil them in a pot of water for about 15 minutes until they get soft and bendable.
- Get Some Color on Your Veggies
- Put your garlic, onion and tomatoes under the broiler on a baking sheet for 4-6 minutes. Keep an eye on them until they get nice blackened spots.
- Mix Up Your Sauce
- Throw your soft chiles into a blender with 1 cup of their soaking water. Add your blackened veggies, all spices except the bay leaves, broth and vinegar. Blend everything until it's totally smooth.
- Let It Cook Slowly
- Toss your beef chunks into the slow cooker, pour your sauce all over, add bay leaves and mix gently. Cover and let it go for 8-9 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high until the meat pulls apart easily.
- Put It All Together
- Pull out the meat, shred it using two forks, then put it back in the sauce. Take out the bay leaves, stir everything well and let all those flavors come together.
Making It Perfect
You can use a Dutch oven too – just brown the meat first for extra yumminess. Save time by making the sauce a day ahead. Want it spicier or milder? Just change how many arbol chiles you use. If your meat won't shred easily, don't worry – just cook it longer and it'll get there.
Ways To Enjoy It
Slurp it up as a hearty stew with fresh cilantro, diced onions and a squeeze of lime on top. For mind-blowing quesabirria tacos, soak tortillas in the red sauce, stuff them with meat and cheese, then grill till they're crispy. It's also fantastic over a pile of nachos with melty cheese while watching the big game.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Why mix different types of chiles?
Each adds something unique: guajillo brings mild sweetness, ancho adds deep smokiness, and arbol gives it heat. Together, they make the signature birria taste.
- → What’s the purpose of soaking the chiles?
It softens the dried chiles so they blend into a smooth sauce. Plus, the soaking water adds extra depth to the final flavors.
- → Can the spiciness be toned down?
Absolutely, skip or use fewer arbol chiles since they bring most of the heat. Keep guajillo and ancho for the flavor and balance.
- → How can I tell when the beef is ready?
When you can shred it with a fork easily, it’s perfect. If it’s still tough, let it cook a little longer to get it nice and tender.
- → What’s the benefit of roasting veggies?
Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in tomatoes, onions, and garlic, giving the sauce a smoky, sweet complexity.
Conclusion
Bold flavors from dried chiles transform slow-cooked chuck beef into mouthwatering birria. The tender meat and rich sauce work for traditional bowls or tacos.