Birria de Res (Mexican Beef Stew)
Birria de Res is simply delicious. It is great for making Birria Tacos.
I find myself making this stew just so that I can make Birria Tacos.
What is Birria?
During the conquest of the Aztec empire, the Conquistadors were faced with an overpopulation of goats, so they decided to give the animals to the natives. Goat meat was supposedly looked down upon by the Conquistadors, as it was tough and had a strong smell. The natives accepted the animals, as marinating the meat in indigenous styles made it palatable and appetizing. The Spanish called the resulting dishes “birria,” a derogatory term meaning “worthless” or “of little to no value.”
But, don’t worry, our recipe uses beef…not goat. But feel free to use goat meat if you like.
If you are looking for more great Birria recipes, try these…
Make a Birria Ramen Bowl
Birria Ramen was first made in the barrios of Los Angeles, and it has become a very popular dish.
- Cook the Ramen noodles (without the seasoning packet) per package instructions.
- Drain the Ramen noodles, and put them into a serving bowl.
- Ladle the rich Birria broth over them.
- Top with garnishes such as cilantro, shredded cheese and lime wedges.
Add shrimp or crab to the birria broth for a seafood twist.
Add Monterey Jack or Oaxaca cheese to the broth to creates a creamy version.
Birria de Res (Mexican Beef Stew)
Birria is simply delicious. It is great for making Birria Tacos. I find myself making this stew just so that I can make Birria Tacos.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 6 dried chile guajillo
- 2 dried chile ancho
- 1 large onion, dry skin removed, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 clove
- 1/4 whole cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 pounds chuck roast
- 2 pounds short ribs
- 3 to 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (we use avocado oil)
- Salt and pepper
- Onions (garnish)
- cilantro (garnish)
- Lime (garnish)
- Warm corn tortillas for making Birria Tacos (optional)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, bring beef broth to a boil over high heat.
- Heat large cast iron pan on the stove over medium heat.
- Toast the chiles in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, turning frequently, making sure they do not burn. (Discard and replace any burnt chiles.)
- Toast the onion in the cast iron pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to brown.
- Transfer toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl, add 1 cup boiling beef broth, and let the chiles soak for 5 minutes, or until pliable.
- Reserving the chile broth, remove the stems of the chiles and pull them open. Remove the veins and seeds, then strain.
- Add the reserved broth, the chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, clove, cinnamon, bouillon and bay leaves in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain and set aside.
- In the cast iron pan, heat two tablespoons of oil.
- Chop beef into medium cubes, then add salt and pepper to the meat. In the cast iron pan, sear the beef on all sides until the meat is brown, then transfer to the Dutch oven.
- Add the strained chile mixture to the top of the meat in the Dutch oven. Add enough beef broth to cover the meat.
- Bring the Dutch oven to a simmer, then cook over medium heat for at least 3 hours, but up to 5 hours. (When it’s done cooking, the meat should be tender enough to start falling apart with a fork.)
- Skim grease from the top. (Reserve this grease and use it as your cooking oil if you’re planning on making Birria Tacos.) Remove any bones and gristle from the mixture before serving.
- To serve, ladle desired amount of meat into a bowl with spoonsful of the consomé.
- Top with finely diced onion, cilantro and lime, and serve with warm tortillas.
Notes
Photo credit: (c) Can Stock Photo / FomaA
