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Mexican · Dinner

Beef Birria

Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Beef Birria is a Mexican dish. Remove chili seeds and stems before soaking.

Prep
30 min
Cook
180 min
Total
210 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Mexican
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of Beef Birria. The source identifies birria but does not establish the meat variety. This recipe uses beef.
The source identifies birria but does not establish the meat variety. This recipe uses beef. Representative photograph of Beef Birria. Garnishes and presentation may differ. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 6

Sauce

Beef

Equipment

Kitchen scales; measuring jug and spoons; knife; cutting board; mixing bowls; saucepan with lid; sieve; blender; heatproof spoon; spatula.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Sauce · About 20 min

  1. Soak chilies from 40 g dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded, 20 g dried ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded, 500 ml hot water, 300 g tomatoes, 150 g onion, 20 g garlic, 30 ml vinegar, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, ¼ tsp cloves in its hot water 20 minutes, then blend with remaining sauce ingredients.

Braise · About 180 min

  1. Combine sauce and 1200 g beef chuck, cubed, 700 ml beef stock, 1 tsp salt in a heavy pot; cover and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours until fork-tender.

    Check: Look for this result: fork-tender.

Finish · About 10 min

  1. Shred beef into broth, remove excess surface fat and serve hot.

Tips

  • Remove chili seeds and stems before soaking.
  • Judge Beef Birria by the texture and doneness signs in its steps. Your pan and heat affect how long Beef Birria takes to cook.

Substitutions

  • In Beef Birria, replace beef for a different birria with lamb shoulder.

Storage

  • Get perishable Beef Birria into the fridge within two hours, or within one hour above 32°C / 90°F. Eat Beef Birria within two days, keeping it covered at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Bring cooked Beef Birria to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning it for even heating. When Beef Birria is part of the meal, serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts straight from safe refrigeration.
  • If Beef Birria includes a thick sauce or soup, loosen it with a little water during gentle reheating. Any crisp coating on Beef Birria becomes softer in storage.

Make ahead

  • Prepare the measured ingredients for Beef Birria one day ahead. For Beef Birria, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Beef Birria on the day of serving.

FAQ

What matters most when making Beef Birria?

Remove chili seeds and stems before soaking.

What can I substitute in Beef Birria?

In Beef Birria, replace beef for a different birria with lamb shoulder.

Can I prepare Beef Birria ahead?

Prepare the measured ingredients for Beef Birria one day ahead. For Beef Birria, refrigerate chopped vegetables apart from the other perishable ingredients. Follow the cooking stages for Beef Birria on the day of serving.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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