Easy Mexican Birria Recipe

My grandmother first taught me to make birria during a cold winter evening in Mexico. The rich, smoky aroma filled her small kitchen as she stirred the deep red consommé. That night, I learned that birria isn’t just food. It’s a warm hug in a bowl.

Now, this traditional Mexican stew has taken social media by storm. But the real magic happens when you make it at home with authentic ingredients and time-tested techniques.

What Makes Birria Special

Birria comes from Jalisco, Mexico. Traditionally made with goat meat, this Mexican birria recipe uses beef chuck roast for tender, fall-apart meat. The secret lies in the rich red chile broth called consommé.

The dish transforms tough cuts of meat into something extraordinary. Long, slow cooking breaks down the collagen, creating incredibly tender beef swimming in flavorful broth.

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Birria

Dried Chiles (The Heart of Flavor)

• 12 guajillo chiles
• 5 ancho chiles
• 5 arbol chiles (adjust for heat preference)

The Meat

• 4-5 pounds chuck roast, cut into large chunks
• Salt and black pepper for seasoning

Aromatics and Spices

• 2 Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 Mexican cinnamon stick
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Liquid Base

• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• Water as needed

Step-by-Step Mexican Birria Recipe

1. Prepare the Meat Season chuck roast pieces with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear meat on all sides until browned. This step locks in flavor and creates a beautiful crust.
2. Make the Chile Base Add all dried chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a pot. Cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until chiles soften.
3. Blend the Consommé Transfer softened chiles and aromatics to a blender. Add 1 cup of chile-soaked water, beef broth, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Blend until completely smooth, about 5 minutes.
4. Combine and Cook Strain the blended sauce into the pot with seared meat. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3.5 hours. The meat should fall apart easily when done.
5. Shred and Serve Remove meat and shred with two forks. Return shredded beef to the consommé and stir.

How to Serve Your Birria

• As a Traditional Stew Ladle birria into bowls. Top with diced white onion, chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side.
• As Birria Tacos (Quesabirria) Dip corn tortillas in the fat layer on top of the consommé. Cook in a hot skillet until crispy. Add shredded beef and Oaxaca cheese. Fold and cook until cheese melts. Serve with consommé for dipping.

Adjusting the Heat Level

This Mexican birria recipe sits between medium and hot spice levels. Here’s how to adjust:

• Mild: Skip the arbol chiles entirely
• Medium: Use 3 arbol chiles
• Hot: Use 7-10 arbol chiles

Time-Saving Methods

• Instant Pot Birria Sear meat using the sauté function. Add chile sauce, seal, and pressure cook on high for 60 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes.
• Slow Cooker Version Brown meat in a skillet first. Transfer to slow cooker with chile sauce. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5 hours.

Storage and Reheating Tips

Store birria in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months. The flavors actually improve overnight as they meld together.

To reheat, thaw overnight if frozen. Warm in a pot over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Why This Recipe Works

This Mexican birria recipe balances tradition with practicality. The dried chiles create complex, smoky flavors that can’t be replicated with fresh peppers. Chuck roast provides the perfect fat-to-meat ratio for tender, juicy results.

The long cooking time allows flavors to develop fully. Don’t rush this process. Good birria requires patience, but the results are worth every minute.

Whether you serve it as a comforting stew or trendy tacos, this authentic birria will transport you straight to Mexico with every spoonful.

Authentic Mexican Birria

Rich and flavorful Mexican birria made with tender chuck roast slow-cooked in a smoky red chile consommé. This traditional stew from Jalisco can be enjoyed as a comforting soup or used to make the famous birria tacos (quesabirria). The fall-apart tender beef and aromatic broth create an unforgettable dining experience.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 bowls

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Calories: 640

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Meat

• 4-5 pounds chuck roast cut into large 4-inch chunks
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Chile Base

• 12 whole guajillo chiles rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
• 5 whole ancho chiles rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
• 5 whole arbol chiles rinsed and stemmed (adjust for heat preference)
• 2 large Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 1 4-inch Mexican cinnamon stick or 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 whole bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Liquid and Seasonings

• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• as needed water for covering chiles

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or heavy pot
• Medium saucepan
• High-speed blender
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Large bowl
• Two forks for shredding

Method

 

1. Generously season the chuck roast pieces with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
2. Working in 2 batches if necessary, add the meat to the pot and sear on all sides until browned, about 8-10 minutes total. Remove meat and set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, arbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until the chiles are softened and pliable.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and all aromatics to a high-speed blender. Add 1 cup of the chile-soaked cooking water, beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and ground cloves.
6. Blend on high speed for 3-5 minutes until completely smooth. The mixture should be deep red and silky.
7. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Press the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the remaining solids.
8. Stir the meat and chile sauce together to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3.5 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
9. Remove the meat to a large bowl and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the consommé and stir to combine.
10. Serve hot as a stew in bowls topped with diced onion, chopped cilantro, and lime juice, or use for making birria tacos with corn tortillas and melted cheese.

Notes

Heat Level: This recipe produces medium-hot birria. For mild, omit arbol chiles. For medium, use 3 arbol chiles. For hot, use 7-10 arbol chiles.

Mexican Cinnamon: Also called Ceylon cinnamon, it’s softer and blends well. If unavailable, use regular cinnamon stick (remove before blending) or 2 tsp ground cinnamon.

Instant Pot Method: Sear meat using sauté function, add sauce, pressure cook high 60 minutes with natural release for 10 minutes.

Slow Cooker Method: Brown meat first, then cook with sauce on low 7-8 hours or high 5 hours.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Flavors improve overnight.