Birria de Res (Beef Birria)
Updated June 1, 2023
- Total Time
- 2¾ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2poblano chiles
- 5guajillo chiles, seeded, stemmed and halved lengthwise
- 5pounds bone-in beef shoulder, cut into large pieces, or goat or lamb stew cuts on the bone
- 1tablespoon fine sea salt
- ¼cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
- 1medium white onion, finely chopped
- 1(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- ¼cup plus 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 6garlic cloves, peeled
- 2tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 2teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 2teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- 4cloves
- Fresh black pepper
- 1cinnamon stick
- 2fresh or dried bay leaves
- ½cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2limes, quartered
- Corn tortillas, warmed
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
424 calories; 20 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 48 grams protein; 838 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Step 2
Prepare the chiles: Use tongs to place the poblano chiles directly over the open flame of a gas burner set to high. Cook the poblanos until totally charred all over, turning as needed, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap so the poblanos can steam. After 10 minutes, use your fingers to pull the blackened skins away from the poblanos, then remove the stems and seeds. Roughly chop the poblanos and set aside.
- Step 3
While the poblano chiles steam, place a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches to cook the guajillo chiles evenly in one layer, flatten the chile halves on the hot skillet and toast them for about 15 seconds, turning once. Put the chiles in a bowl and add 2 cups hot water to help soften them. Set aside.
- Step 4
Prepare the meat: Season the meat all over with the salt. Heat the oil in a large, oven-proof pot over medium-high. Working in batches, sear the meat on all sides until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side, transferring the browned meat to a large bowl as you work.
- Step 5
After you’ve seared all the meat, add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Return all the meat to the pot.
- Step 6
Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, ginger, oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, cloves and a few grinds of black pepper to a blender, along with the chopped poblanos, toasted guajillos and the chile soaking liquid. Purée until smooth, scraping down the edges of the blender as needed.
- Step 7
Pour the blended mixture into the pot with the meat. Add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, along with about 4 to 6 cups of water, enough to amply cover the meat.
- Step 8
Cover and cook in the oven until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours.
- Step 9
Divide among bowls and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top, and a side of warm tortillas.
Private Notes
Comments
A lot of chiles have one name when fresh and another when dried. The guajillos are dried chiles, which is why the recipe toasts and then soaks them before blending.
a fine way to toast chiles without dirtying dishes or worrying about burning them, is to put them on a paper towel and just microwave them for fifteen to twenty seconds. (this is a kenji lopez-alt method and it really works! just, if you're toasting spicy chiles, resist any urge to deeply inhale as you open the microwave ;))
why a skillet, then an oven proof pot? why not just use a dutch oven for all?
I forgot to say, I cooked this in a slow cooker on low for 10 hours. @Jana C
This is delicious, with a very complex flavor. I followed this fairly closely, with a few changes per the comments. I had to substitute Anaheim peppers for poblano. I microwaved them (per the comments, but for 90 seconds). I made some other substitutions. I used a mix of stew meat and chuck roast, a can of Cento San Marzano whole tomatoes, regular oregano, and about 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon. I also added the 1/4 brick of Abuelita chocolate (per the comments). The broth is exceptional. I will use the leftovers as a base for my next pasta sauce.
never use or consume seed oils. olive oil will do everything for you