• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Give it Some Thyme logo
  • Home
  • Summer BBQ
  • Recipes
    • Asian
    • Appetizers
    • Beef and Lamb
    • Beverages
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Chicken and Pork
    • Christmas
    • Comfort Food
    • Desserts
    • Fish and Seafood
    • Gluten Free
    • Italian
    • Keto
    • Main Dishes
    • Mediterranean
    • Mexican
    • Pasta and Risotto
    • Pizza and Flatbreads
    • Recipe Collections
    • Salads and Sides
    • Sandwiches and Burgers
    • Sauces and Dips
    • Spring
    • Soups and Stews
    • Vegetarian and Vegan
  • About
    • Terms and Policies
    • Accessibility
  • Subscribe
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Summer BBQ
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Beef and Lamb

    Beef Birria Recipe (Birria de Res)

    By: Kim Peterson · Posted: Feb 11, 2022 · Updated: Feb 11, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Bowl of beef birria topped with chopped onions, scallions and cilantro with tortillas, shredded cheese and lime wedges on the side.

    This authentic beef birria recipe is a traditional Mexican beef stew, aka birria de res. Full of fall-apart tender meat cooked in a rich beef broth flavored with dried chiles and spices. Serve as a delicious and comforting stew or use the recipe for fried birria tacos and more!

    Bowl of Mexican beef birria topped with chopped onions, scallions and cilantro with tortillas, shredded cheese and lime wedges on the side.

    In part, thanks to social media, beef birria and especially quesabirria tacos, have taken the US by storm. And for good reason! Birria (beer-reea with a rolling ‘r’) is hearty and full of amazing flavor using simple, budget-friendly ingredients.

    This goes down as one of the best things I make according to the fam along with these Chicken Mole Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Mexican Chicken Tortilla Skillet!

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love this Birria Recipe
    • What is Birria?
    • Main Ingredients
    • How to Make Beef Birria
    • Birria Recipe Tips
    • How to Serve Beef Birria
    • Variations
    • Birria Recipe FAQs
    • More Mexican Favorites!
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Love this Birria Recipe

    • Basic Ingredients – Inexpensive cuts of meat are used with simple pantry ingredients!
    • Cooking Methods – It can be made in a large Dutch oven, but you can also use a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
    • Make Ahead – The recipe seems involved at first, but birria de res can be made days in advance of serving.
    • Freezes Well – This birria recipe makes a large batch which you can halve or freeze leftovers for another time.
    • Versatile – This amazing stew can easily turn into tacos as already mentioned along with several other ideas highlighted in the ‘How to Serve’ section.
    • Gluten-free and Keto-friendly!

    What is Birria?

    Birria originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco. The most traditional preparation uses lamb or goat meat that’s slowly cooked in a broth made with chile peppers and spices until it’s fall-apart tender. Beef is more commonly consumed in the United States and a great option for this popular dish.

    Main Ingredients

    In addition to the beef this birria recipe uses basic vegetables and pantry ingredients.

    Birria ingredients arranged on wooden board.
    • Beef – I combined beef chuck roast with bone-in short ribs. Other stew meat that's meant to cook low and slow will work. Be sure to include some cut with bones to make a more flavorful broth.
    • Dried Chiles – I like combining these three chiles for their different flavors. Dried ancho chiles (dried poblanos) are slightly fruitier than guajillo peppers, and both are about a 3-4 on the heat index. Add just one or two chiles de árbol as they're hotter than a jalapeño. A variety of dried chiles can be easily found in the Latin American section of grocery stores.
    • Dried Spices – Smoked paprika, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and bay leaves made the cut. Some recipes call for Mexican oregano which you can use if you have it.
    • Adobo Sauce
    • Roma Tomatoes
    • White Onion
    • Garlic Cloves
    • Beef Stock
    • Apple Cider Vinegar

    How to Make Beef Birria

    This easy birria recipe is worth your while as long as you plan ahead. It takes some time for all that deliciousness to develop as it cooks low and slow. We start out on the stovetop then the oven brings this beef birria across the finish line.

    1. Prep the Chiles: Snip off the stems with kitchen scissors and shake out the seeds. Then heat a large skillet over medium heat to toast the chiles for a few minutes.
    Dried chiles toasting in cast iron skillet with stems snipped and most seeds removed.

    Next, reconstitute them in a medium pot of water that was brought to a boil.

    Toasted dried chiles reconstituted in medium saucepan of hot water.

    2. Brown the Beef: Season the meat generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Then sear in olive oil over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Cook in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. Leave the rendered fat in the pot for the vegetables to cook in.

    Chuck roast and bone-in short ribs browning in large Dutch oven.

    3. Make Birria Sauce Base: Cook onions and tomatoes until softened then add garlic, adobo and spices.

    Onion, tomatoes, garlic, adobo and spices cooking in large Dutch oven.

    4. Deglaze the Pot: Once the garlic and spices become aromatic pour in beef broth and apple cider vinegar. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up brownings from the bottom of the pot.

    Deglazing pot of vegetables and spices with beef broth to get all brownings off bottom of pot.

    5. Blending Time: Transfer the onion-tomato-spice mixture and softened chiles into a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until velvety smooth.

    Cooked onion, garlic, chiles and beef broth ready to become a smooth sauce in high-speed blender.

    You’ll probably need to do this in a couple batches. Be sure not to fill the vessel more than halfway and leave an opening for steam to escape.

    Overhead look into blender of smooth, bright red-orange birria sauce.

    6. Ready to Braise: Add the beef back into the pot and pour in all of your luscious birria sauce. Toss in bay leaves and a cinnamon stick or two. Cover pot and cook in preheated oven for 3 to 3 ½ hours until the meat is falling apart.

    Birria sauce poured over browned meat with bay leaves and cinnamon sticks ready to braise in oven.

    7. Skim the Fat: You’ll see a shiny layer of grease floating on top when the birria comes out of the oven. With a ladle or spoon skim off as much fat as you can but don’t discard! It’s what we’re going to use to cook up some amazing crispy tacos de birria.

    Birria done braising in oven and ladle on side of pot ready to skim grease off the top.

    8. Shred the Meat: Once the stew is cool enough to handle, shred the braised meat into your desired size.

    Birria Recipe Tips

    Meat:  Be sure to include at least some cuts of meat with bones in it to maximize the broth’s flavor. And let the beef sit out at room temperature 30-45 minutes before cooking.

    Dried Peppers: Remove their seeds unless you’re looking for a super spicy birria. But don’t go crazy; a few left behind are fine. Toasting chiles in a dry skillet before reconstituting in hot water brings out more smoky flavor and it only takes a few extra minutes.

    Adjust seasoning: Once the saucy broth is cool enough, give it a taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

    Close up of Beef Birria in white bowl topped with chopped onions, scallions and cilantro with tortillas, shredded cheese and lime on the side.

    How to Serve Beef Birria

    Beef birria is so versatile it can be served several ways. This recipe makes a large batch so you can experiment with how you like birria best!

    • Serve As Is! Birria is traditionally served in bowls with its consommé, warm corn tortillas and topped with diced onion, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Use extra lime wedges for garnish!
    • Birria Tacos: Head over to the sister post of this recipe to make mouthwatering cheesy quesatacos (aka quesabirria tacos) which have a side of consommé dipping sauce from the stew.
    • Birra Taquitos, Quesadillas, Burritos, Enchiladas and Tostadas!
    • Ramen: Use birria with extra broth as a base for ramen noodles, veggies and other toppings (aka, birriamen).
    Birria tacos with consommé served on a wooden board garnished with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

    Variations

    Protein: While beef, lamb and goat are traditional meats used, you can also make chicken or pork birria.

    Spices: You can dial the heat up or down to your liking with spicy seasonings like ancho chili powder or cayenne. And you can add other warm spices like cloves, ginger or allspice.

    Beans: It’s totally legit to add some beans to your birria if you like. Several regions in Mexico include beans in their preparation.

    Beer: Nothing wrong with deglazing the pot with some Mexican beer along with the broth to add more flare to the fiesta!

    Bowl of Mexican beef birria topped with chopped onions, scallions and cilantro with tortillas, shredded cheese and lime wedges on the side.

    Birria Recipe FAQs

    How do I store and reheat beef birria?

    Leftover birria will last 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a small saucepan over medium on the stove until hot, or microwave. Plus, birria can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.

    Can I make birria in a Crockpot or Instant Pot?

    Yes to both! When using a slow cooker, follow the same steps as a Dutch oven until it’s time to braise. Instead, place the browned beef and sauce in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours until beef is super tender. And, here is a great source for instant pot birria.

    What is the difference between beef birria and barbacoa?

    Barbacoa and birria can be prepared using the same meat, but it’s the cooking method that’s different. Barbacoa is steamed in banana leaves, and typically isn’t spicy. Birria, however, is a stew cooked in a sauce richly flavored with chile peppers and spices.

    More Mexican Favorites!

    • Authentic Mexican Chicken Fajitas (20-Minute Recipe!)
    • Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
    • Cheesy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
    • Grilled Mexican Pizza with Salsa Verde and Chorizo

    🌟Love the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and/or a review in the Comments section below!

    👋Stay in touch on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And subscribe above to join our email community for all the latest updates!

    📋 Recipe

    Close up of Beef Birria in white bowl topped with chopped onions, scallions and cilantro with tortillas, shredded cheese and lime on the side.

    Birria Recipe with Beef (Birria de Res)

    This authentic beef birria recipe is a traditional Mexican beef stew full of fall-apart tender meat braised in a rich, super flavorful broth!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
    Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 502kcal
    Author: Kim Peterson

    Equipment

    • Dutch oven
    • 12-inch cast iron skillet
    • High-speed blender
    • Medium saucepan

    Ingredients

    Birria de Res

    • 4 dried ancho chiles
    • 3 dried guajillo chiles
    • 2 dried chiles de Árbol
    • 3 pounds chuck roast , quartered
    • 3 pounds bone-in short ribs
    • kosher salt and ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 white onion , cut into wedges
    • 3 roma tomatoes
    • 8 garlic cloves , peeled and left whole
    • 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 3 cups beef stock , divided
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 2 cinnamon sticks

    For Serving

    • White onion , chopped
    • Green onion , chopped
    • Fresh cilantro
    • Lime wedges
    • Warm corn tortillas

    Instructions

    • Snip open the dried chiles with kitchen scissors or a knife to remove the stems and shake out seeds.
    • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Toast the dried chiles for 3 minutes, moving them around occasionally so they don't burn. Remove from heat.
    • Cover the chiles with enough water so they’re completely submerged. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water begins to boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook chiles until softened, about 15 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F.
    • Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
    • In a large Dutch oven or oven-proof stock pot heat the oil over medium-high heat. In two batches, cook the meat on all sides until browned, about 15 minutes total. Transfer the meat to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
    • In the same pot, reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and roma tomatoes. Cook until onions and tomatoes begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
    • Add garlic cloves, adobo sauce, paprika, oregano, cumin and cinnamon to the pan. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently.
    • Add 2 cups beef stock and vinegar to deglaze bottom of the pot and scrape up brownings. Remove the pot from the heat.
    • Carefully transfer vegetable mixture from the pot to a blender or food processor. Drain the softened chiles and add them to the blender (discard the soaking water). Blend on high until fully combined and smooth.
    • Add the beef back to Dutch oven and pour chili sauce over. Stir to cover meat completely. Toss in bay leaves and cinnamon sticks and cover with lid.
    • Cook on center rack in preheated oven until beef is fall-apart tender, about 3 to 3 ½ hours.
    • Try to skim off as much fat off the top as possible but don’t discard! Reserve to cook tacos in.
    • Remove the meat when cool enough to handle and shred with two forks or your hands, discarding any excess fat.
    • Stir remaining broth into the birria sauce. Add shredded meat back to the pot and carefully stir until the beef is well coated.
    • Serve the birria with the consommé in bowls garnished with chopped white onion, green onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice with warm tortillas on the side. OR, use as a filling for these mouthwatering Birria Tacos or one of the other suggestions mentioned in the post. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Birria Recipe Tips

    Meat:  Be sure to include at least some cuts of meat with bones in it to maximize the broth’s flavor. And let the beef sit out at room temperature 30-45 minutes before cooking.
    Dried Peppers: Remove their seeds unless you’re looking for a super spicy birria. But don’t go crazy; a few left behind are fine.
    Slow Cooker Instructions:  Follow the same steps as a Dutch oven until it’s time to braise. Instead, place the browned beef and sauce in a slow cooker for 6-8 hours on low until beef is tender. And, here is a source for instant pot birria.
    Storage & Reheating: Leftover birria will last 5 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in a small saucepan over medium on the stove until hot, or microwave. Plus, birria can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 27g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 644mg | Potassium: 1304mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4125IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 75mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @giveitsomethyme or tag #giveitsomethyme!

    This page contains affiliate links. Meaning, whenever you purchase an item after clicking an Amazon link through this website, we receive a small percentage from Amazon. It doesn’t cost anything extra to you! It simply helps maintain the blog. Thanks so much!

    « What to Serve with Perogies: 25 Savory Side Dishes
    Birria Tacos with Consommé »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Michelle says

      May 17, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      Love all the detailed steps you have for prepping the chilies! Birria tacos are our favourite -- will have to give your recipe a try soon!

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        May 17, 2022 at 6:16 pm

        Thanks so much Michelle! They are the epitome of ultimate tacos!

        Reply
    2. Chef Mimi says

      February 16, 2022 at 8:02 am

      I’ve made birria, but never followed through with the tacos! I need to make it again. For sure.

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        February 16, 2022 at 11:13 am

        Absolutely! Now you have the perfect excuse!😊

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Kim | Creator and Author of Give it Some Thyme

    Welcome! I'm Kim - author, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Give it Some Thyme. Here you'll find wholesome, classic and contemporary recipes that make memorable meals every home chef can prepare. Pull up a chair!

    More about me →

    Summer BBQ Recipes

    • Southwest Black Bean Burgers (Vegan Recipe)
    • What to Serve with Pulled Pork: 27 Best Sides
    • Tropical Smoothie Bowl Recipe (Vegan)
    • German Fruit Flan Recipe
    • Root Beer Pulled Pork Tenderloin (Crock Pot)
    • What to Serve with Scallops: 27 Best Side Dishes
    • Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos (Quick & Easy!)
    • Asian Red Cabbage Slaw (Quick & Easy Side Dish!)

    Popular Recipes

    • Gourmet Italian Grilled Cheese with Pesto
    • Birria Tacos with Consommé
    • Oven Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic Glaze
    • 5-Minute Cast Iron Skillet Caramelized Salmon

    Footer

    Image of media outlets listed that have featured Give it Some Thyme's recipes.

    ↑ back to top

    SUBSCRIBE

    About

    • Terms & Policies
    • Accessibility Policy

    Follow

    Contact

    • Contact

    Copyright © 2022 Give it Some Thyme