This birria recipe is an iconic meat stew from the Mexican state of Jalisco of lamb, goat or beef cooked low and slow in a seasoned chili sauce. Serve it in a bowl or as birria tacos.
Mexican Birria Recipe
We're cooking up a flavorful Mexican meat stew in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. It's called Birria, and you're going to want to make this right away.
Mike's Recipe Highlights
- The combination of dried ancho and guajillo chilies gives this recipe an unforgettable flavor, and the chiles de arbol add just the right amount of spicy heat.
- You can make this recipe with beef or lamb, and the slow cooking process results in meat that is fall-apart-tender, which everyone loves.
What is Birria?
Birria is a classic Mexican meat stew or soup made with slowly braised meat - usually lamb, goat, or beef - with chilies and spices. It is one of the most iconic Mexican dishes, originally from Jalisco, Mexico, though has spread throughout Mexican and the United States because of its addictive flavor.
Birria was traditionally made with goat, as local Mexicans were given an overabundance of goats by the Conquistadors during the Conquest of Mexico.
The name, "birria", means "worthless" or "without value", a pejorative term given by the Spanish who found eating goat beneath them.
Today, however, beef is more commonly used, as it is easier to obtain and is less lean, though it is delicious with any of these cuts of meat or what you can commonly find in grocery stores.
Authentic birria is usually served a couple different ways - as a soup or stew, or as birria tacos. The soup/stew version is more classic and often served at family events or large gatherings.
This way, the meat is shredded and served into bowls with the braising liquid, or birria consome.
As tacos, the meat is shredded and served over warmed corn tortillas dipped in the braising liquid, with the consome in a small bowl on the side.
There are different ways to make it, with different cuts of meat and variations to the chilies and seasonings. This is my preferred version adapted from a couple of my favorite Mexican cookbooks and some experimentation.
It's a beef birria recipe (birria de res).
As a spicy food lover, I think you will love this recipe. It will smell amazing in the house with the meat cooking, enough to drive you wild with hunger.
Let's talk about how to make birria, shall we?
Featured Reader Comment
From Christina: "I wanted to make this for Christmas so I tested it and had my Latina friend from Mexico try it and quote '"'The most authentic Birria I've had in a long time'. So I doubled the meat and there is barely anything left. Absolutely DELICIOUS!"
Birria Ingredients - Birria Consome and Birria de Res
NOTE: The full ingredients list with measurements and recipe steps are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Dried Peppers. Use ancho peppers and guajillo peppers. I also use a few chiles de arbol for a bit of extra spice and heat.
- Olive Oil. For cooking.
- Vegetables. Fresh tomatoes, roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves. You can also toss in some fresh peppers, if desired.
- Seasonings. Mexican oregano, sea salt, cinnamon stick, cumin, ginger, black pepper. You can use others, like bay leaves.
- Vinegar. I prefer apple cider vinegar for this recipe.
- Beef Stock. Or beef broth.
- Meat. Use lamb, goat or beef. Lamb shoulder or lamb belly are hugely popular options. For beef, use brisket, beef chuck roast or beef shank.
How to Make Birria - the Recipe Method
Heat a cast iron pan to medium-high heat dry toast the dried chilies 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken. This helps loosen the oils and develops flavor.
Add the toasted peppers in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Steep for 20 minutes to soften.
Heat the oil in the same pan to medium heat and cook the onion and tomatoes 5 minutes to soften, then the garlic for 1 minute, stirring.
Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor along with the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
Add the seasonings with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock then process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. You can strain if you’d like for a smoother sauce.
See the RECIPE NOTES below.
Cut the meat into large chunks and add to a large bowl. Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat.
Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
Add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef stock or broth to a large pot or Dutch oven.
This broth will not only braise the meat, but will later become your birria consome.
Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred.
Add more beef stock or some of the reserved soaking liquid if needed for a soupier birria.
I removed the meat to make it easier to shred.
Then added the shredded meat back to the pot to simmer a bit more before serving.
Serve the braised birria stew meat into bowls as a soup, or shred the meat and serve it up onto warm corn tortillas as birria tacos, with the reserved liquid birria consome from the pot as a side soup/broth.
Adjust for salt and pepper. Garnish with onion, fresh cilantro, chili flakes, squeeze of lime.
Boom! Done! Your Mexican birria is ready to serve. This meat is so incredibly tender and flavorful.
Serving Birria
How are you going to enjoy yours? As a soup or stew in a bowl? Or as birria tacos? Quesabirria tacos? Try this birria ramen recipe! Or my birria quesadillas recipe! Or birria nachos! Birria pizza!
Go make some delicious red tacos!
Recipe Tips & Notes
Meat Options. You can make birria with many different cuts of meat. Use lamb meat, goat meat or beef. Lamb shoulder or lamb belly are hugely popular options.
For the cut of beef, use brisket, chuck roast or beef shank. Short ribs are great, too. You can realistically make this with any cut of meat, but the best are the tougher cuts that require low and slow cooking.
You'll get more flavor with bone-in meats.
Strain the Pepper Puree. For a much smoother sauce, strain it through a fine sieve to remove any lingering bits if needed.
Also, some people find the skins of anchos and guajillos to be slightly bitter, and straining can reduce this.
This recipe can easily be adapted for your slow cooker or Instant pot.
Storage and Leftovers
Store any leftover birria in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. You can easily reheat it gently on the stovetop to enjoy again.
Birria is great for freezing. You can freeze it for up to 6 months in vacuum sealed containers.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Mexican birria recipe with consome. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you and how you served yours. Keep it spicy!
Cookbook Recommendations
If you love traditional Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended.
- Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
- Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of My Other Popular Mexican Recipes
Try Some of My Other Popular Soup and Stew Recipes
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Mexican Birria Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 ancho peppers stems and seeds removed
- 5 guajillo peppers stems and seeds removed
- 2-3 chiles de arbol optional, for spicier
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion chopped
- 3 large tomatoes chopped
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon sea salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 large roasted tomatoes chopped
- 4 cups beef stock separated
- 3.5 pound lamb shoulder or you can use beef shank or chuck roast
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
- Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
- While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat.
- Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor.
- Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
- Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. You can strain if you’d like for a smoother sauce. See the RECIPE NOTES below.
- Cut the lamb (or beef) into large chunks and add to a large bowl.
- Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
- When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. Add more beef stock or some of the reserved soaking liquid if needed for a soupier birria.
- Serve the braised birria into bowls as a soup, or shred the meat and serve it up onto tortillas as birria tacos, with the reserved liquid consome from the pot as a side soup/broth.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
BillC in SD says
Hi Mike. I just found your site, signed up and am totally stoked you've included so many of my favorites! My first stab is going to be the birria. Quick question: Do you see anything to be gained by searing/browning (in my case) the beef chuck chunks before marinating? Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Bill. I hope you find many recipes you enjoy! For birria, yes, searing the meat would be a nice flavor addition, and yes, I would do so before marinating. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Leland says
Hi, I’m making your Birria recipe, and next time I want to use the peppers in powder form how much would I use? can’t wait to try this recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Leland, use 2-3 tablespoons each of ancho and guajillo powder, and 1 teaspoon chile de arbol. But make a note and adjust the next time to your taste.
Kim walker says
hi! I love the sound of this recipe, but I am having difficulty finding ancho or guijillo chillies. I'm on the gold coast Australia, been to a few speciality shops, but cant source them. I wanted to make it Tuesday, so too late for online. many thanks, kim
Mike Hultquist says
Kim, you can try ancho and/or guajillo powder if you're able to find it. Or look for other dried Mexican or New Mexican pods. I'm not sure what's available to you.
Kim walker says
I found some beautiful ancho and guijillo's from la tienda Latina on gold coast if anyone else has been looking.
I'm marinating my beef shank,( the butcher cut it in quarters lengthways) and will slow cook it tomorrow for 10 hours. the and his have the most beautiful aroma xx
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Enjoy!
Kim Walker says
What an amazing dish!!! Everyone loved it!!! Absolutely melting meat even tho it was beef shank! And the vibrant colour: amazing!!!! I hope everyone tries this dish, and tries to source the dried peppers, especially the ancho, bse it was simple, good value, made a whole slow cooker full, and showstopper in taste.
Thanks a million for the recipe xxx
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Thanks for sharing this, Kim!
Lisa Kelly says
Kim - I'm in Canberra and I just order all my dried chilies on Amazon. If you have an Amazon Prime streaming subscription you get free shipping. Mike seems to have all types of wonderful hard to find in Australia ingredients and I can always find them on Amazon. Usually get delivered in 1-2 days.
And yes, the birria is AHHHH-MAZING!!!
Mike H. says
A quick life hack, huh? Awesome - enjoy!
Megan says
I found all three peppers in a bundle on Amazon for $18 so just ordered more to make this AGAIN!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Enjoy, Megan! It's definitely one of our favorites!
Seth Mooney says
Try the Asian or Indian spice shops. I’ve found some in Logan. Good lick
Lisa Petersen says
I bought mine online and had them delivered within a couple days. But live in the US, so not sure what delivery times are like where you live.
Sue says
I’m in West Australia & got the chillies from Spice Wagon here, look them up u may be able have them sent for next time.
I’m gonna marinate tomorrow & cook on Thursday
Josh Oram says
Amazon have them. Under $10 a pack
Amanda says
There’s no salt in this recipe. Should salt be added and if so, how much?
Mike Hultquist says
Amanda, I have 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste) listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, above the comments. Enjoy!
Kathy says
Can you do this in a crock pot and does it freeze well as my husband is not crazy about spicy foods. This looks great I LOVE spicy foods.
Mike Hultquist says
You surely can, Kathy, and yes, it freezes wonderfully. I do this all the time. Enjoy!
BD says
This looks awesome so I've just had a go at it. I am sure I have bastardized it but fingers crossed anyways. I couldn't find the peppers you cite so I used serrano, bell and jalapeno.
I am not a fan of lamb and my Nepalese neighbors and I share food (I'm learning to love Indian food and they love my "concoctions") and they don't eat beef so I used chicken. But we're in a heatwave here in Canada so I used a cooked chicken. 🙂 It's all "marinating" in the fridge. Can't wait to make us some tacos. Please cross your fingers for me too. 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Enjoy, BD!
Traci says
Outstanding!! So happy to have stumbled upon this. Have never had this before so had no idea what this was about but made it because it sounded good. It was better than good, great in fact. Easier to make than I originally thought. Only used half the cinnamon as I’m not wild about cinnamon with meat and it was a good choice for me. We ate it as a stew and it was so delicious we couldn’t stop eating LOL. Now the family wants to try it as tacos. So good next time I’m doubling the recipe to have some left for the freezer. Thank you so much for sharing this
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Traci! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy the tacos, too. =)
David Mohr says
Mike, gonna attempt to do this tomorrow while my beef marinates tonight.
Is there a recipe for stuffing the tortilla with the beef and cheese and “ frying”! Them?
TIA
David
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, David! Yes, check out this Quesabirria Recipe: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/quesabirria-tacos/
Mary Aranda says
tried your recipe can't wait to try the end results will definitely let you know
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy! I make this one a lot! SO good.
Gary says
I've bought a big of dried chillies online for this recipe I only got 2 Ancho chillis in the bag, but their the size of my hand 30g in total, how does this compare to the recipe?
I also have dried chipotle, cascabel, mulato and Padilla if i need more.
Mike Hultquist says
You can use those, Gary. If you feel you need more peppers, use extra guajillo or the pasillas, or others.
Jessica says
I am currently making this recipe as my son requested birria tacos for dinner. I am Mexican American and am well versed in making many Mexican dishes however, I’ve never made birria in my life. With both parents now angels, I couldn’t ask them how to make it so I scoured the web and came across your highly rated recipe. The marinade is absolutely amazing! I know this recipe will be a 10/10 once it’s done. Thanks for sharing!!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Jessica! Thanks for much for sharing this with everyone. I greatly appreciate it, and hope you love it as much as we do.
Brenda says
I could not wait to makes this. Meat is in refrigerator, roasting tomatoes now......I made small adjustments since my family and my own tummies have changed with age. Will be having this as street tacos and a soup. Will compliment with chopped purple onions, radishes and cilantro. Can't wait for later today.
Mike Hultquist says
I hope it's a 5-star meal, Brenda! Enjoy! =)
Jettinby says
How do you remove the skin on the peppers after soaking??? It doesn't come off without the pepper properly
Mike Hultquist says
You actually do not remove the skins of the dried peppers.
Lucy says
Hi what can I replace the ancho chillis with??
Mike Hultquist says
You can use ancho powder, or use guajillo chilies. Other Mexican pods are great here, too, like cascabel or mulato.
Melissa Acevedo says
can we make this in a crockpot?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, Melissa. 4-5 hours on high, 7-8 on low. I hope to get my crock pot/slow cooker version online soon.
Melissa Acevedo says
great thank you so much.
Jennifer says
would we still need to soak the peppers ️ or add additional liquid to a crockpot method? can't wait for a few notes on " the steps" for making this in a crockpot (or even an instapot)!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Jennifer, you'll get best results if you follow the recipe through step 10. Then, for a slow cooker, add the remaining ingredients (no changes needed) to your crock pot or slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 7-8, or until the meat is nice and tender. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Paul says
Hey Mike,
We're loving your site and recipes. In your opinion, which salsa is best to go with birria?
Paul
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Paul. This is a hard one! So many great salsas! If I had to choose right now, I'd choose one of these:
Xni-Pec (Habanero Salsa): https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/salsas/xni-pec-habanero-salsa/
Salsa Roja: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/salsa-roja-mexican-red-table-sauce/
Pico de Gallo: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/salsas/pico-de-gallo/
Ghost Pepper Salsa: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/fresh-ghost-pepper-salsa/
Paul says
Thanks Mike! We'll check them all out. 🙂
Rosalyn says
We had to delay our Cinco de Mayo celebration until Sunday, so I’m starting the marinade of beef chunks and short ribs today. So looking forward to this with mango/jalapeño margaritas, charro beans, and spiced Mexican chocolate gelato.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Rosalyn! Enjoy the cooking!
Shelby says
I got beef shank for this recipe and was wondering do you leave it on the bone or do you cut the bone out? I have never used this cut of meat so I’m not sure. Looking forward to trying this!
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Shelby. I leave it on the bone when I cook shank. The meat will fall right off when it's ready, and you can just pick out the bone and toss it. I'm jealous! It is going to be so good! Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy. =)
Obed Salazar says
I'm interested in making this with lamb. Is lamb belly the same as lamb breast?
Mike Hultquist says
Obed, yes, they are the same thing. Enjoy!
Bill Hellyer says
Hey Mike, I’ve had this recipe circled for awhile now and I’m looking forward to trying it out this Friday. I’ve got 4 honkin veal shanks that have been taking up space in my freezer. Do you think those would work well in this recipe, or am I better off sticking with a chuck roast?
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Bill. I would freaking KILL to have some of those veal shanks to make this recipe. Darn you! I'm drooling. Yes, make this recipe with them. I hope you enjoy it.