Birria Ramen Recipe

4.86 from 7 ratings

Birria ramen recipe (birriamen) with tender slow-braised shredded beef, rich birria consomé poured over ramen noodles, and loaded with toppings. The ultimate Mexican-Japanese comfort food, and the perfect way to use leftover birria.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Keyword: birria ramen, birria ramen recipe, birriamen, mexican ramen, ramen noodles, shredded beef

Servings:

Calories: 638kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR THE BIRRIA RECIPE

3 ancho peppers stems and seeds removed
3 guajillo peppers stems and seeds removed
2-3 chiles de arbol, optional 2 for mild, 3 for medium heat
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white onion chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 large roasted tomato chopped
3 cups beef stock separated
2 pounds boneless beef chuck

FOR THE BIRRIA RAMEN

12 ounces ramen noodles 6 portions - you can use other noodles (see note on seasoning packets below)
1-2 cups additional beef broth or reserved soaking liquid for thinning
2 jalapenos chopped or sliced
1 small red onion diced
3 radishes sliced
3 soft boiled eggs halved
Garnish: red pepper flakes, fresh chopped cilantro, lime wedges

Instructions

MAKE THE BIRRIA

Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them 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. Reserve the soaking liquid.
While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the oil in the same pan to medium heat. Add the onion and tomatoes and cook 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring.
Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor. Remove the softened chiles and add to the food processor, reserving the soaking liquid. Add the seasonings, vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl. Pour the birria sauce over the meat and rub it in. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Overnight is better.
Optional: Sear the Beef. For extra depth, heat a drizzle of oil in your Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef on all sides until browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Don't discard the marinade.
Add the seared (or unseared) meat with all the marinade, chopped roasted tomatoes, and remaining 2 cups beef broth to a large pot. Add some reserved soaking liquid if you want a soupier birria. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and shreds easily.
Shred the meat with forks to your preference. Reserve all of the birria broth (consomé).

MAKE THE BIRRIA RAMEN

Cook the ramen noodles according to the package. If your noodles come with a seasoning packet, discard it -- the birria consomé is doing all the flavoring here. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the noodle cooking water, then drain and divide noodles between 6 bowls.
Thin the consomé. If the birria broth is too thick and rich, whisk in 1-2 cups of warm beef broth or reserved soaking liquid until it's loose enough to ladle. Taste and adjust salt.
Add a portion of the shredded birria beef to each bowl. Ladle the hot thinned consomé over the noodles and beef generously. The bowl should be brothy, not dry. Add a splash of the reserved noodle water to each bowl if you want extra silky texture.
Top with jalapeño, red onion, radishes, a soft boiled egg halved, fresh cilantro, red pepper flakes, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately.

Notes

Leftover Birria. This recipe is ideal for leftover birria. If you already have shredded birria beef and consomé from a previous batch, skip straight to the "Make the Birria Ramen" steps. Reheat the beef and consomé on the stovetop, thin the consomé as directed, cook your noodles fresh, and build the bowls. The whole thing comes together in about 15 minutes. Day-two birria actually tastes better. The flavors deepen overnight in the fridge. Store leftover beef and consomé separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition