This Mexican Birria de Res is loaded with tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef slowly cooked in a rich, spicy broth. Enjoy it as a soup garnished with cilantro, diced onion and lime, or shred the meat and serve it in warm corn tortillas for irresistible birria tacos. This version is naturally gluten-free and fits Paleo and Whole30 approaches while remaining intensely flavorful.
What is Mexican Birria?
Birria is a deeply flavored, spicy stew that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. Traditionally prepared with goat or lamb, beef has become a common and delicious substitute. The meat is slowly braised in a broth made from dried Mexican chiles, onion, tomato, garlic and aromatics, with spices like cinnamon, cumin and oregano. The result is a savory consommé and succulent shredded meat.
Birria is often served as a bowl of soup with fresh garnishes such as chopped cilantro, onion and lime. Another popular presentation separates the meat from the consommé, shreds it, and fills corn tortillas to make tacos served with the consommé on the side for dipping. When cheese is added, the tacos are called quesabirria.
Ingredients You Need for Mexican Birria
- Beef: Use brisket flat for deep beefy flavor and tender texture after braising. Chuck, short ribs, shank or other stewing cuts also work well.
- Dried chiles: A mix of guajillo, ancho and chile de árbol provides a complex, aromatic spice profile you won’t get from pre-ground spices.
- Onion: Charring the onion in a dry skillet concentrates flavor for the chile purée.
- Roma tomatoes: Char these as well for a richer salsa base.
- Garlic: Use according to taste—garlic adds important savory depth.
- Ginger: A small piece of charred ginger adds subtle warmth and complexity.
- Herbs and spices: Dried oregano, ground cumin, cinnamon and bay leaves round out the seasoning.
- Apple cider vinegar: A splash brightens and balances the richness of the beef consommé.
- Beef bone broth: A high-quality beef broth gives the consommé a deep savory backbone; homemade is best, but a good store-bought broth works too.
Why You’ll Love This Mexican Birria Recipe
- Deep flavor: Traditional dried chiles and slow-cooked beef create a rich, layered taste.
- Versatile: Serve as a soup, over rice, or use the shredded meat in tacos, burritos, quesadillas or sliders.
- Great for meal prep: Make a large batch and portion it for meals throughout the week.
How to Prepare Mexican Birria
1. Prepare the chiles and aromatics
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to overnight.
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, flipping until they soften and become pliable, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
- In the same dry skillet, char the halved onion, roma tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and ginger until lightly blackened, rotating to char all sides. Add them to the blender with the chiles and some beef broth and blend until smooth.
- Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned.
- Pour in the blended chile mixture, add the remaining broth, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 3–4 hours, until very tender. If needed, continue low cooking in 30-minute increments until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Remove the beef, discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, shred the meat with forks, return it to the broth, taste and adjust seasoning with salt or lime as needed.
- Serve in bowls garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, lime wedges and radishes, or use the shredded meat to make tacos with warm corn tortillas and a side of consommé for dipping.
Recipe FAQs
Substitution ideas
- Meat alternatives: Short ribs, chuck roast, shank, cubed stewing meat or lamb shoulder all work. Select cuts with connective tissue and some fat for the best braising results.
- Broth: Chicken broth can be used in place of beef broth if needed.
What if I don’t have dried chiles?
The dried Mexican chiles contribute much of birria’s distinctive flavor, so seek them locally or online if possible. If unavailable, use a blend of dried chili powders as a last resort; the flavor will be less complex.
Can I make birria ahead of time?
Yes — birria often tastes better the next day after the flavors have melded. It stores well in the refrigerator for several days and freezes nicely.
Reheating tips
Reheat gently on the stove in a pot over medium heat. If the consommé reduces too much while reheating, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it. Taste as it warms and adjust with salt or lime juice.
Serving suggestions
- Tacos: Dip tortillas in the consommé, lightly fry, fill with shredded meat and cheese and serve with consommé for dipping.
- Soup: Serve birria in bowls with chopped onion, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
- Burritos: Wrap shredded birria in warm tortillas with rice, beans and cheese.
Slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. For the slow cooker, brown the beef first and use toasted chiles and charred aromatics blended with broth; cook 6–8 hours on low or 4–5 hours on high. For the Instant Pot, follow the same steps and cook under high pressure for about 1 hour with a natural release. Simmer the broth afterward if you want to reduce and concentrate the flavor.
Can I make it spicier?
To increase heat, add more chiles de árbol or incorporate chipotles in adobo for smoky heat. To tone it down, reduce or omit the chiles de árbol.
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Mexican Birria de Res – gluten-free
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef brisket, cut into large cubes; substitute chuck roast, short ribs or shank
- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2 chile guajillo
- 2 chile ancho
- 3 chile de árbol
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
- 2 roma tomatoes, left whole
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root
- 34 ounces beef bone broth
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- Finely chopped yellow onion, for garnish
- Finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Fresh radish, for serving
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- 8 corn tortillas, for serving
Instructions
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Place the beef on a tray, season evenly with salt and pepper, and refrigerate uncovered for one hour to overnight.
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Preheat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho and arbol chiles, flipping every 30 seconds until soft and pliable, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender.
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In the same skillet, char the onion, tomatoes, garlic and ginger until lightly blackened, about 2 minutes per side. Add them to the blender with the chiles and 34 ounces of beef bone broth and blend until completely smooth.
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Preheat a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat and heat the oil until shimmering. Brown the brisket on all sides, about 5 minutes per side. Pour in the blended chile mixture and additional beef broth, then add apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, 3 to 4 hours (longer if needed).
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Transfer the beef to a bowl, discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, shred the beef with forks, return it to the broth and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt as needed.
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Ladle birria into bowls and garnish with diced onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, sliced radish and warm corn tortillas, or assemble tacos and dip in the consommé for extra flavor.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.