Description
This Mexican shredded beef recipe is tender, flavorful and spicy – perfect for those who love a bit of heat. Enjoy this delicious shredded beef birria on its own or with corn tortillas to make birria tacos, either way you’re gonna to devour it! Totally gluten-free and dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 dried guajillo peppers
- 2 tablespoons oil, for frying
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Fresh cilantro and diced onions for serving
Instructions
- Rehydrate Dried Peppers: Cut the stem off the guajillo peppers and then cut the dried chili peppers into pieces. Soak the peppers in hot water for 10 minutes to rehydrate the peppers.
- Sear Beef Cubes: Heat up the oil in a skillet over high heat and sear the beef pieces on all sides (approximately 5 minutes). Then transfer the beef to a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: In the same skillet as before, sauté the sliced onions for a few minutes on medium heat, then add the chopped garlic and stir-fry for another 1 minute.
- Add Salt and Spices: Add the salt, chili pepper flakes, ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and dried herbs, and mix and fry for another minute.
- Add Liquids and Bay Leaves: Add the beef broth, apple cider vinegar, and bay leaves into the skillet, then stir and bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend: Placed the chopped tomatoes and rehydrated guajillo peppers (make sure to drain the water) in a blender. Pour the sauce from the pan into the blender, removing the bay leaves in advance. Process the ingrdients thoroughly until you get a smooth, thick red sauce.
- Cook Beef with Sauce: Transfer the blended mixture into the pot with the beef and cook on low heat for 2 hours. As the beef cooks, if you note that the liquid is drying up, add more water or broth.
- Let Cool Once Cooked: When the beef is cooked, let it cool for 15 minutes in the sauce.
- Shred Beef: Remove the beef from the sauce and shred the beef into thin pieces with the help of two forks.
- Serve with Sauce: Pour a little sauce into the shredded beef and stir to make it more moist. Use to make birria tacos, sloppy joe or other dishes. Birria beef can also be served with chopped cilantro and white (yellow) onion.
Notes
Beef: I used beef chuck roast, which is great for slow-cooking and making stew. Alternatively, you can use other cuts of beef that would work for stew too.
Chili Peppers: I used dried guajillo chili peppers, a very popular chili in Mexican cuisine. Alternatively, if you don’t have access to these peppers, you can use other types of dried chilies instead.
Oil: I used sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. However, you can also use another type of vegetable oil (such as canola oil, olive oil, or avocado oil) if you prefer.
Broth: You can use either store-bought or homemade beef broth or beef stock. If you are Celiac or gluten-intolerant, make sure to use certified gluten-free beef broth.
Spices/Herbs: To add flavor, I’ve used chili pepper flakes, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and dried herbs.
Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar adds a bit of tanginess to the stew. You can also use white vinegar if that’s what you have on hand.
Storing: To store, place the beef birria in an airtight container and store for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pot over low heat before serving.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
