Ingredients
Meat
- 3 lb beef chuck roast, trimmed of large fat pieces, cut into large chunks
- 4 bone-in beef short ribs
Dried Chiles & Vegetables
- 8 dried guajillo chile peppers
- 3 dried pasilla chile peppers
- 2-3 dried arbol chile peppers
- 5 roma tomatoes, quartered (about 1.5 lb)
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 1 head garlic (10-12 cloves)
- 1 white onion, finely chopped (for garnish)
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- 2 limes, sliced (for garnish)
- Corn tortillas, for serving
Spices & Seasonings
- 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon whole cumin seed (or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin)
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander)
- 4-5 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root
- 1 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick (or 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 5 cups water, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare meat: Remove any large pieces of fat from the chuck roast, then cut the meat into a few large pieces and season them with kosher salt to enhance flavor before cooking.
- Prepare dried chiles: Wearing gloves if desired, rinse the dried chiles. Use scissors to remove stems, make a slit along the side of each chile to open them, and remove the seeds to control heat—especially for the spicy arbol chiles. Adjust according to heat preference.
- Make chile sauce: In a large stock pot over medium heat, add quartered roma tomatoes and roughly chopped white onion. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add whole garlic cloves, prepared chiles, and all the spices except the bay leaves. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring often to blend flavors.
- Add liquids and simmer: Pour in apple cider vinegar and 4 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let it cook uncovered for 15 minutes so flavors meld and sauce slightly reduces.
- Blend sauce: Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender and puree until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve back into the pot to achieve a silky texture, discarding solids.
- Add meat and simmer: Add 1 more cup of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the sauce and bring to a boil. Add the beef short ribs, chuck roast pieces, and 2 bay leaves to the pot. Cover and reduce heat to low simmer. Cook for 2 ½ hours or until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
- Shred meat: Once cooked tender, remove the meat pieces from the pot onto a plate. Discard the bones and bay leaves, then chop or shred the meat into bite-sized pieces for serving.
- Serve: Taste the broth and adjust seasonings or salt as needed. If the broth is too thick, add extra water or beef broth to loosen it. Serve shredded meat in bowls, pour broth over top, and garnish with finely chopped white onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Accompany with warm corn tortillas for dipping or making birria tacos.
Notes
- Wear gloves when handling dried chiles to avoid irritation, especially with hot arbol chiles.
- Removing seeds from arbol chiles reduces heat; adjust according to your spice preference.
- This recipe requires slow simmering to develop rich flavors and tender meat; do not rush the cooking time.
- For a thinner broth, add beef broth or water as desired before serving.
- Leftover birria meat and broth can be refrigerated and used for tacos, quesadillas, or other Mexican dishes.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
