Recipe

Traditional Birria Recipe

Deep chile flavor, fall-apart beef, and a glossy consommé you will want to sip straight. Make it for tacos, bowls, or a cozy weekend feast.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.9

A steaming bowl of rich red birria consommé with tender shredded beef, diced onion, cilantro, and lime wedges on a wooden table

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Birria is one of those dishes that feels like it should require a chef coat and a full day of dramatic simmering. The truth is, it is mostly about patient heat and a handful of dried chiles doing their thing. You build a sauce that is smoky, a little sweet, warmly spicy, then you braise beef until it collapses into the broth like it has been waiting for this moment all its life.

This is a traditional-inspired birria with a beef twist and accessible grocery-store ingredients. Classic birria is often made with goat (and regional variations are endless), but this version still delivers the real deal vibe: brick-red consommé, tender meat, and that unmistakable aroma of toasted chiles and spices. Serve it as a stew with tortillas, or go full indulgent and turn it into quesabirria tacos with crispy edges and a dunking cup of broth.

Dried guajillo and ancho chiles being toasted in a skillet until fragrant

Why It Works

Big, complex chile flavor without complicated steps. Toast, soak, blend, strain, simmer. That is the whole arc.
Fall-apart texture from a slow braise that turns tougher cuts into something luxurious.
A consommé worth dipping with an optional skim for a cleaner sip, plus a finishing splash of vinegar that wakes everything up.
Flexible serving options so one pot becomes tacos, bowls, rice plates, or freezer gold.

Pairs Well With

Corn tortillas (to dip and toast)
Fluffy Mexican rice
Pico de gallo or salsa fresca
Charro beans

Storage Tips

Birria gets better overnight, which is wildly convenient for all of us who like delicious results with minimal weekday effort.

Refrigerator

Store meat and consommé together for the best flavor, or separately if you want easier skimming later.
Cool quickly, then refrigerate in airtight containers (shallow is best) for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer

Freeze in portioned containers up to 3 months. I like 2-cup portions for quick lunches.
If you can, freeze some consommé in a silicone ice cube tray. Those cubes are instant flavor boosters for rice, soups, and sauces.

Reheating

Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low until hot. Add a splash of water or broth if it has thickened.
For tacos: crisp the meat in a skillet with a little consommé until the edges go golden, then build your tacos.

Common Questions

Is birria supposed to be spicy?

It can be, but it does not have to be. Guajillo and ancho are more about color and depth than heat. The spice level usually comes from chile de árbol. Start with 1 to 2, then taste the sauce before it goes in the pot and adjust.

Is this “traditional” birria?

This is a traditional-inspired, beef birria built around classic chile and spice flavors. In Jalisco, birria is classically made with goat (or sometimes lamb) and regional variations in chiles and technique. This version aims for that same brick-red broth and rich aroma, using easy-to-find ingredients.

What cut of beef is best for birria?

Chuck roast is the sweet spot: great texture, great flavor, forgiving. Short ribs add richness. Oxtail adds body. Use what fits your budget, but include at least one collagen-friendly cut if you can.

Do I have to strain the sauce?

I recommend it. Straining removes tough chile skins and seeds that can make the broth gritty. If you skip it, blend extra long and expect a more rustic texture.

Can I make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes. You still want to toast the chiles and blend the sauce first.

Slow cooker: 8 hours on low or 5 to 6 on high, until shreddable.
Instant Pot: 55 to 65 minutes on high pressure (up to 70 if your pieces are big or very bone-in), then natural release for 15 minutes, then quick release. Cook until it shreds easily.

What is the difference between birria and barbacoa?

They are cousins, not twins. Birria is defined by its chile-forward broth and spice blend. Barbacoa is often more focused on meat flavor and aromatics, traditionally cooked in a pit, and not always served as a consommé.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Large Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid (6 to 8 quarts)
Skillet or dry pan for toasting chiles
Blender
Fine-mesh strainer
Tongs and a large spoon
Cutting board and sharp knife

The first time I made birria, I treated it like a science project. I measured too hard, I worried too hard, and I hovered over the pot like it was going to run away. The second time, I relaxed. I toasted the chiles until the kitchen smelled like something important was happening, tasted the sauce, added a pinch of salt, and let the pot do the heavy lifting.

Now it is my favorite kind of weekend cooking: a little chaotic, very aromatic, and wildly rewarding. By the time the meat is shredding and the consommé is glossy, it feels less like dinner and more like you pulled off a small magic trick.

Traditional Birria Recipe

(4.9 Reviews)

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours 15 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

Meat

3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into large 3 to 4 inch chunks
1 lb beef short ribs (optional but very indulgent)
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp kosher salt (use less if using Morton), plus more to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp neutral oil (avocado, canola, or grapeseed)

Chile sauce

6 dried guajillo chiles, stems removed and seeded (leave a few seeds if you want extra heat)
2 dried ancho chiles, stems removed and seeded
2 to 4 dried chile de árbol (optional, for heat)
1 medium white onion, quartered
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained (optional, but great for an accessible, rounder broth)
3 cups low-sodium beef broth (plus more as needed)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Spices and aromatics

2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional, adds a subtle smokiness)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 whole cloves
2 bay leaves

To serve

Warm corn tortillas
Diced white onion
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Radishes (optional)

Shredded beef birria in a pot with a ladle lifting the red consommé

Instructions

Toast the chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium. Toast guajillo, ancho, and chile de árbol for 15 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened. Do not burn them or the sauce will turn bitter.
Soak to soften. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak 15 to 20 minutes until pliable. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, then drain the rest.
Sear the beef. Pat the beef dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear the beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pot. Transfer to a plate.
Blend the sauce. In a blender, combine softened chiles, onion, garlic, drained tomatoes, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cloves, vinegar, 2 cups of beef broth, and the reserved 1/2 cup soaking liquid. Blend until very smooth, 60 to 90 seconds.
Strain for a silky consommé. Pour the blended sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into the Dutch oven. Use a spoon to press it through. This step is a little extra effort and totally worth it later.
Braise low and slow. Add the seared beef back to the pot. Add bay leaves and the remaining 1 cup broth. The liquid should come about halfway up the meat. If needed, add a bit more broth or water so nothing is dry on top. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, then reduce heat to low. Cook 3 hours, turning the meat once or twice, until it shreds easily.
Shred, skim, and season. Remove and discard bay leaves. If you want a cleaner broth, skim excess fat from the top with a spoon. I like to reserve a few spoonfuls of that red fat for frying tortillas later. Remove beef to a board and shred with two forks. Return it to the pot. Taste the consommé and adjust with salt. If you want it brighter, add a small splash more vinegar or a squeeze of lime. If you want it richer, simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes to reduce.
Serve. Ladle birria and consommé into bowls and top with onion and cilantro, plus lime. For tacos, dip tortillas in the reserved top layer of fat from the consommé, then pan-fry with birria (and cheese if you are going quesabirria) until crisp. Serve with a cup of consommé for dipping.

Matt’s quick trick: If your consommé tastes flat, it usually needs one of three things: more salt, more acid (lime or vinegar), or a tiny pinch of cumin. Taste, tweak, repeat.

Nutrition information is estimated.

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