Birria

Cooking is my love language, and Birria in particular is a crowd favorite amongst our friends and family. Birria is a traditional Mexican taco dish that can be made with beef, veal, lamb, pork, and goat meat. I have made this recipe through trial and error, learning which ingredients produce the best flavors, textures, and fulfillment. The extra twist in this recipe is the addition of chicken bouillon because I believe the best broths aren’t made from just a single meat. Ramen can be made from pork and chicken, Pho from fish and beef, and Korean stews from fish and Kombu! So why not add the same amalgamation to Birria? I prefer to use Mexican oregano as well, because it enhances the overall flavor.

Many times, Birria can be soggy because the entire tortilla is soaked in the consommé. If you try to fry a tortilla soaked in soup, it isn’t going to be crispy. It’s especially important to dip the tortilla into the oil you collect from the Birria consommé that comes in the pot. That way, it can fry and create texture.

Ingredients

Birria:

· 2 lbs. Chuck roast cut up into 3-inch cubes.

· ½ Large white onion

· ½ Garlic bulb

· 2-3 Bay leaves

· 5 Guajillo chiles (seeds removed)

· 3 Arbol chiles (seeds removed)

· 2 Ancho chiles (seeds removed)

· 3-4 Chicken bouillon cubes

· ¾ tsp Mexican oregano

· ¼ tsp Thyme

· ½ tsp Cumin

· ½ tsp Whole peppercorns

· ¼ Cinnamon stick

· Salt to taste

Tacos:

· Oaxaca cheese freshly shredded

· Corn tortillas

· Onion

· Lime

· Cilantro

Directions

Birria:

· In a large pot add the chuck roast, whole half onion peeled, whole garlic cloves, bay leaves, and dried peppers. Cover with about 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.

· Once at a boil, add chicken bouillon, Mexican oregano, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine and let it simmer for 30 mins.

· After 30 minutes, remove the softened peppers, garlic, and onion and put them in a blender. Blend until smooth and add the broth from pot until it can be pushed and strained through a sieve.

· Add pepper mixture back to the pot and continue to simmer for about 3 hours or until meat is tender. Occasionally stir and add water if the water level gets too low.

· The consommé should be a dark reddish brown and viscous like a heavy stew.

· Skim the oil on the top layer of the consommé and keep it in a container to use for the tacos.

 Tacos:

· Prepare the tacos by hand-shredding the birria, shredding the Oaxaca., dicing the onions, washing the cilantro, and cutting lime wedges.

· On medium to medium-high heat, dip the corn tortilla in the OIL FROM THE BIRRIA COLLECTED PRIOR. As soon as the tortilla is on the heat, place birria and Oaxaca on tortilla and fold it into a taco. Continue to flip until both sides are crispy.

· Garnish with onions, cilantro, and lime.

Finally … enjoy!!! 🌮🍴🎊