Dark Birria

Ingredients

• 1,361 g (3 lb)chuck roast or beef brisket
• 3Ancho chillies
• 3Mulato chillies
• 3–4Pasilla chillies
• 2Roma tomatoes
• 1 smallonion
• 6garlic cloves
• 480–710 ml (2–3 cups)stock
• 1 teaspooncumin
• 2 teaspoonsMexican oregano
• 1 pinchground clove
• ⅛ teaspooncinnamon
• Freshly cracked, to tasteblack pepper
• 2 teaspoons, plus more to tastesalt
• To tasteolive oil
• 10–14corn tortillas
• About 200 g (2 cups)shredded cheese, such as Jack
• To tastefinely chopped raw onion
• To tastefreshly chopped coriander
• To tastelimes

Instructions

1. 1

   Roast the tomatoes

   Rinse and remove the stems from the tomatoes. Roast them in an oven at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes, or until needed.

2. 2

   Prepare the chillies

   Wipe any dust from the dried chillies, then remove their stems and seeds, without worrying about removing every seed. Roast them in the oven for 1–2 minutes, until warm and fragrant. Put the pieces in a bowl, cover with the hottest tap water available and leave to rehydrate for about 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Soften onion and garlic

   Roughly chop the onion and peel the garlic cloves. Warm a splash of oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then sauté the onion and whole garlic cloves. When the onion has softened and lightly browned, transfer the mixture to a blender.

4. 4

   Brown the beef

   Coat a frying pan with a thin layer of oil and heat it over medium-high. Cut the beef into 2.5–5 cm (1–2 inch) chunks and salt it well. Sear each side for a few minutes, until browned, then move the pieces to a slow cooker. If you like, deglaze the pan with the 480 ml (2 cups) of stock intended for the sauce.

5. 5

   Taste the liquid

   Before draining the rehydrated chillies, taste their soaking liquid. If it tastes bitter, use stock in the sauce; if you like its flavour, you can use it instead of the stock.

6. 6

   Blend the sauce

   Put the drained chillies, roasted tomatoes and onion-garlic mixture in a blender. Add 480 ml (2 cups) stock, or the liquid used to deglaze the beef pan, along with the cumin, Mexican oregano, cinnamon, ground clove, 2 teaspoons salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Blend until well combined. You may need less salt if your stock is shop-bought.

7. 7

   Slow-cook the beef

   Pour the sauce over the seared beef. Cover and cook on low in the slow cooker for 4–6 hours. Alternatively, simmer the beef, covered, on the hob for 2–3 hours, until fall-apart tender.

8. 8

   Adjust the sauce

   When the beef is cooked, skim off any fat on the surface if you wish, saving it to crisp the tacos. Taste the sauce and adjust it to your liking; the original preparation adds another pinch each of clove and cinnamon for a pronounced spice flavour.

9. 9

   Shred and coat

   Shred the beef with two forks and discard any fatty pieces you do not want to eat. Put the amount you plan to serve in a separate bowl and add enough sauce to coat it thoroughly.

10. 10

    Crisp the tacos

    For traditional birria tacos, heat a thin layer of fat—such as lard, olive oil or fat skimmed from the stew—in a frying pan over medium heat. Add as many tortillas as fit and cook for about a minute, until they begin to crisp. Add birria and cheese to each, fold in half and crisp both sides until brown spots appear.

11. 11

    Serve with toppings

    Serve the tacos straight away with your chosen toppings. Add raw onion and freshly chopped coriander inside the tacos, and serve extra birria sauce for dipping or drizzling. Finish with a squeeze of lime.

12. 12

    Store the leftovers

    Keep leftover birria in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will last for a few days.

What is dark birria?

Birria is a Mexican stew traditionally made with meat cooked in a seasoned chilli sauce. This version uses beef and a blend of Ancho, Mulato and Pasilla chillies for a dark, savoury sauce, then serves the meat in crisp tacos.

The longer-ripened Mulato chillies sit alongside Anchos and Pasillas, giving this batch its particular mix of dried-chilli flavours. Slow cooking makes the beef tender, while using sauce to coat the shredded meat keeps the filling flavourful.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 606 calories, 45g protein, 46g carbs, 29g fat.

The beef supplies most of the protein, while the tortillas contribute much of the carbohydrate. Fat comes from the beef, cheese and the fat used to crisp the tacos; balance the plate with a fresh salad or vegetables alongside.

The chilli and tomato base

Dried chillies: Remove the stems and most of the seeds, then warm the chillies briefly before soaking them. The short roast is meant to bring out their fragrance; watch closely so they do not burn.

Tomatoes: Roasting the Roma tomatoes softens them before blending. The softened onion and garlic join them in the blender to build the sauce base.

Choose the soaking liquid

Chilli water: Taste it before deciding whether to use it. If you find it bitter, use stock instead; if its flavour suits you, it can stand in for the stock in the sauce.

Stock: The recipe uses 2 cups to blend the sauce, with extra available if needed. Shop-bought stock can be salty, so taste before adding more salt.

Brown before slow cooking

Searing: Brown the beef on each side in a hot, lightly oiled pan before transferring it to the slow cooker. This step gives the meat colour before it cooks in the sauce.

Tenderness: Cook on low for 4–6 hours in a slow cooker, or simmer covered on the hob for 2–3 hours. The useful cue is beef that is tender enough to pull apart with forks.

Coat the shredded beef

Shredding: Use two forks to pull the cooked beef into strands, removing any fatty chunks you do not want in the filling.

Sauce: Mix enough sauce through the beef to coat it thoroughly before assembling the tacos. Keep the remaining sauce for dipping or drizzling at the table.

Crisp the tortillas

Fat first: Warm a thin layer of lard, olive oil or skimmed stew fat in a frying pan over medium heat. Let the tortillas begin to crisp before adding the birria and cheese.

Folding: Fold each filled tortilla in half and cook both sides until brown spots form. Work in batches if the pan cannot hold all the tortillas at once.

Serve with fresh toppings

Toppings: Raw onion and fresh coriander add a crisp, fresh contrast to the rich filling. A squeeze of lime brings a bright finish.

Alongside: Serve extra birria sauce for dipping or drizzling. For a fuller meal, pair the tacos with a simple salad or cooked vegetables.

Recipe notes & tips

• Roast the chillies only until warm and fragrant, as they can burn quickly.
• Taste the chilli soaking liquid before using it in the sauce.
• If using shop-bought stock, check the seasoning before adding extra salt.
• Save skimmed stew fat if you want to use it to crisp the tortillas.
• Coat the shredded beef with sauce before filling the tortillas.
• Assemble and crisp the tacos shortly before serving.

Variations

• Use brisket: Choose brisket instead of chuck roast as the recipe allows.
• Use chilli water: Substitute the soaking liquid for stock if you enjoy its flavour and it is not bitter.
• Choose another cooking method: Simmer the beef covered on the hob instead of using a slow cooker.
• Change the crisping fat: Use olive oil or skimmed stew fat instead of lard.
• Adjust the spice: Add another pinch of clove and cinnamon to the sauce if you want their flavours more pronounced.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Burning the chillies: Roast them for only 1–2 minutes and take them out once fragrant.
• Using bitter soaking liquid: Taste it first and choose stock instead if the flavour is unpleasant.
• Skipping the sear: Brown the beef on each side before it goes into the slow cooker.
• Serving uncoated shredded beef: Stir enough sauce through the meat to coat it before filling the tacos.
• Filling tortillas too soon: Start crisping them in fat before adding the birria and cheese.
• Overcooking the tortillas: Watch for brown spots on both sides and serve the tacos straight away.

How to store

Store leftover birria in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days. Reheat the meat with some sauce until hot, then crisp freshly assembled tacos in a frying pan.

Frequently asked questions