Description
A rich and flavorful Mexican Birria recipe featuring slow-cooked lamb shoulder marinated in a blend of toasted dried chilies, tomatoes, and aromatic spices. Perfectly tender and served either as a hearty soup or shredded in tacos with a delicious consomé broth on the side.
Ingredients
Scale
Chilies and Sauce
- 5 ancho peppers, stems and seeds removed
- 5 guajillo peppers, stems and seeds removed
- 2–3 chiles de arbol (optional, for spicier)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 3 large tomatoes, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon sea salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 large roasted tomatoes, chopped
- 4 cups beef stock, separated
Meat
- 3.5 pounds lamb shoulder (or beef shank or chuck roast as alternatives)
Instructions
- Toast Chilies: Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried ancho, guajillo, and optional chiles de arbol. Dry toast them 1-2 minutes per side until their skins darken, then remove from heat.
- Rehydrate Chilies: Place the toasted chilies in a large bowl, cover with hot water, and steep for 20 minutes until softened.
- Sauté Vegetables: While chilies rehydrate, heat olive oil in the same pan at medium heat. Add chopped onion and tomatoes, cooking for 5 minutes until softened. Then add garlic and cook for another minute while stirring.
- Prepare Sauce: Transfer the cooked onion, tomatoes, and garlic into a food processor. Remove softened chilies from the soaking liquid and add to the processor, reserving the liquid. Add dried oregano, salt, cinnamon, cumin, ground ginger, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth; optionally strain for a smoother sauce.
- Marinate Meat: Cut the lamb shoulder into large chunks and place in a large bowl. Pour the prepared birria sauce over the meat and rub it well into all pieces. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours; marinating overnight recommended for best flavor.
- Cook Birria: When ready to cook, place the marinated meat with all sauce, chopped roasted tomatoes, and remaining 3 cups beef broth into a large pot. Cover and simmer over medium heat for approximately 3 hours until the meat is fork-tender and shreddable. Add reserved soaking liquid or extra beef stock as needed if a soupier consistency is desired.
- Serve: Serve the birria hot either as a rich soup in bowls or shred the meat and serve it on tortillas as tacos. Accompany with the broth consomé from the pot as a side for dipping.
Notes
- For a smoother sauce, strain the blended sauce through a fine sieve to remove skins and any bitter bits from the dried chilies.
- You can brown the meat before slow cooking by patting it dry, searing in hot oil in the pot, then adding the marinade and liquids to continue cooking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup birria with meat
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
