Birria de Res Estilo Jalisco

Introduction

Birria was born in Jalisco as a way to make tough cuts of meat sing, slow-cooked in an adobo of dried chiles and spices until every fiber gives way. In Cocula, where it's said to have started, it was originally goat, saved for weddings and baptisms — the kind of dish a family only made when there was something worth celebrating. Beef birria became the everyday version, the one you find steaming in clay pots at Sunday markets across the country. This recipe skips the all-day wood-fired pit and gets you there on the stovetop, so you can have that same rich, falling-apart beef and deep consommé on a regular weeknight, not just for a fiesta. Once the whole house smells like toasted chiles and cinnamon, you'll understand why people line up for this before sunrise.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) beef chuck roast, cut into 3-4 large chunks
• 4 guajillo chiles, seeded
• 2 ancho chiles, seeded
• 1 dried chile de árbol (optional, for a gentle kick)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 white onion, plus extra finely chopped for serving
• 1 medium tomato, quartered
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1.5 liters (6 cups) beef broth or water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Warm corn tortillas, chopped onion, cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Toast the guajillo, ancho and chile de árbol on a dry, hot comal for about 20 seconds per side, until fragrant but not blackened.
2. Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 15 minutes until completely soft.
3. Blend the soaked chiles with the garlic, half onion, tomato, cumin, oregano, vinegar and a splash of the soaking water until you get a smooth, thick adobo.
4. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and sear the beef chunks on all sides until deeply browned, about 2 minutes per side; do this in batches so the meat browns instead of steaming.
5. Pour the blended adobo over the seared beef, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick and the broth or water, then season with salt and pepper.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, cover partway, and cook for 60 to 70 minutes, until the beef shreds easily with a fork.
7. Remove the beef and shred it with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat; return the shredded meat to the pot to soak in the consommé for 5 more minutes.
8. Serve the birria hot in deep bowls with a generous ladle of consommé, and let everyone top their own with onion, cilantro and lime, tortillas on the side.

Chef tips

• If you own a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, use it: the same beef that takes 3 hours on low heat turns perfectly tender in about 45 minutes under pressure, without losing any depth of flavor.
• Don't skip searing the meat before it goes into the broth — those browned edges are where a huge amount of the final flavor comes from, and skipping this step is the most common shortcut that makes birria taste flat.
• Skim the layer of orange fat that rises to the top of the finished consommé and fry your tortillas in it before filling them with meat and cheese — that's the secret behind real quesabirria.
• Strain the broth through a fine sieve before serving if you want a clean, restaurant-style consommé instead of a rustic one; both are correct, it just depends on the mood of the table.

Pairing suggestions

Serve the birria the traditional way: in a deep bowl with plenty of consommé, chopped onion, cilantro and lime, alongside warm corn tortillas for dipping, or folded into quesabirria tacos with melted cheese. A cold Mexican lager or a tart tamarind agua fresca both stand up well to the richness.