Written by Shawn Krajewski
This article will serve as your one-stop guide to everything birria. I have been intensely obsessed with this dish for the past two weeks, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
What is Birria?
Birria is a meat stew or soup, typically used as a dip, but it can also be eaten just as a soup. Birria originates from Mexico and was created with goat scraps as a way to use the leftover/less desirable parts of the animal. (In fact, in Spanish, birria means “something unpleasant.”) That being said, this dish has evolved from its original purpose of being a resourceful meal to one that now features beef. It is also actively sought out for its simplicity, delicious flavor, and unique versatility.
Where to Find the Best Birria:
After attending an event in Worcester, Massachusetts, my family and I were peckish for some tacos, so we went to The Taco Spot. This location is probably the best taco restaurant I have ever been to, and it's likely one of the best restaurants in the entire Massachusetts area. It isn't fancy or expensive, and the building itself was only slightly larger than a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, but it was fantastic!
My family and I all got tacos, specifically their "Vampiro Tacos," which have heavily melted cheese that sticks the whole thing together. On the inside, the tacos have meat and other goodies, which are all grilled on a flat top. This creates a very sturdy and cheesy taco that is evenly cooked with a crisp outside and a satisfying gooey inside.
This taco is perfect by itself, but it works even better as a vessel for birria due to its freshly baked bread consistency. The point is that their tacos might as well be sponges because they hold liquids better than a bartender at a wine tasting. While the tacos are good on their own, The Taco Shop's birria elevates them to a whole different level of satisfaction. The birria provided a spicy and meaty kick to the meal, making it perfect!
Full Recipe:
Let's finally get to the recipe for creating birria, now that I’ve talked about its ins and outs. However, before you start the recipe, know that this is not a same-day meal. The birria will only be finished the day after you start cooking it. So, have a plan to make tacos or another food that can utilize birria in the following days after making it. If you are craving birria today, you’re better off going to a restaurant.
Equipment:
1 scale
1 crockpot
Large iron skillet
Large utensil to flip the hot meat*
Ingredients:
4-5 pounds chuck roast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbl olive oil
2 quarts beef stock
0.7 oz dried chili pasilla peppers
0.4 oz chili puya peppers
1 oz chili arbol peppers
1 chopped onion
28 oz can tomato puree
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
¼ cup white vinegar
Step 1: Roasting the Beef / Creating the Base
First, grab your cast iron skillet and place it on the stove on medium heat. At the same time, plug in your crock pot, pour in 1 quart of beef stock, and set it to high. Take out your chuck roast, pepper, salt, and olive oil. Place the olive oil into a cast iron and evenly season the chuck roast with pepper and salt. When the skillet is hot, add the now seasoned chuck roast inside.
Then, while keeping the chuck roast in the pan, turn it over to brown each side of the meat. When done, place the meat into the crockpot. Turn off the skillet to let it cool.
Step 2: Bringing the Heat
When the skillet is cool enough (hot but not too hot), add the last quart of stock to it and let it rest. This is to soak up all the meaty goodness that's in the pan so you don't waste resources and taste.
Next, take all of your peppers, break off the stems, and add them to the skillet. Then, chop an onion into ¼-inch-sized cubes before adding it to the skillet. Add the tomato puree and wait for 20 minutes.
Once that time is up, take out your blender and blend everything that was in the skillet. I recommend you work in small batches (around ⅓ the size of what your blender can hold) so you don't overfill the blender. Once blended, add all of this to your crock pot.
Step 3: Overnight Cooking
Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and vinegar to the crock pot to give it a little extra flavor. Next, let it simmer for 12 hours on high (don't forget to put the lid on it and check on it occasionally). After the 12 hours have passed, your birria will be finished, and you should also have a tender piece of meat you can use for the birria or other recipes.
Step 4: Applications
Now that you have birria, you might be wondering what you're supposed to do with it. Well, there are a couple of applications. First, you can use it as a dip for tacos* (as the universe intended). Secondly, since birria is a soup, you can use it as a substitute for any soup. For instance, you could add it to noodles or make soup dumplings (actually, I want to try that now!). All of these are great applications, but whatever you do, don't cook the birria in a pan on high heat. That was the worst mistake of my life.
*Notes:
Tongs or a giant fork will work best.
You could also use it as a dip for burritos, quesadillas, rolls, bread, and even empanadas.
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