By Becky Hardin
Updated Mar 12, 2025
My homemade Beef Birria Recipe is mouthwateringly delicious! Beef chuck is slow-cooked along with chiles, lots of spices, and tomatoes until it becomes unbelievably tender, then shredded and served with the flavor-packed consommé. I first had Birria Tacos at a local restaurant, and then was desperate to learn to make the recipe myself. This base recipe is an absolute favorite, and use this birria meat for tacos, burritos, and tons of Mexican-inspired dishes.
Making Beef Birria is easier than I thought and absolutely worth the effort. I slow-cooked beef seasoned with warm, spicy chiles and served with a divine dipping sauce–one of the most delicious recipes on this site!
Variations and Types of Meat for Birria
Authentic Mexican birria is made with goat and sometimes made with lamb or beef. We’re opting to use beef chuck for a more accessible option. Beef chuck comes from the shoulder area and has great marbling for tender, flavorful birria. Believe it or not, you can make birria with just about any meat. For chicken birria, swap the beef for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. For pork birria, use pork shoulder. If you prefer a vegetarian version, try jackfruit with vegetable broth.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
- Save the braising liquid to use as a dipping sauce (AKA: the best birria consommé)!
- Toast your dried chiles before blending them to release their oils, and sear the beef before braising to build deeper flavor.
- Control heat by adjusting the types of dried chiles you use. Guajillo chiles add mild, smoky depth, while chile de árbol brings the heat—add sparingly if you prefer a milder dish.
- Dried peppers can usually be found in the spice or condiment aisles. Some stores may have them in the international sections.
- Oregano is slightly sweet and peppery, while Mexican oregano has a more citrus and licorice flavor. If you can’t find Mexican oregano, I prefer to use marjoram in its place.
- Birria needs low and slow cooking to break down tough connective tissue. Simmer the beef for at least 3-4 hours until it’s fork-tender.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 4 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and deseeded
- ▢ 3 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and deseeded
- ▢ 2-3 dried chiles de Arbol stemmed and deseeded
- ▢ 2 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
- ▢ 1 white onion rough chopped, plus more for garnish
- ▢ 1 pound tomatoes roughly chopped
- ▢ 5 cloves garlic chopped
- ▢ 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt or to taste
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ▢ 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ▢ 2 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 3-inch pieces. You can also use oxtail or short ribs in place of half of the chuck.
- ▢ 3 cups beef stock
- ▢ Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. 4 dried Guajillo chiles, 3 dried Ancho chiles, 2-3 dried chiles de Arbol
- Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds. 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 white onion, 1 pound tomatoes, 5 cloves garlic
- Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth. 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil. Once hot, brown the beef in batches. 2 pounds boneless beef chuck
- Add all the beef back into the dutch oven. Pour in the sauce and beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender. 3 cups beef stock
- Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. Pour over some consommé, or sauce, from the beef.
- Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro if desired. Chopped fresh cilantro
Equipment
- High Powered Blender
- Dutch Oven
Becky’s Tips
- Use more or less arbol chilis for spice.
- If you can’t find any dried chiles , try a blend of smoked paprika, cayenne, and a little tomato paste for richness. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will still give your birria a bold, flavorful kick.
- Don’t forget to save the braising liquid for dipping!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Beef Birria Step by Step
Toast the Chiles: Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 dried Guajillo chiles, 3 dried Ancho chiles, and 2-3 dried chiles de Arbol and toast, stirring often, until fragrant.
Soak the Chiles: Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
Sauté the Onion and Tomatoes: To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once hot, add 1 roughly chopped white onion and 1 pound of roughly chopped tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in 5 chopped cloves of garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
Blend the Sauce: Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, 1 tablespoon of Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth.
Cook the Beef: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once hot, brown 2 pounds of boneless beef chuck in batches. Add all the beef back into the Dutch oven. Pour in the sauce and 3 cups of beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender.
Shred the Beef: Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces.
Garnish and Serve: Pour over some consommé, or sauce, from the beef. Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro if desired. Enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover shredded birria meat in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep separate from the braising liquid until ready to assemble. Reheat in the microwave or in a pot set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze birria beef separately from the liquid in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
For an authentic experience, serve birria as a stew in deep bowls, generously ladled with its rich, deeply flavored consommé. A squeeze of fresh lime juice enhances the broth’s depth, while chopped onions and cilantro add a fresh, aromatic contrast. The consommé is the heart of birria—bold, savory, and infused with layers of slow-cooked spices that make every bite irresistible. This juicy beef also makes perfect birria tacos or quesabirria tacos . For heartier options, use it for burritos or burrito bowls . For a simpler meal, serve this shredded beef over rice with a side of Mexican Corn on the Cob .
More Taco Meat recipes to try
Birria Tacos Recipe
Quesabirria Tacos
Crockpot Beef Carnitas
Street Tacos
Beef Birria Recipe
Equipment
- High Powered Blender
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 4 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and deseeded
- 3 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and deseeded
- 2-3 dried chiles de Arbol stemmed and deseeded
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
- 1 white onion rough chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 pound tomatoes roughly chopped
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck cut into 3-inch pieces. You can also use oxtail or short ribs in place of half of the chuck.
- 3 cups beef stock
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. 4 dried Guajillo chiles, 3 dried Ancho chiles, 2-3 dried chiles de Arbol
- Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with 3 cups of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes. Cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds. 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 white onion, 1 pound tomatoes, 5 cloves garlic
- Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chilis and their soaking liquid, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth. 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil. Once hot, brown the beef in batches. 2 pounds boneless beef chuck
- Add all the beef back into the dutch oven. Pour in the sauce and beef stock and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is tender. 3 cups beef stock
- Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces. Pour over some consommé, or sauce, from the beef.
- Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro if desired. Chopped fresh cilantro
Video
Notes
- Use more or less arbol chilis for spice.
- If you can’t find any dried chiles , try a blend of smoked paprika, cayenne, and a little tomato paste for richness. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will still give your birria a bold, flavorful kick.
- Don’t forget to save the braising liquid for dipping!
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
