This Mexican Beef Birria recipe has fall-apart tender chuck roast and short ribs slow-braised in a rich chile consomé made with dried chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and warm spices. Serve it as a hearty stew or use the meat and broth to make crispy, Birria Tacos.
Restaurant-Style Beef Birria, Made From Scratch at Home
I genuinely cannot contain my excitement about this Beef Birria recipe, it's one of those dishes that makes you feel like a total rockstar in the kitchen. After testing this recipe more times than I can count, I finally nailed a homemade birria de res that rivals the best birria I've had at food trucks and restaurants in Arizona and California. The magic is in that deep red chile consomé. It's smoky, rich, and layered with flavor in a way that just stops you in your tracks. Whether you're making it as a cozy stew or loading it into crispy Birria Tacos, this is a recipe you will want to make again and again.
Try all of my Mexican recipes, like Tostadas, Pork Carnitas, Smothered Burritos, Pozole Verde, Tacos Al Pastor, Chilaquiles, or Tamale Pie!
How to make Beef Birria:
Prep Meat: Cut off any large pieces of fat from the chuck roast then cut it into a few large pieces and season with salt.
Prepare Dried Chiles: Rinse the chiles (wear gloves), then use scissors to remove the stem and make a slit along the side to open them and remove the seeds.
Make Chile Sauce: Add tomatoes and onion to a large stock pot (at least 5.5qt pot of bigger) over medium heat. Add whole garlic cloves, chile peppers, and all of the spices except the bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes, then add vinegar and 4 cups water. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered.
Blend Sauce: Pour mixture into a blender and blend as smooth as possible. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer, back into the pot.
Add Meat and Simmer: Add 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt then bring to a boil. Add short ribs, chuck roast and 3 bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 ½ hours or until pull apart tender.
Shred Meat: Check meat to make sure it’s tender then remove meat to a plate and chop or shred into pieces. Discard bones, cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Taste broth (careful, it’s hot!) and add additional seasonings or salt, if needed. If you want the broth thinner, add a little beef broth or water. Add some meat to bowls and pour broth on top. Garnish with fresh chopped white onion and cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side, for dipping. Or, use this recipe to make our Birria Tacos or Quesabirra. If you love this recipe, try my Birria Ramen or Birria Tacos!
Beef Birria
Ingredients
- 3 lb beef chuck roast*
- 4 bone-in beef short ribs*
- 8 dried guajillo chile peppers*
- 3 dried pasilla chile peppers
- 2-3 dried arbol chile peppers*
- 5 roma tomatoes , quartered (about 1.5lb)
- 1 white onion , roughly chopped
- 1 head garlic (10-12 cloves)
- 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon whole cumin seed (or 1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin)
- 1 Tablespoon Dried oregano
- 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or ¼ tsp ground coriander)
- 4 or 5 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root
- 1 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick* (or ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar , or white
- 5 cups water , divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
For serving:
- 1 white onion , finely chopped
- 1 bunch of cilantro , chopped
- 2 limes , sliced
- Corn tortillas
Instructions
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Prepare meat: Remove any large pieces of fat from the chuck roast. Cut it into a few large pieces and season with salt.3 lb beef chuck roast*
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Prepare dried chiles: Wearing gloves if desired, rinse the chiles, then use scissors to remove the stem and make a slit along the side to open them and remove the seeds. (The arbol chiles are hottest, so for less heat, remove the seeds, or omit these chiles completely. If you like extra spice, leave them whole).8 dried guajillo chile peppers*, 3 dried pasilla chile peppers, 2-3 dried arbol chile peppers*
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Make chile sauce: Add tomatoes and onion to a large stock pot (at least 5.5qt pot of bigger) over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring. Add whole garlic cloves, chile peppers, and all of the spices except the bay leaf. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add vinegar and 4 cups water. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered.5 roma tomatoes, 1 white onion, 1 head garlic , 1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns, 1 Tablespoon whole cumin seed , 1 Tablespoon Dried oregano, 1 Tablespoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon whole coriander seeds , 1 teaspoon fresh minced ginger root, 1 inch piece Mexican cinnamon stick* (or ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon), 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 4 or 5 whole cloves
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Blend sauce: Add mixture to a blender and blend as smooth as possible. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer, back into the pot.
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Add meat and simmer: Add 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Add short ribs, chuck roast and 2 bay leaves. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2 ½ hours or until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.2 bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon kosher salt, 4 bone-in beef short ribs*
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Shred meat: Check meat to make sure it’s tender. Remove meat to a plate and chop or shred into pieces. Discard bones and bay leaves.
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Serve: Taste broth (careful, it’s hot!) and add additional seasonings or salt, if needed. If you want the broth thinner, add additional water or some beef broth. Add some shredded meat to bowls and pour broth on top. Garnish with fresh chopped white onion and cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side, for dipping. Or, use the sauce and meat to make Birria Tacos!1 white onion, 1 bunch of cilantro, 2 limes, Corn tortillas
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Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe May 2022. Updated April 2026.
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