Go Back
–+ servings
birria tacos

Birria de Res - Shredded Mexican Beef

Alden Elizabeth
My take on the traditional saucy, spicy, smoky, slow cooked shredded meat from from the Mexican state of Jalisco.
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Course dinner, lunch, main course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8 servings
Calories 388 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven or braiser you could also use a slow cooker. See recipe notes for instructions.
  • 1 blender
  • 1 tongs
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 1 chef's knife
  • 1 Wooden spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 3 lbs chuck roast
  • 2 tablespoons oil olive, vegetable, avocado
  • 1 large yellow onion, or 2 small peeled and quartered
  • 2 large tomatoes cored and halved
  • 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 10 oz can tomatoes and green chiles
  • 1 head garlic skin on, top removed
  • 3 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground clove
  • 2 teaspoons salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 275°F. (No need to preheat the oven if you're utilizing a slow cooker)
  • Generously salt the outside of the chuck roast and set aside.
  • Heat the dutch oven or braiser over medium-high heat. Add ½ of the oil to the pan and allow to heat. Caramelize all sides of the onions then remove and set aside. Repeat with the halved tomatoes.
  • Add the remaining oil to the pan and sear the chuck roast on all sides. Remove and set aside with the caramelized onions and tomatoes.
  • Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of the beef broth and the tablespoon of white vinegar, using a wooden spoon to loosen all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • If using a slow cooker, follow the steps in the notes section. If using a dutch oven or braiser, continue to follow the remaining instructions below.
  • Turn the heat off and add the onions, tomatoes, canned tomatoes and green chiles, the chipotle peppers in adobo, clove, and oregano to the dutch oven or braiser and stir just to combine. Nestle the chuck roast into the pan and add beef broth until 1/3 of the chuck roast is exposed.
  • Add the bay leaves and head of garlic with the open top facing up.
  • Cover with the lid and place in the oven to cook for 3 hours or until the meat is tender and easily shreds.
  • Once your meat has cooked, carefully remove the meat and the head of garlic from the dutch oven and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
  • To a blender, add the remaining contents of the dutch oven. Once cool enough to touch, squeeze the head of garlic to push the soft cloves out and into the blender. Blend until smooth. Taste, add salt if necessary.
  • Add the chuck roast back to the dutch oven and shred with tongs or forks then add the desired amount of sauce back to the meat. Bring up to a simmer and your birria is ready to be served as tacos, burrito bowls, or on it's own as a beefy Mexican stew.
  • Store any leftover sauce in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

For the slow cooker, follow these steps after you've deglazed the pan used to caramelize the onions, tomatoes, and sear the chuck roast.
  1. Add the liquid from deglazing to the slow cooker along with the caramelized onions, and tomatoes along with the tomatoes with green chiles, chipotle peppers in adobo, oregano, bay leaves and clove.
  2. Add the seared chuck roast followed by the head of garlic with the open top facing up. 
  3. Add enough beef broth until 1/3 of the chuck roast is still exposed.
  4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart.
  5. Remove the meat and the head of garlic  from the slow cooker.  Discard the bay leaves.
  6. Add the remaining contents of the crock pot to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste, add salt if necessary.
  7. Add the meat back to the slow cooker and shred with tongs or forks.  Add the desired amount of sauce and stir to combine.  Turn the slow cooker to high and heat until hot and ready to serve.
  8. Store leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 35gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1146mgPotassium: 968mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1694IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 5mg
Keyword Beef, Birria, Mexican
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!