01/15/2024
Tacos de Birria
This classic Mexican delicacy hails from the northern Jalisco region, but is popular throughout all of Mexico.
Birria requires several hours to prepare and therefore is generally reserved for special occasions like birthdays, holidays, weddings and quinceañeras.
Originally made with goat or lamb meat, birria today is usually made with cubed beef from the chuck roast, round or rump cuts.
The meat is pan-seared with salt and pepper on high heat to form a caramelized crust, then removed from heat and covered while the sauce is made.
Birria sauce starts out similar to the Espagnole "mother sauce" with beef stock, tomato, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and spices all boiled together.
But birria also has dried Guajillo (gwa-HEE-yo) chiles. These chiles give the birria its signature deep, burgundy color, rich flavor and mild spice.
The sauce boils for half an hour until all the veggies soften, then the entire mixture is pureed and strained.
The seared beef is added to the smooth, strained sauce and slowly stewed on medium heat for at least 2 hours.
Birria can be served by itself as a stew, as a sauce over rice or as Tacos de Birria. It is always served with an accompanyment of fresh lime wedges, pico salsa, diced onion and chopped cilantro in small bowls for topping off your plate according to your own taste. Provecho!
-Chef Davis
