4 lbs Beef Brisket or chuck roast cut into large chunks
(Can also use 2lbs beef brisket or roast and 2lbs of beef short ribs)
5 dried guajillo chiles
3 dried morita chiles
3 dried pasilla chiles
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt & Pepper
10 cloves garlic
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2-3 Roma tomatoes, quarterd and remove some of the seeds
1/4 c. white wine vinegar
1 large onion, quartered
4-6 bay leaves
To Serve/Assemble
Corn tortillas Shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese Freshly chopped cilantro for topping 1 large white onion, finely chopped for topping Lime wedges for topping
Preheat oven to 350º F. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat, toast the chiles for 1 to 2 minutes, moving frequently to ensure they don’t scorch. Remove to a medium bowl and cover with enough boiling water to cover the chiles, about 3 cups. Use a small plate or bowl to completely submerge the chiles. Let sit for 20 minutes or until rehydrated and pliable. Remove the chiles and reserve the liquid.
While the chiles soak, season beef with salt and pepper. Increase the heat in the dutch oven to medium high and add vegetable oil. Working in batches, sear the beef thoroughly Remove seared beef to a plate or cutting board.
In a separate skillet, toast your whole spices. Your cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and cumin seeds. Just until fragrant. Transfer to a blender. Take the stems off of your chiles and add to blender along with the garlic, tomatoes, white wine vinegar, oregano, and 1 1/2 cups of the chili liquid. Blend about 1 minute to make into a pourable paste.
Return the beef to the Dutch oven over medium heat and add the quartered onion and bay leaves. Add the chile paste and enough water to just cover the beef (for us this was 3 to 4 cups of water, using any leftover chili water as well). Bring the birria to a simmer.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, cover and move it to the preheated oven. Braise the birria for 4 to 4 ½ hours or until all of the beef is fork tender. Discard the bay leaves and onion and move the beef to a cutting board. Reserve all of the broth (or consomé). Shred the beef and set aside.
Taste the consomé and season with salt and pepper. Depending on your preference of the style of birria you want, you may want a thinner consomé. If you want to thin it out, add your desired amount of water, chicken or beef stock. Bring to a simmer and taste/season again.
In a saucepan, over medium low heat, bring the consomé to a bare simmer (there should be a layer of dark red looking fat/oil on the top). Construct a taco station that includes: the consomé simmering on one burner, a cast-iron pan or pan heated over medium heat, a plate of shredded beef from the birria, and corn tortillas to the side, as well as small bowls filled with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro and chopped onions.
Take one corn tortilla and dip it shallowly into the consomé, coating both sides with the dark red fat. Place the tortilla on the pan and cover with Oaxaca cheese. Fry the tortilla for 3 minutes or until the cheese has mostly melted and the underside has browned and started to crisp. Place about 1/3 cup of the meat on one half of the tortilla and top with cilantro and white onion. Fold the tortilla into a taco, sear each side for an additional 30 seconds and remove. Repeat this process until you have run out of beef.
Serve the tacos topped with cilantro and onion, with lime wedges on the side, and small bowls of consomé for dipping.
Comments