This Trader Joe’s Beef Birria Recipe is a tender and rich recipe, which is made with beef chuck and dried guajillo chilies. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 10 hours.
Jump to RecipeTrader Joe’s Beef Birria Recipe Ingredients
- 1 (2 1/2 pound) beef chuck
- 3 (8 ounce) beef short ribs
- 4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 7 dried guajillo chilies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 3 large tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 2 cups water
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon honey
For Serving:
- 2 tablespoons finely diced white onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 medium lime, sliced
How To Make Trader Joe’s Beef Birria Recipe
- Prep and Season the Beef: Cut the beef chuck into large 3- to 4-inch pieces. Cut the beef short ribs into individual ribs. Place all the beef in a large pot or bowl.
- Marinate the Beef: Season the beef with the kosher salt, oregano, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Toss thoroughly until the meat is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
- Prepare the Chile Base: Snip the stems off the dried guajillo chiles and shake out the seeds. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and toast the chiles for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and toss to combine. Add the tomatoes and water, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Create the Chile Sauce: Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the chile mixture until it’s as smooth as possible. Alternatively, carefully transfer the mixture to a countertop blender and blend in batches.
- Combine and Simmer: Remove the pot of marinated meat from the refrigerator. Place a large mesh strainer over the pot and pour the puréed chile mixture through it, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids left in the strainer.
- Braise the Birria: Add the chicken broth, vinegar, bay leaves, and honey to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Serve: Skim any fat from the top of the liquid (consommé) and reserve it for making quesabirria tacos, if desired. To serve as a stew, place a few chunks of the tender beef in a bowl, ladle some of the consommé over the top, and sprinkle with diced white onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the most tender meat? The long, slow simmer is the most important part of this recipe. Don’t rush it. Letting the meat marinate overnight in the dry spice rub also helps to season it deeply and aids in the tenderizing process.
- Is it necessary to strain the chile sauce? Yes, this is a crucial step for achieving the classic, smooth birria consommé. Straining removes the tough bits of chile skin and seeds, resulting in a rich, velvety broth that’s perfect for sipping or dipping.
- How do I get the most flavor out of the dried chiles? Quickly toasting them in hot oil for just 30 seconds before simmering is a technique called “blooming.” It awakens their essential oils and brings out a deeper, more complex and smoky flavor. Be careful not to burn them, or they will become bitter.
- What is the reserved fat for? The red-tinged fat skimmed from the top of the consommé is liquid gold! It’s used to fry the tortillas for making the famous and delicious quesabirria tacos, giving them their signature color and flavor.
What To Serve With Beef Birria
Birria is most famously used for tacos, but it’s a versatile dish.
- Quesabirria Tacos: Dip corn tortillas in the reserved fat, fry them on a griddle, add Oaxaca cheese, the shredded birria meat, and serve with a side of the consommé for dipping.
- As a Stew: Serve it in a bowl as described in the recipe, with warm corn or flour tortillas on the side.
- Over Rice: Serve the shredded meat and a little bit of the sauce over a bed of fluffy white rice.
How To Store Beef Birria
Refrigerate: Let the birria cool completely, then store the meat and the consommé together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor often gets even better the next day. Freeze: Birria freezes exceptionally well. Once cool, transfer it to a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Beef Birria Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 serving
- Calories: 510kcal
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Protein: 33g
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Cholesterol: 99mg
- Sodium: 627mg
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
They are one of the most common dried chiles in Mexican cuisine. They have a deep red color, a mild-to-medium heat level, and a slightly sweet, tangy, and smoky flavor profile that is essential for authentic birria.
The initial coating of spices acts as a dry rub or dry brine. The long marination time allows the salt and spices to penetrate deep into the meat, seasoning it thoroughly and helping to break down the proteins for a more tender result after the long braise.
Yes. For a slow cooker, follow all the steps up to the point of simmering, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. For an Instant Pot, use the sauté function for the initial steps, then seal and cook on high pressure for about 90 minutes, followed by a natural release.
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Trader Joe’s Beef Birria Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy10
servings30
minutes4
hours510
kcalA deeply rich and flavorful Mexican stew featuring fall-apart tender beef braised in a complex, smoky broth of dried guajillo chiles and aromatic spices.
Ingredients
2.5 lbs beef chuck & 1.5 lbs beef short ribs
A mix of Mexican spices (oregano, cumin, cinnamon, etc.)
7 dried guajillo chilies
1 large onion, 6 cloves garlic, 1-inch ginger
3 large tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
White vinegar, bay leaves, honey
For serving: diced onion, cilantro, lime
Directions
- Cut and season the beef with all the dry spices; marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
- Toast the de-seeded guajillo chiles in oil, then simmer them with onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes for 30 minutes.
- Blend the chile mixture until smooth.
- Strain the blended sauce over the marinated meat in a large pot.
- Add chicken broth, vinegar, bay leaves, and honey. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat.
- Simmer gently for 3-4 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Skim the fat from the top. Serve the meat in bowls with some of the broth (consommé) and top with fresh onion, cilantro, and lime.
Notes
- Marinating the beef overnight is a key step for developing the deepest flavor.
- Don’t skip straining the chile sauce; this is the secret to a silky, restaurant-quality consommé.
- Lightly toasting the dried chiles before simmering them awakens their flavor and adds a smoky complexity.
- Be sure to save the fat you skim from the top; it’s essential for making authentic quesabirria tacos.
