Wikipedia explains: Birria is a regional variation of barbacoa from western Mexico, mainly made with goat or beef. The meat is marinated in an adobo made of dried chiles, garlic, and herbs and spices (including cumin, bay leaves, and thyme) before being cooked in a broth (Spanish: consomé). Historically, birria was the regional name given in the state of Jalisco and surrounding areas to what is known as barbacoa, meats cooked or roasted in a pit or earth oven, in other regions of Mexico. It is often served at celebratory occasions such as weddings, baptisms and during holidays such as Christmas and Easter and even at funerals. Preparation techniques vary, but the dish is often served as a soup, together with corn tortillas, onion, cilantro, and lime.
It has now become fashionable to remove the meat from the stew, to serve on a corn tortilla, and to deep fry the taco with cheese, and then add pickled onions or other toppings after frying. Restaurants or street carts that serve birria are known as birrierias and exist throughout Mexico, especially in Michoacán and Jalisco. The term Birria was originally the regional name given in Jalisco to what is known as barbacoa, meats cooked in a pit or earth oven, in other parts of México. Amongst Mexicans, birria is what the lower classes call barbacoa.
As is usual, there exist many folk stories and myths about the origin of birria or about what it is, stemming from the belief that it’s a distinct dish from barbacoa. One such story argues that in 1519, Hernán Cortés and the Conquistadors first landed in Mexico, bringing various old-world domestic animals, including goats. During the Conquest of the Aztec Empire, the Conquistadors were faced with an overpopulation of goats, so they decided to give the animals to the natives.
While goat meat was looked down upon by the Conquistadors, as it was tough and had a strong smell, the natives accepted the animals, as marinating the meat in indigenous styles made it palatable and appetizing.
The dishes they produced were called “birria”, a derogatory term meaning “worthless”, by the Spanish, in reference to their having given the natives meat with apparently noxious characteristics.
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Birria is a popular dish from Mexico that’s spread to the U.S. and beyond. There is sometimes confusion surrounding birria, as it can resemble other types of Mexican braised meat dishes, especially barbacoa. However, this flavorful slow-cooked stew has a unique history and cooking method, as well as ingredients that separate it from other Mexican dishes. Learn all about birria in our detailed guide.
What Is Birria?
Birria is a Mexican dish that originated in the state of Jalisco. It is a flavorful stew served with its braising liquid. While there are as many different styles of birria as there are towns in the state of Jalisco, the variety made from goat meat has become the most popular throughout Mexico and has even made its way north of the border into the United States.
When Hernan Cortes and the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the area that would become modern-day Mexico, they brought with them European livestock, including goats. However, the goats they brought with them soon started reproducing at an alarmingly rapid rate and the Spanish invaders found themselves with more goats than they knew what to do with. The Spanish were said to not be too fond of goat meat because of its strong, gamey flavor (similar to but less intense than lamb) and tough texture that required a long, slow cooking time. The term birria comes from an old Spanish word that was used to describe something with no value or of poor quality.
As birria spread throughout Mexico and the United States, recipes started adapting to local tastes and ingredients. In the 1950s, for instance, a woman named Guadalupe Zarate set up a birria stand in Tijuana. Because goat meat was more expensive in Tijuana, she started replacing it with beef and adding more liquid to the stew. Before long, Tijuana-style beef birria was born. In Los Angeles, birria tacos became popular within the last decade in which tortillas are filled with shredded birria meat and then dunked in the red-tinged consommé that the meat is braised in. There are now even quesabirrias – the red tacos filled with birria and stained red from the braising liquid but also including melted cheese. Birria, as you can see, can feature a cook’s personal touch.
What Kind of Meat Is Birria Made Out of?
Goat Meat
The most popular kind of birria is made from goat meat. If making birria from goat, the most sure-fire place to source your meat would be at a Caribbean or South Asian market. Halal groceries typically carry this type of meat. Most of the goat meat available in the United States is imported from Australia and New Zealand and comes from mature goats. This is the ideal type of goat meat for birria, as it is tougher and has a stronger flavor. You may also use cabrito – or baby goat – for making birria, which is fattier, more tender and has a milder flavor. Most goat meat in the United States is available frozen and cut into cubes. This goat meat can contain shards of bone, so pick through your meat carefully before adding it into the pot. If you can find goat legs, that is ideal, as this part of the animal has a greater meat-to-bone ratio. Ask your butcher to cut it across the bone into three- to four-inch pieces, or you can trim it yourself at home.
Beef
Birria can also be made from beef, which is common in Tijuana and many parts of the United States, where goat meat can be difficult to find. The important thing to consider when making birria is to use a tougher, flavorful cut of meat that can stand up to slow cooking and the bold madly of spices. Red meats are the most popular choices for this preparation. Chicken may easily become dry and chalky, while pork is better suited for other types of seasoning.
Cow’s Head
But there are other types of meats used in regional styles of birria, too. In Mascota, a town in birria’s home state of Jalisco, local cooks make birria from a cow’s head. The fatty meat (such as the cheeks), connective tissue, organs and bones in the cow’s head adds to the richness and deep flavor of this regional preparation.
Mutton
Mutton – the meat of an adult sheep – is also another type of protein used to make birria and typically has a gamier flavor than goat meat. Mutton is difficult to come by in the United States, as lamb is more popular for its tender meat. You may sometimes encounter something called mutton at South Asian (Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) markets. However, this typically refers to goat meat.
Birria seasonings vary greatly and depend not just on the regional style of birria you’re making but also on the cook. There are simple recipes that only call for some chiles and avocado leaves to more complex recipes that require many types of herbs and spices along with a variety of chiles.
A common theme, however, is that the consommé – or sauce that the birria gets braised in – should have a reddish color to it. As such, it’s important to make sure that your braising liquid has dried red chiles in it. These you typically need to toast on a dry comal or skillet, rehydrate in hot or boiling water and puré. Some recipes may also call for tomato for extra color and to give it some acidity. Vinegar is also a common ingredient in many birria recipes, and this helps cut the richness of the meat. Keep in mind that the consommé isn’t thickened, so avoid adding ingredients like pumpkin seeds, sesame or nuts to your mixture. This will make the finished dish more like a mole than a traditional birria.
Marjoram, Mexican oregano and bay leaves also feature in several birria recipes, as do onions and garlic. Cumin is also common in many birria recipes. And some recipes will also include sweet spices like cloves and cinnamon.
Birria vs. Barbacoa
There is often some confusion as to the differences between birria and barbacoa, even among some Mexicans. In short, birria is a type of barbacoa, but barbacoa is not birria. Barbacoa is more closely related to barbecue, while birria is braised or steamed. Barbacoa is traditionally slowly steamed in its own juices with a marinade, and most barbacoa is made from beef (although lamb or mutton are also common). In Mexico, barbacoa is cooked in a special type of oven dug into the ground. This oven is lined with agave or banana leaves, the meat is placed inside and covered with more leaves and the whole package is covered with glowing embers.
Birria, on the other hand, is made in a pot or casserole with a sealed lid. Traditionally, this pot is placed in a similar type of oven as that which is used to make barbacoa. However, many cooks will also cook their pot of birria on the stovetop. Many times, birria is braised in a liquid. The outcome is soupier (or saucier) than barbacoa.
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This recipe is adapted from one at https://grandbaby-cakes.com/wprm_print/24804
Birria Tacos
Ingredients
For the Chili Paste:
4 dried ancho chiles
2 dried guajillo chiles
4 chipotle peppers in adobo
4 garlic cloves
1 diced tomato
1/2 cup water
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp whole oregano
3 tsp fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp paprika
For the Meat and Dipping Sauce (Consomme):
1 tbsp olive oil
3 1/2 lbs beef or lamb chopped in 1″ chucks
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup diced onion
1 bouillon cube or 1 tbls. Better than Bullion paste
2 cups water
For Taco Assembly:
18 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped cilantro
Shredded lettuce and queso fresca, oaxaca or monterey jack cheese, and hot sauce
Instructions
For the Chili Paste
Start by removing stems and seeds from all of the dried ancho and guajillo chiles.
Add about 2 cups of water to a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Add chiles to a large pot then cover and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes.
When peppers are done, add them to a heavy duty blender or food processor along with all of the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth and thick.
For the Meat
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Add oil to a large pot over medium high heat. Season the meat with salt and light pepper and then add to hot pot to sear. Remove the meat working in batches and set to the side on paper towels to drain. Remove pot from heat.
Next saute the onion until it gets some color (about 3-4 minutes).
Add the beef back to the pot along with the onion and pour paste over the top. Next add bouillon cube and water to the pot and stir everything together.
Bring temperature down to medium heat and bring to a simmer then add to the oven and braise for about 2 ½ hours or until beef is incredibly tender and falling apart.
Remove meat from the broth and place on a cutting board.
Taking two forks, shred beef in the broth. Taste the broth and season to taste with salt then add beef back into broth.
For Taco Assembly
Remove 1 ½ cups of broth from the beef and add to a small bowl. Add some cilantro and onion to the top of the dipping sauce and set aside.
Add a pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil or butter.
Carefully dip a tortilla into the top part of the broth and place in the hot pan. Fry for a few seconds then flip over.
Top with meat, onion, cilantro and cheese allowing the cheese to melt and get nice and gooey then fold in half and remove from the pan. Repeat with all tortillas. Serve with dipping sauce.
Notes
Use beef shank cut or tri tip, they are a budget-friendly option that cooks up perfectly tender to make succulent and juicy birria tacos. Don’t skimp on the chilies! For best flavor, use real Mexican dried chilies. Heat the tortillas in a little oil in a cast iron skillet before filling them! This makes them more pliable so they’re less likely to break. Use Mexican oregano for its hints of citrus that work so well with this recipe.
