Beef Birria with Rice and Pico de Gallo

Birria is a meat stew or soup made from goat, beef, lamb, or chicken. The meat is marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chiles, garlic, and herbs and spices (including cumin, bay leaves, and thyme) before being cooked in a broth.

Ingredients for Beef Birria

3 lbs beef (such as chuck roast or brisket), cut into large chunks

4 dried guajillo chilies

2 dried ancho chilies

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 cups beef broth

2 bay leaves

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for Rice

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 cups water or chicken broth

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Sea salt to taste

Chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Ingredients for Pico de Gallo

4 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1-2 tbsp lime juice

Sea Salt to taste

Instructions

Beef Birria

Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chilies. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes until softened.

In a blender, combine the soaked chilies, chopped onion, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and a little bit of the soaking liquid. Blend until smooth.

Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat some oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, then remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add the chili paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Return the beef to the pot.

Add the beef broth and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened.

Rice

In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until it becomes opaque.

Pour in the water or chicken broth and add salt to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Fluff the rice with a fork and garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Pico de Gallo

In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and finely chopped jalapeño.

Squeeze lime juice over the mixture and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste.

To serve, place a helping of the beef birria on a plate or in a bowl, along with a side of rice and a scoop of pico de gallo. You can also serve the beef birria with warm corn tortillas for a traditional touch. Enjoy!

Thank you for trying this recipe. Please let me know how you liked it.

If you enjoyed this recipe, please take a look at other recipes on my fast, simple and good beef page.

Beef Birria with Rice and Pico de Gallo