Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Sauce Prep
- Slice the stems off the chilies and shake out the seeds
- In a medium pot, add the guajillo chilies, ancho chilies, arbol chilies
- In a medium pot, add the guajillo chilies, ancho chilies, arbol chilies
- Simmer for 15 minutes, until the chilies have softened
- While the chilies are simmering, add the tomatoes, onion, and garlic cloves to a quarter sheet pan.
- Broil them for 4 to 6 minutes, until lightly charred.
- Transfer the chilies and 1 cup of the remaining water to a high-powered blender
- Add tomatoes, onion, broth, vinegar, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth.
Birria
- lace the beef chunks in the slow cooker. Pour the birria sauce on top, and add the bay leaves. Use tongs to gently mix it all together. then cover.
- Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours
- The beef should be tender and fall apart easily when shredded with a fork. If it doesn't shred easily, cook it a bit longer.
- Discard the bay leaves. Remove the beef to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it.
- Place the shredded beef back in the slow cooker, stir it, and let it absorb the liquid (also known as consommé).
Nutrition
Notes
As written, this is a perfect set-and-forget dish.
Twists:
Cook in a Dutch Oven:
Sear the meat, deglaze with sauce, and mix. Bring this to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3 ½ hours.
Peppers:
The arbol chilies carry the heat, adjust to fit your taste, more for more heat, less for wimpiness.