Beef Birria
Beef birria is a deeply seasoned stew of beef chuck and short ribs, infused with guajillo chiles, oregano, cumin, warm spices, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and a tangy splash of vinegar. Rich and chile-forward with a gentle sweetness from honey, it can be served with lime wedges as a stew or paired with warm flour tortillas, chili oil, salsa, diced avocado, Spanish rice, and green salad.
- Prep30 mins
- Cook3 hrs 40 mins
- Serves10
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Beef Birria, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 53 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 7 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 91 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 16
- Heart Health
- 55
- Metabolic
- 23
- Digestive
- 20
- Inflammatory
- 54
- Performance
- 43
- General Wellness
- 1
Cut the beef chuck in half, then cut each half into 3- to 4-inch pieces. Cut each beef short rib in half through the middle, all the way to the bone.
- 2
Place the beef chuck and short ribs in a soup pot; season with kosher salt, oregano, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Toss thoroughly until the meat is evenly coated with the spices, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- 3
Prep the guajillo chiles by snipping off the stems with scissors. Slice them open, then scrape or shake the seeds onto a plate and discard them.
- 4
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the guajillo chiles and toss them in the hot oil for about 30 seconds. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger; toss to combine. Add the tomatoes and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- 5
Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to purée the mixture as smoothly as possible, or use a countertop blender, working in batches as needed.
- 6
Remove the pot of meat from the refrigerator. Strain the puréed chili mixture into the pot using a large mesh strainer. Add the chicken broth, vinegar, bay leaves, and honey to the pot.
- 7
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fall-apart tender, 3 to 4 hours. Skim the fat off the top and reserve it for future birria queso tacos.
- 8
To serve, place a few chunks of beef in a soup bowl and spoon some cooking liquid on top. Sprinkle with white onion and cilantro; squeeze lime juice over the top.
- Calories 454.98 kcal High 23%
- Protein 39.03 g Good Source 78%
- Carbohydrate 12.98 g 5%
- Total Fat 27.63 g High 35%
- Saturated Fat 10.15 g High 51%
- Trans Fat 0.58 g High --
- Cholesterol 112.93 mg High 38%
- Sodium 543.12 mg High 24%
- Dietary Fiber 2.56 g Low Source 9%
- Total Sugars 4.13 g --
- Added Sugars 2.02 g Low Source 4%
- Calcium 49.73 mg Low Source 4%
- Iron 5.17 mg Good Source 29%
- Potassium 413.43 mg Low Source 9%
- Vitamin A 18.28 mcg Low Source 2%
- Vitamin C 8.98 mg Low Source 10%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Citrus 🍊
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Beef Birria is a Mexican dinner recipe made with 28 ingredients. It takes about 4 hrs 10 mins, serves 10, and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Beef Short Ribs, Black Pepper, Chicken Broth, and Chuck Roast. Each serving provides about 454.98 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Beef Birria?
- It is a Mexican recipe made with 28 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or soup.
- What is Beef Birria made of?
- The main ingredients are Beef Short Ribs, Black Pepper, Chicken Broth, Chuck Roast, Diced Onion. The full list of 28 is above.
- What goes well with Beef Birria?
- Explore these Mexican side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Beef Birria?
- About 4 hrs 10 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 40 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 454.98 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Beef Birria easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 28 ingredients and 8 steps.
- Is Beef Birria healthy?
- Beef Birria has an easyChef Pro health score of 48/100. Per serving, it provides 454.98 calories and 39.03 g of protein, or 78% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 543.12 mg (24% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 10.15 g (51% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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