The Key Seasonings And Spices That Give Birria Its Distinct Flavor

As an underrated Mexican dish, birria originated in the state of Jalisco and was made traditionally with goat meat, rather than beef. As the dish made its way north up the west coast of Mexico toward the United States, beef became a popular modern substitute for goat north of the border. Despite its rich coloring and use of many dried chiles, birria is a deeply flavored dish that is fragrantly spiced, but not actually spicy, making it an approachable meal for people with less tolerance for spiciness without sacrificing flavor.

There are many stewed meat dishes in Mexican cuisine, like cochinita pibil, barbacoa, and carnitas, which tend to vary widely in both seasonings and preparation methods. While the base of birria includes common staple ingredients like onions, tomato, and garlic, it's the blend of dried chiles that's really important to the dish's unique flavor. Ample amounts of ancho, guajillo, and chile de árbol all blend together to bring immense flavor without adding much heat. Other essential spices include Mexican cinnamon for warmth, cumin seeds, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. Some recipes also include black peppercorns, whole coriander seeds, and a small amount of cloves to bring even more character to the luscious, meaty dish. 

If you're interested in making the braised beef dish at home, start with our slow cooker birria recipe for a more hands-off way to slowly stew the meat. Mexican-American chef Rick Martínez, who traveled Mexico extensively researching authentic recipes and techniques for his latest cookbook, has some top tips for making birria at home that will guide you in your birria journey. A deep, rich beef stock is also key for driving home that intense beefy flavor that birria is known for. Be sure to de-seed and remove the stem from all of the chiles before using them so they don't affect the texture of the silky liquid that the beef will cook in.

After you've cooked the beef, one of the most important things to remember is that you can upgrade birria tacos by adding cheese, so make sure you have some melty variants like queso Oaxaca or Monterey Jack on hand to make irresistible quesabirria tacos. In addition to the cheese, it's imperative to save any of the leftover braising liquid to serve on the side as a dipping sauce or even something savory to sip on. In the rare instance that you and your guests don't finish off all the delicious, brothy beef, you can consider leftover birria as a topping for your grilled cheese.