Tijuana-Style Beef Birria

• 份量: 10 servings
• 准备时间: 2 hrs
• 总时间: 24 hrs

配料

2.8 kg Beef short ribs, boneless, cut into 7- by 5- by 2-inch pieces (see “Before we begin” note)

35 g Kosher salt, divided, plus extra as needed

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Black pepper, freshly ground, as needed

80 g Lard, divided

420 g White onion(s), (1 large onion) cut into large dice

80 g Garlic clove(s), (16 medium cloves)

55 g Ancho chile(s), stemmed and seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces

35 g Guajillo chile(s), stemmed and seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces

10 g Cascabel chile(s), stemmed and seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces

5 g Black peppercorns, whole (1 3/4 teaspoons)

4 g Mexican oregano, dried (2 tablespoons)

3 g Cumin seeds, whole (1 teaspoon)

3 g Coriander seeds, whole (2 teaspoons)

3 g Allspice, (1 teaspoon)

2 g Thyme, dried (2 teaspoons)

6 g Mexican cinnamon, whole sticks

1.2 kg Roma tomato(es), quartered

2.7 kg Beef Stock, homemade or low-sodium store-bought stock

35 g Distilled vinegar

5 g Chicken bouillon powder

3 Bay leaf, fresh

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Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving, as needed

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White onion(s), cut into small dice, for serving, as needed

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Cilantro, leaves and tender stems, cut into a chiffonade, for serving, as needed

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Lime(s), cut into wedges, for serving, as needed

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Hot sauce, for serving, as needed

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Salsa, of your choice, for serving, as needed

步骤

Dry-brine beef overnight - Place short ribs on a wire rack set inside a 1/2 sheet pan. Season short ribs evenly on all sides with 20 g salt. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours.

Pat short ribs dry with paper towels, then season on all sides with pepper.

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, heat 20 g lard over high heat until just smoking. Add half of the short ribs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer seared short ribs to a sheet pan or plate. Repeat searing process with remaining meat. Set seared meat aside.

Heat remaining 60 g lard in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 5 g salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until onion and garlic are golden brown, about 6 minutes.

Add ancho, guajillo, and cascabel chiles, along with peppercorns, oregano, cumin, coriander, allspice, thyme, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, until spices are bloomed and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until tomatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

Add beef stock and vinegar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tomatoes and chiles are completely tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer contents of pot to jar of a countertop blender, and blend on high speed until smooth. Season with remaining 10 g salt and bouillon powder.

Return consomé to pot, along with seared short ribs and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and cook, checking occasionally to make sure meat is submerged, until meat is fork-tender, 4 to 5 hours.

Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer beef to a cutting board. Chop or pull meat to desired texture and season with additional salt to taste if needed. Skim fat from surface of consomé and reserve for dipping tortillas and making Quesabirria Tacos. Strain consomé through a fine-mesh strainer and season with salt to taste.

Divide meat between individual bowls and ladle consomé over top. Garnish with onion and cilantro. Serve with tortillas, passing lime wedges, hot sauce, and salsa at the table.

Alternatively, serve as tacos with consomé on the side for dipping, or take it to the next level and make Quesabirria Tacos.

备注

Before we begin

Goat vs. beef birria: In Jalisco, birria is traditionally made with goat, whereas in Tijuana, where cattle ranching is more common than goat herding, beef birria is king. However, there are other key differences between the two preparations beyond the choice of protein.

The cooking process for beef birria is closer to a traditional braise. The meat is seasoned and seared, then simmered in an aromatic consomé made with tomato, alliums, dried chiles, spices, and vinegar. Once tender, the meat is removed, the rendered fat on the surface of the consomé is used for dipping tortillas, and the consomé is strained and served with the birria as a composed dish, alongside tacos for dipping or even on its own for sipping.

The preparation for goat birria is markedly different. The meat is seasoned, steamed until tender, then marinated in a mole. Finally, the marinated, cooked goat is roasted in lard (borrowing from the traditional cooking method for carnitas). The consomé, instead of being a braising liquid for the meat, is prepared separately: Tomatoes are simmered until completely broken down, then fermented overnight, and the mixture is seasoned, blended, and served with the birria as a composed dish, alongside tacos for dipping or even on its own for sipping. The consomé itself doesn’t have any chiles; the chile heat comes from the mole used to marinate the goat.

Cuts of beef for birria: Goat birria traditionally utilizes the whole animal, which yields a bunch of different textures and deeper flavor than using a single cut of meat. For beef birria, tough cuts that are well-suited for braising are the way to go. This recipe calls for boneless short rib, since it’s easy to come by and has a nice mix of tough muscle, connective tissue, and fat.

You can use other cuts, such as chuck, oxtail, or beef cheeks (or a mix of them all). Feel free to experiment with cuts, but keep in mind you want tougher cuts with ample collagen (connective tissue) and fat.