Mexican Birria Beef (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Meats and Seasonings

01 - Cut a 4 to 5-pound chuck roast into hefty 4-inch chunks
02 - Add ½ tablespoon of kosher salt
03 - Sprinkle ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
04 - Drizzle 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil

→ Peppers and Aromatics

05 - 12 guajillo peppers, cleaned, stems removed, and seeds discarded (about 2.5 ounces total)
06 - 5 ancho peppers, cleaned, stems removed, and seeds discarded (roughly 2 ounces)
07 - 5 árbol peppers, cleaned and stems removed (around 0.1 ounces)
08 - 2 big Roma tomatoes
09 - Half a medium-sized yellow onion
10 - 5 cloves of garlic

→ Spices and Liquids

11 - A 4-inch stick of Mexican cinnamon
12 - 3 leaves of bay
13 - ½ teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 - 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
16 - ½ teaspoon ground clove powder
17 - 2 cups beef stock
18 - ¼ cup white vinegar

# Instructions:

01 - Sprinkle all around the meat with pepper and salt. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large pot over medium to high heat. Fry the meat in two rounds, browning all sides well. Once done, take the pot off the heat and place all seared meat back into it. Set aside.
02 - Put guajillo peppers, ancho peppers, árbol peppers, tomatoes, onion, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns into a medium pot. Pour in enough water to cover them up, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover it up and cook for 10 minutes.
03 - Move the softened peppers and other items from the pot into a large blender. Pour in 1 cup of the water used for cooking the peppers, along with beef broth, white vinegar, garlic cloves, ground cumin, dried oregano, and clove powder. Blend it all at high speed until it's smooth. Run the mixture through a fine strainer and pour it into the pot that holds the meat.
04 - Mix the meat with the blended pepper sauce and heat it all until it boils. Turn the heat down low, cover the pot, and let it cook gently for 3 to 3 ½ hours, or until the meat is exceptionally tender and easy to shred.
05 - Place the meat in a bowl, then use two forks to shred it completely. Stir it back into the stew-like broth. Enjoy it as a hearty meal in a bowl with some chopped cilantro and onion cubes. You can also use it as taco filling with corn tortillas and melty Oaxaca cheese.

# Notes:

01 - Swap Mexican cinnamon with regular cinnamon sticks, or use 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon instead. Remove sticks before blending.
02 - Don’t have Mexican oregano? Regular oregano works just fine as a substitute.
03 - Drop the árbol peppers for less heat, or just toss in 3 for a mild kick.
04 - You can make this in an Instant Pot: set it to high pressure for 60 minutes, then let it naturally release for 10 minutes.
05 - Another option is the slow cooker: go for low heat 7–8 hours, or high for about 5 hours.

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