Birria

• 5 lb beef chuck roast

• 1 white onion+ some for garnish

• 1 bulb garlic, around 10 cloves

• 6 cups beef broth

• 3 guajillo chili’s

• 2 ancho chili’s

• 3 Chile de arbol

• 2 morita chili’s

• 2 roma tomatoes

• 1.5 tsp cumin seeds

• 4 cloves

• 4 black peppercorns

• 1 stick Mexican cinnamon

• 1 tsp sesame seeds

• 1 tsp mexican oregano

• 3 fresh bay leaves

• 3 tbsp white vinegar

• salt

1. To begin, dice up your beef into large chunks and season with 3 tbsp of kosher salt. Lay the beef on a tray with a rack and place it in the fridge a day before you plan on cooking it. This pre seasoning or dry brine is key when making braises. The meat will absorb the salt which will help season it, then the surface will dry off allowing you to get a really hard sear. This step is the difference between having a flavorful broth and okay meat and having the whole package.

2. Take your white onion, peel and quarter it. You’re going to be fishing it out of your broth later so big chunks. Smash all of your garlic cloves.

3. Preheat a pot over medium high heat and brown off the beef on all sides. Wipe off the pot and place the meat back in. Cover with 4 cups of beef broth and bring to a simmer. After about 10 minutes you’ll see a lot of foam and fat rise to the top, skim that off. Plop in the onion, 5 garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Let this hang out while you do the next steps.

4. De-stem and de-seed your dry chilis.

5. Preheat a pan over medium heat and lay the dry chilis inside. Toast on both sides until they change color and turn slightly golden brown. Around 6 minutes. Add the remaining smashed garlic and dry roast until the garlic is golden on both sides. Add the cumin, peppercorns, cloves, and sesame seeds and toast for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant and the sesame seeds turn slightly golden. Remove everything from the pan and reserve.

6. Place the tomatoes in the pan and roast on all sides until they’re blackened, blistered, and soft. Place everything back in the pan and cover with the remaining beef broth. Bring to a simmer, and let it go until the chilis are soft. Around 15 minutes.

7. Add the contents of the pan to a blender, fish out the white onion and garlic from your pot of beef and add it to the blender too. Add the vinegar and pulse completely smooth.

8. Strain into your pot of beef and also add your Mexican oregano.

9. Cover and simmer for 2.5 hours.

10. Fish out the bay leaves and taste your broth, make adjustments to your salt.

11. Serve with finely chopped white onion, cilantro, and lime.