Description
Succulent birria enchiladas showcase Mexican culinary artistry with tender braised meat rolled in corn tortillas. Melted cheese and rich consomé elevate this comforting dish that promises to satisfy your deepest cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 lbs (1.36 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 7 cloves garlic
- 12 dried guajillo chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 5 dried ancho chiles, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 5 dried chiles de arbol, rinsed, stemmed, and seeded
- 16 tortillas (flour or corn)
- 3 cups (340 g) Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese, shredded
- 2 cups (336 g) cooked white or Mexican rice
- 2 cups (473 ml) beef broth
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 2-inch Mexican cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
- ½ tbsps (7.5 ml) olive oil
- ½ tsp whole black peppercorns
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) distilled white vinegar
- 3 tbsps (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional garnishes: chopped cilantro, Cotija cheese, lime wedges, pickled or raw onion
Instructions
- Flavor Foundation: Generously season beef chunks with salt and pepper. In a substantial pot, sear meat in olive oil until golden. Remove beef, then introduce guajillo, ancho, and chiles de arbol into the same pot. Add tomatoes, onion, cinnamon, and bay leaves, creating a robust liquid base. Submerge ingredients with water, bringing to a boil and then reducing to a gentle simmer.
- Sauce Transformation: Transfer softened chiles to a blender. Blend with cooking liquid, beef broth, vinegars, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, and coriander until achieving a smooth, vibrant sauce. Return beef to the pot, coating thoroughly with the luscious mixture.
- Tender Infusion: Simmer beef for approximately three hours, allowing the meat to become incredibly tender and easily shredded. This slow cooking process develops complex, rich flavors characteristic of authentic birria.
- Enchilada Preparation: Warm tortillas in a light oil bath, making them pliable. Dip each tortilla into reserved birria sauce, ensuring complete coverage. Layer shredded beef and rice, rolling tightly and placing seam-side down in a baking dish.
- Culinary Finale: Pour remaining birria sauce over the enchiladas. Generously top with cheese and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until cheese melts and edges crisp. Garnish with fresh cilantro, Cotija cheese, lime wedges, and pickled onions to elevate the dish’s visual and flavor profile.
Notes
- Choose Meat Wisely: Select chuck roast or beef brisket for maximum tenderness and rich flavor absorption during the slow-cooking process.
- Control Chili Heat: Adjust the quantity of chiles de arbol to manage spice levels, ensuring the dish suits different heat tolerances without compromising authentic taste.
- Sauce Consistency Matters: Blend sauce until ultra-smooth, straining if needed to eliminate any potential chile skin fragments for a silky, refined texture.
- Optimize Cheese Melting: Use a combination of Oaxaca and Cotija cheese for layered flavor complexity and perfect melting characteristics during the final baking stage.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg