Beef Birria Recipe (Birra de Res)

Cut open the dried chiles with kitchen scissors or a knife and discard the seeds

Heat a large dry skillet over medium-high heat

Toast the chiles, moving them occasionally

Cover the chiles with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat

Turn off the heat and let the chiles soak until softened

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third position

Pat the beef dry with a paper towel and season all over with the salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until smoking

Working in batches, add the beef and cook until browned on all sides

Transfer the browned beef to a plate

Add the onion and cook over medium heat until browned

Add the garlic and toss until fragrant

Add the cinnamon, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and ginger and cook, stirring until fragrant

Add the beef stock and vinegar, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot

Remove the pot from the heat and allow ingredients to cool slightly

Drain the softened chiles, discarding the soaking water

Add the chiles and the canned tomatoes to the sauce

Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth directly in the pan (or transfer to a blender, let cool briefly, blend until nearly smooth, and return to the pan)

Return the beef, along with any collected juices, to the Dutch oven, nestling it into the sauce

Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook in the oven until the beef is tender and can be pulled apart easily with a fork

Using 2 forks, shred the beef, discarding any large pieces of fat

Serve with the remaining sauce/broth in bowls garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, or top warmed tortillas with the beef for tacos or quesadillas