Ingredients
5 guajillo peppers, deseeded, seeds discarded
2 tbsp. chipotles in adobo
1/2 c. water
2 tbsp. vegetable or other neutral oil, divided
2 lb. boneless chuck roast
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano (Mexican preferred)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
5 whole cloves, ground
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 (14-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
3 bay leaves
1/4 c. mirin
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
8 c. beef broth
4 packages (3-oz. each) ramen noodles
4 large eggs (soft boiled, about 7 minutes)
1 c. freshly chopped cilantro
1 c. thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 c. sliced green onions, for garnish
1 radish, sliced, for garnish
2 limes, cut into wedges, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, bring two cups of water to a boil, then stir in the guajillo peppers. Turn off the heat and let peppers soak for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain (discarding the soaking liquid) and place in the blender with chipotle peppers and 1/2 cup of water. Blend the adobo until smooth, then add to a large Dutch oven and set aside.Step 2In a large deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil on high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper, and sear in the pan about 5 minutes, flipping occasionally to reach all sides. Transfer the beef to the Dutch oven with the adobo.Step 3Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and paprika, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaves, mirin, soy sauce, and vinegar, and heat through, about 1 minute. Scrape everything into the Dutch oven with the beef and adobo. Step 4Add broth to the Dutch oven, give everything a stir to combine, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook from 3 to 4 hours, or until meat is fork tender. Once tender, shred the meat in the pot using two forks, and remove bay leaves from soup.Step 5In a separate medium-size pot, cook noodles according to the package directions. Place servings of noodles in bowls, and top with birria. Garnish each bowl with eggs, cilantro, cabbage, scallions, radishes, and lime wedges to serve.
While Birria is traditionally a Mexican stew made with chiles and warm spices like cinnamon, it’s been popping up everywhere lately as tacos, and that’s the energy we’re bringing into this dish. We want it to be hearty and comforting, while also full of flavors that remind us of sipping margaritas in the hot summer sun over a plate of Mexican food. We recommend making this dish when it’s freezing cold outside and loud, boozy outdoor celebrations seem like lightyears away. Throw some chiles, bones, and meat in your slow-cooker and huddle under a blanket — in a few hours you’ll have a hearty, slow-cooked, mash-up soup that’s perfectly balanced. How do you serve it? Once your beef is fork tender, shred it and assemble your ramen bowl. You can use udon, regular ramen noodles or if you’re gluten-free, buckwheat is a good choice. Add the fresh toppings, an egg, a squeeze of lime and you’ll be all set with umami flavor. If you want to go the extra mile, though, grate your favorite cheese into leftover chuck with some scallions and cilantro. Assemble it into a taco, and dip into your ramen to take the mashup to a whole other level. Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
