Birria, a most wonderful soup or stew from the Mexican province of Jalisco, is a regular favourite in the Warner kitchen – my keenness for Mexican cuisine knows no end. Traditionally made with goat or mutton, I’ve used Swaledale’s shoulder of lamb, boneless and rolled, in the hope that this Central American street-corner treatment offers a welcome alternative to the all-too-familiar redcurrant jelly and port marinade.
I think best results come from cooking the meat first, then picking and resting it in the gravy overnight, rather than – as is often the case – marinating it raw in a vinegar paste before cooking. Birria is a very special, warming, and intriguing braise, with as many closely guarded recipes as clever grandmothers. I hope you enjoy this one. Suerté.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 30 minutes, (plus 2 hours to bring meat to room temperature)
Cook time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
Birria
To Serve
Method
- Tear the chillies into pieces, discarding the stalks and most of the seeds. Toast them in a hot, dry pan, turning frequently to prevent burning. They should deepen in colour to a rich tobacco hue and release their aroma. (Avoid burning – they’ll turn bitter. The seeds will sprout if planted, so feel free to save them if inclined.)
- Place the chillies in a bowl and pour over 200ml of the hot water, followed by the vinegar. Pinch the heads of the cloves into the bowl, then drop in the stems. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Once softened, transfer the chillies, cloves, and soaking liquid to a blender and blitz until very smooth and velvety. Set aside.
- In a large, heavy-based casserole with a lid (the heavier the better), heat the sunflower oil and gently sauté the diced onions. Add the bay leaves, avocado leaves or star anise (if using), oregano, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick. Cook gently until the onions are soft and tender, but not coloured – this will take at least 12 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add the tomato purée and stir constantly until it just begins to catch. Add the cumin and paprika, then pour in the chilli purée, followed by the remaining water.
- Lower in the meat. If some sits above the liquid, don’t worry – it will steam and be turned as it cooks.
- Cover with the lid and cook gently on the hob for 3½ to 4 hours. The liquid should maintain a brisk simmer but never boil. Move the pan to a smaller ring if needed. Turn the meat twice during cooking. It’s done when it can be pulled apart with a spoon. The sauce should remain loose – birria can range from broth-like to more gravy-ish in consistency.
- Remove the meat and allow it to cool slightly before shredding it into strips. Return the meat to the sauce.
- Now season the birria with smoked salt. Be generous, but cautious – taste as you go.
- For best flavour, leave the birria overnight.
- To serve, reheat the birria and warm your tortillas. Spoon the meat and broth into bowls, and serve with the tortillas wrapped in a tea towel or tortilla basket. Garnish with diced onion, chopped coriander, and wedges of lime.
Notes on Variations
This recipe uses 1.4 kg boneless rolled shoulder of lamb, but you can also use diced mutton, diced shoulder of lamb, or diced venison for a shorter cook and easier serving. If using diced meat, reduce the cooking time to 2–2½ hours, as it will become tender more quickly than whole cuts.
You can also use red deer shoulder of venison, on the bone and cut in two pieces. Do not use haunch, except when working with roe deer or muntjac, where the muscle structure and size are better suited to this style of cooking.
