Birria Pot Roast for Birria Taco Making - Oven Method
WHOLE INGREDIENTS
4 Pound Pot Roast 8 Bay Leaves 1 Large Onion, Cut into Large Pieces 3 Chopped banana peppers BLENDER INGREDIENTS 8 Guajillo Chiles 8 Garlic Cloves or 8 Teaspoons of Minced Garlic 1 Tbsp Avocado Oil or Any Oil of Choice 2 Cups of Water 1/3 Cup of White Vinegar 2 Tablespoons of Chicken Bouillon 1 Tbsp Mexican Oregano 1 Teaspoon of Ground Cumin 1 Teaspoon of Salt 1 Teaspoon of Black Pepper 1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Clove or 3 Pieces of Clove 1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon TACO MAKING INGREDIENTS Package of Corn Tortillas 1 Onion, Chopped Shredded Cheese (Oaxaca, Mozzarella or Mexican Blend Cheese) 1 Bunch of Cilantro, Chopped 1 Lime, Cut into Wedges |
Step One: Remove Seeds from Chilies and Boil to Soften
- Snip off both ends of each pepper with scissors. Cut the chilies in half, lengthwise to open them up. Scrape out the seeds.
- Drop chilies into a pot of boiling water for 8 minutes.
- TIP: You may wish to wear plastic gloves when handling Guajillo peppers. Do not touch your eyes or face after touching the peppers.
Step Two: Blend Marinade Ingredients for 45 Seconds
Toss the marinade ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend for about 30 to 45 seconds.
Step Three: Marinate Roast in the Fridge for 1 to 4 Hours
- Drop the roast into a Ziplock bag or large bowl.
- Pour in the marinade and add the bay leaves.
- Seal the bag and shake the contents to distribute the marinade over the meat. If you're using a bowl, use a fork to flip the roast and be sure it's well coated on both sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Transfer to the fridge. It's optimal to marinate four hours, but you can get away with an hour. For special occasions, I like to prepare the birria marinade a day before and marinate overnight in a covered roasting pan.
Step Four: Bake the Roast and Onions in the Marinade for 3 Hours
- Line a large baking pan with parchment paper.
- Pour half the marinade over the paper and lay the roast on top of the liquid.
- Pour the remaining half of the marinade over the roast and let it flow down the sides.
- Arrange chopped onions around the roast.
- Cover the roasting pan with foil and bake at 300 degrees for the first two hours.
- Remove the roast from the oven and spoon some juices over the top.
- Remove foil and bake at 350 Degrees for another hour.
- About every 15 minutes, remove the roast and spoon some juices over the top.
Step Five: Add Vegetables?
If you'd like to add things like chopped carrots and potatoes, the best time to drop them into the pot will be 2 hours after the roast has been in the oven. If vegetables are allowed to cook for 3 hours, they'll come out mushy.
Step Six: Shred the Meat
Using two forks, pull small sections of the meat apart until the roast is completely shredded.
Taco Making Steps
- Drop a few tablespoons of the consomé (broth) into a nonstick frying pan.
- Fry one side of the tortilla in the consomé for about a 30 seconds. Add more sauce to the pan before flipping to the other side.
- Spread a few tablespoons of beef on top of the tortilla. Sprinkle with your desired amount of shredded cheese, onion and cilantro.
- Fold the stuffed tortilla with a spatula and continue frying until the cheese melts.
- Transfer the finished tortilla to a clean plate or serving platter.
- Repeat with each tortilla until the serving plate is full.