Slow-Cooked Beef Birria with Ancho Chile Sauce

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-13 · Updated 2026-05-13

Tender beef slow-cooked in a rich, smoky ancho chile sauce, perfect for tacos or dipping with warm tortillas. This mexican-inspired cinco de mayo ready in about 210 minutes blends pounds beef chuck roast, whole dried ancho chiles, whole dried guajillo chiles into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• 4 whole dried ancho chiles
• 3 whole dried guajillo chiles
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 5 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves whole cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 pieces corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: Remove stems and seeds from 4 dried ancho chiles and 3 dried guajillo chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then soak in 2 cups hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: In a blender, add the soaked chiles with 1/2 cup soaking water, 1 medium quartered white onion, 5 garlic cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Blend until smooth to form the chile sauce.
3. Step 3: Cut 2 pounds beef chuck roast into large chunks. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown beef pieces on all sides for 5-7 minutes.
4. Step 4: Pour the chile sauce over the browned beef and add 3 cups beef broth along with 1 1/2 tsp salt. Stir gently, bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours until beef is tender and shreddable.
5. Step 5: Shred the beef with forks, returning it to the sauce and stirring to coat evenly. Warm 12 corn tortillas in a skillet until pliable.
6. Step 6: Serve birria beef in the tortillas topped with 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and lime wedges alongside for squeezing.