Instant Pot Birria

Beef Birria cooked in the Instant Pot in less than half the time for juicy, tender meat. Use the Birria to make the popular QuesaBirria Tacos, which combines a Birria taco and a Quesadilla.

Reader Isabelle says: “I made this and it was great. I added 2 chiles de arboles, a little bit of marjoram, and I used ground cinnamon since I didn’t have any sticks.” ★★★★★

Birria is commonly served for parties and weddings in Mexico. It’s traditionally made with goat meat and cooked low and slow until the meat is tender.

We’re going to modernize this recipe by using beef and cooking it in the Instant Pot for a fraction of the time. I promise, it’ll be just as good.

How to Make the Sauce

What sets Birria apart from Barbacoa is the sauce. In this recipe I’m using, tomatoes, garlic cloves, guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, Mexican oregano, whole clove, cumin seeds, a cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.

This sauce is not spicy, if you want some heat, add a few chile de arbol peppers or just serve with a side of salsa.

The dried chiles need to be rehydrated before they can be blended for the sauce. Remove the stems and shake out most of the seeds. Then boil them in a small pot with water for 5 minutes.

Add everything to a high speed blender, along with the rehydrated chilis, salt, and water. Blend until smooth, and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if needed. After the sauce is blended, strain it to ensure all the seeds and pulp are removed.

What Kind of Meat to Use

This recipe is a modern take on traditional birria, and I’m using a combination of Chuck Roast, because it has beautiful marbling, and some beef bones.

If you can’t get beef bones, then use chuck roast with some short ribs, or use beef shank (chamorro de res). Season meat generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Sear it on high heat to develop more flavor in the meat and broth.

The amount of beef will depend on how many servings you need. My chuck roast was on the smaller side, just under 3 pounds, but it was enough for about 12 good size tacos.

How to Cook Birria in the Instant Pot

Add the browned meat, including any bones, to the instant pot.

Then we’ll strain the blended sauce directly over the pot. It helps to use a spatula or spoon to gently press down on the sauce. Keep working it until you are left with just the pulp and seeds.

Add 1 cup of water to the pot. Move the meat around to try to get it in an even layer. If all the meat isn’t covered, add more water. I ended up using a total of 2 cups. You don’t want too much liquid, as that will dilute the broth or consommé.

Make sure the pressure valve is on ‘sealing’ and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure. The cook time will depend on the amount of meat you’re using.

Here’s a guide: 3 pounds- 50 minutes, then add 5 minutes extra per 1 pound of meat. 4lbs- 55 minutes and 5lbs- 60 minutes.

Once the timer goes off, quick release the pressure carefully over an open area. I do this over my hood and use a wooden spoon to carefully move the pressure valve over to venting.

The meat should be very tender; if it isn’t, then cook it for another 5-10 minutes. Keep the meat warm, (keep warm) setting in the instant pot if you don’t plan on eating it right away.

Stovetop and Slow Cooker Methods

While my preferred method of cooking any type of tough meat is a pressure cooker, you can get similar results on the stove top or in a slow cooker.

To make Birria in the Slow Cooker, follow the same steps for the sauce and sear the beef in a skillet on the stove. Then place the beef, sauce, and just enough water to cover the meat in a slow cooker. Set the timer to low for 8 hours.

For the stove top, use a heavy pot like a Dutch oven and sear the beef in batches, then place it back into the pot with sauce, and just enough water to cover the meat. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil.

Remove lid, stir, place lid back on, and reduce heat to low. You want a gentle simmer, not a rapid boil. This method can take 3-4 hours for the meat to be tender. Check on the meat and stir every 30 minutes or so.

QuesaBirria Tacos

QuesaBirria Tacos have become very popular, you can find them on food trucks and taco stands all over. You’ll need corn tortillas and a good melting cheese to make the quesabirria taco.

Once the birria meat is done, remove it from the broth and place in a separate container to shred. Use a knife to chop the beef or 2 forks to shred. Leave the cooking liquid or consommé in the pot nearby.

Shred your cheese, I prefer Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack. Heat a non-stick skillet or comal over medium-high heat.

Get a corn tortilla, dip it all the way into the birria broth and place it on the hot skillet. Add cheese, birria meat, and extra broth. Fold it over in half to make the quesadilla taco.

Allow each side to brown and the cheese to melt. This takes a couple minutes. Serve with chopped white onion, cilantro, limes, and extra consomé on the side for dipping.

Storing and Serving

Store leftover cooked birria with its broth in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze portions in a zip top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure there is some broth in the meat. Freeze extra broth in a separate bag. Don’t toss it!

Serve birria with rice and beans or ensalada de nopales for an authentic Mexican meal. For extra spice add some chile de árbol salsa. You can even serve it with ramen for Birria ramen. This shredded beef is so versatile!

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