Whip up a batch of authentic Birria de Chivo, with birria consome, on the stove, in an Instant Pot or in the oven. Enjoy it as a hearty stew or use it to make birria tacos, birria ramen or mulitas.
This birria recipe (birria receta) is made with traditional goat, dried chilis, onion, garlic and an array of spices. If you want birria made with beef and/or lamb, check out our other birria recipes.
More popular Mexican Recipes: Frijoles Charra, Carne Asada, Carne Asada Tacos, Carne Asada Fries, Carne Asada Nachos, and Pollo Asado.
Birria Jalisco
Birria de Chivo is a goat-based dish featuring tender braised goat simmered in a flavorful thick chili sauce. Originating in Jalisco, Mexico, the goat is shredded before serving with the broth (birria consomé) and toppings. It’s also traditionally accompanied by refried beans and tortillas.
How to Make Birria de Chivo
(Como hacer birria de Chivo) – We provide three different ways to make the birria meat, including on the stove, in the oven and in the Instant Pot. The recipe card below details the exact steps you need for success. For those who prefer step by step visual guides, here are a few:
Make the Sauce
Marinate the Meat
Roast the Meat Until Tender
Ways To Use Birria de Chivo
Our favorite ways to use birria meat:
- Birria Stew
- Birria Soup (Just stain the sauce to create a thin consomé for a soup-like texture)
- Birria Tacos
- Birria Ramen
- Mulitas
- Birria Quesadillas
- Birria Pizza
- Enchiladas
- Flautas
Barbacoa de Chivo
As mentioned above, this Mexican dish is traditionally made with goat (birria de chivo). Goat isn’t an easy cut of meat to find here in the United States so you can use beef, lamb or a combo of the three. We purchase goat from Wild Fork Foods as our local stores don’t carry it.
Servings: Servings
Calories: 511kcal
Cost: $35
Equipment
Ingredients
BIRRIA MEAT:
- 3 Lb Goat
- 1 tbsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Cumin
BIRRIA STEW:
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil, Divided
- 4 Guajillo Chilis
- 4 Ancho Chilis
- 1 Small Onion, Thinly Sliced
- 8 Cloves Garlic, Skins Removed
- 2 Whole Cloves
- 8 Black Peppercorns
- 1-2 Whole Chipotle Pepper
- 14 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 tsp Dried Mexican Oregano (*Note 1)
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp Ground Cumin
- ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3-4 Cups Beef Broth, Divided (*Note 2)
- Salt, To Taste
- ½ Cinnamon Stick
- 2 Whole Bay Leaves
GARNISH (OPTIONAL)
- Lime Juice, Pickled Red Onions, Pickled Peppers, Chopped Onions or Cilantro.
Instructions
Season the Meat:
- Transfer the meat to a large mixing bowl and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Set aside.
Prep the Chili's:
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a skillet and pre-heat over medium heat. Cut open the dried chili's and remove the seeds. Add the chili's to the heated skillet and toast for about 1-2 per side. Make sure to continually move and toss the peppers so they don't burn. You'll need to re-start if you burn the chili's as they're take on a bitter flavor.
- Remove the chili's and transfer to a bowl of hot water until soft (approx. 20 minutes).
Make the Sauce:
- Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the same skillet and cook the onions until translucent (approx. 4-5 minutes). Add the garlic cloves and toast for 60 seconds, until fragrant. Transfer to the blender.
- Toast the cloves and peppercorn for approx. 15 seconds. Transfer to the blender.
- Add the chipotle pepper, crushed tomatoes, dried thyme, dried oregano, 1/2 tsp cumin, ground ginger, salt, apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of beef broth to the blender.
- Drain the softened chilis (do not use the leftover chili water) and add to the blender. Blend until smooth. Add more beef broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to get the blender moving if the sauce is too thick. Add salt to taste.
- Add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick to the top of the meat. Pour the sauce over the meat and turn the meat pieces to ensure complete coverage. Marinate for a minimum of two hours, up to 24 hours.
Stovetop Cooking Instructions:
- Add the meat and marinade to a large stockpot. Add 2-3 cups of beef broth, just enough to cover all the meat. Cover and cook over medium heat for 2.5 hours, until the meat shreds easily. Add more beef broth, as needed, to cover the meat. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Serve in individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings. OPTIONAL: strain the sauce to create a consommé if using in ramen or tacos.
Oven Cooking Instructions:
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the meat and marinade to a large oven-safe dish. Add 1-2 cups of beef broth, just enough to cover all the meat. Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 2 hours, until the meat shreds easily. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Serve in individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings. OPTIONAL: strain the sauce to create a consommé if using in ramen or tacos.
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add two cups of beef broth to the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Add the meat and marinade. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the value is in the sealed position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes, before finishing with a quick release. The meat should shred easily. Remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
- Serve in individual bowls and top with your favorite toppings. OPTIONAL: strain the sauce to create a consommé if using in ramen or tacos.
Notes
Note 1 - You can use regular oregano if you don't have Mexican oregano on hand.
Note 2 - Don’t cut corners. Make sure to use high quality broth, such as our Instant Pot Bone broth, or the end result will suffer.
Nutrition
Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1416mg | Potassium: 1106mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5254IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 6mg
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