For this healthier Birria, we’ll be sautéing quartered vegetables—onions, garlic, bell peppers, and tomatoes—adding beef broth and dried chilies (anchos, guajillos, or chipotles) for that authentic birria flavor. If these specific dried chilies are unavailable, smoked paprika can be substituted alongside your choice of fresh chilies.
Cooking Process: After blending this flavorful sauce, the magic begins. Place lean beef chunks into the Instant Pot and let them simmer for one or two cycles, ensuring the meat becomes tender and easily falls apart. While traditional recipes call for goat meat or fatty beef cuts like ribs, our Weight Watchers-friendly version focuses on leaner beef without sacrificing flavor.
Why you should try Birria:
- Time-Saving: Despite the cooking time, using an Instant Pot allows you to forget about constant supervision. Quick vegetable chopping is your ally for time efficiency.
- Versatility: Birria can be served in various ways—on a plate with diced fresh onions and cilantro, as tacos, or as a soup with abundant broth eaten with a spoon.
- Bold Mexican Flavors: For lovers of spicy and intense flavors, birria is a must-try.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (150 g) onions, diced
- 1 cup (150 g) bell peppers, diced
- 1 cup (150 g) tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 pounds (900 g) lean beef, cut into chunks
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
- 2 dried ancho chilies, 50 g.
- 2 dried guajillo chilies, 50 g.
Condiments:
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 whole clove
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Prepare the Chilies: Remove stems and seeds from dried ancho and guajillo chilies. Toast the chilies in a hot, dry skillet for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Soak the toasted chilies in hot water for 15-20 minutes to soften.
Sauté Vegetables: Set Instant Pot to “Sauté” mode and heat the oil. Add minced garlic, diced onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Sauté until vegetables are softened.
Create the Sauce: Add tomato paste and stir well. In a blender, combine the soaked chilies with a portion of the beef broth. Blend until smooth. Pour the chili mixture into the Instant Pot.
Season and Add Beef: Season the beef chunks with marjoram, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cocoa powder (optional). Add the seasoned beef to the Instant Pot along with a whole clove. Pour in the remaining beef broth.
Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid, set the valve to “Sealing,” and select the “Pressure Cook” mode. Set the timer for 60 minutes at high pressure. Once the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural release for about 15-20 minutes.
Shred the Beef:Open the Instant Pot and carefully shred the beef using two forks. The meat should be tender and easily fall apart. Note: my Instant Pot has an internal Teflon coating, so I can’t use forks inside it, so I shred the meat outside.
Serve: Birria can be served in various ways—on a plate with diced fresh onions and cilantro, as tacos, or as a soup with abundant broth eaten with a spoon.
Variations and Substitutions:
Explore the diverse world of birria by trying different cuts of meat, cooking methods, and serving styles.
- Meat Selection: Traditional birria uses goat meat, but you can experiment with pork or even turkey breast. Avoid fattier cuts like beef ribs for a healthier option.
- Cooking Methods: While traditional Jaliscan birria is slow-cooked in clay ovens, our Instant Pot version speeds up the process. Alternatively, you can use a slow cooker or a traditional stovetop pot for a slow-cooked experience.
Tips and Tricks Section for Making Birria:
- Opt for Dried Chilies: Seek out dried chilies for a healthy, flavorful addition to the dish.
- Trim Excess Fat: Before cutting the meat into pieces, remove any visible fat and skin to ensure a healthier dish.
- Spice Blend: Elevate the dish with a mix of dried chilies, a clove, a pinch of cinnamon combined with oregano, cumin, and marjoram.
WW Points
Olive oil 1 point
Garlic 0 points
Onion 0 points
Bell pepper 0 points
Tomato 0 points
Tomato paste 1 point
Uncooked lean tenderloin beef 31 points
Beef broth 0 points
Dried ancho pepper 0 points
Ole Guajillo chile pods 0 points
4 pepper(s) 0 points
Dried marjoram 0 points
Dried oregano 0 points
Whole cloves 0 points
Table salt 0 points
Black pepper 0 points
6 WW Points Per Serving
Birria
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup (150 g) onions, diced
- 1 cup (150 g) bell peppers, diced
- 1 cup (150 g) tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 pounds (900 g) lean beef, cut into chunks
- 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
- 2 dried ancho chilies, 50 g.
- 2 dried guajillo chilies, 50 g.
- Condiments:
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 whole clove
- A pinch of cinnamon (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Chilies: Remove stems and seeds from dried ancho and guajillo chilies. Toast the chilies in a hot, dry skillet for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Soak the toasted chilies in hot water for 15-20 minutes to soften.
- Sauté Vegetables: Set Instant Pot to "Sauté" mode and heat the oil. Add minced garlic, diced onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes. Sauté until vegetables are softened.
- Create the Sauce: Add tomato paste and stir well. In a blender, combine the soaked chilies with a portion of the beef broth. Blend until smooth. Pour the chili mixture into the Instant Pot.
- Season and Add Beef: Season the beef chunks with marjoram, oregano, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and cocoa powder (optional). Add the seasoned beef to the Instant Pot along with a whole clove. Pour in the remaining beef broth.
- Pressure Cook: Close the Instant Pot lid, set the valve to "Sealing," and select the "Pressure Cook" mode. Set the timer for 60 minutes at high pressure. Once the cooking time is complete, allow for a natural release for about 15-20 minutes.
- Shred the Beef: Open the Instant Pot and carefully shred the beef using two forks. The meat should be tender and easily fall apart. Note: my Instant Pot has an internal Teflon coating, so I can't use forks inside it, so I shred the meat outside.
- Serve: Birria can be served in various ways—on a plate with diced fresh onions and cilantro, as tacos, or as a soup with abundant broth eaten with a spoon.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
