Quick Birria Sauce Recipe

shredded beef birria in sauce in a bowl.

4.50 from 2 votes

This quick & easy birria sauce recipe makes meals with birria meat so fast to make with ingredients easy to find at the grocery store. This sauce recipe can be used with your favorite type of roast.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 266kcal

Author: Holly Lee

Cost: $15

Equipment

Pressure Cooker ie: Instant Pot -- Can also use slow cooker, see recipe notes for instructions
Blender or food processor

Ingredients

2 chipotle peppers in adobo see notes if you don't like spice
1 small white or yellow onion or half a large onion
4-5 cloves fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon guajillo chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (regular)
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoon lime juice
2 cups beef broth
2-3 pound Roast of Choice such as chuck, sirloin, arm, rump, or bottom round
2 tablespoon arrowroot powder

Instructions

Add all of your ingredients except for the roast and the arrowroot powder to a blender or food processor. Blend for 8-10 seconds to combine.
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, 1 small white or yellow onion, 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon guajillo chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder (regular), 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoon lime juice, 2 cups beef broth
Add your roast to the Instant Pot and pour the birria sauce over the meat. (See notes for slow cooker instructions). Put the lid on the Instant Pot and close the sealing valve. Press "Pressure Cook" button and make sure it is set to high pressure. Set the timer for 20 minutes per pound of roast (40-60 min for 2 to 3 lbs). When the timer goes off, allow the meat to natural release for 10-15 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure and removing the lid.
2-3 pound Roast of Choice
After the meat is done with the 10-15 min natural release, release the pressure and remove the lid from the pot. Use a ladle to scoop about one cup of the sauce from the Instant Pot into the bowl. Add 2 tbsp arrowroot powder, then whisk to combine. Pour the mixture back into the pot and stir.
2 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Remove the roast from the pot and shred. Place the shredded meat back into the sauce.
Your birria meat is ready to use for whatever taco, nacho, enchilada, burrito, or quesadilla meal you'd like!

Video

Notes

This sauce is relatively mild. If you want a spicier birria sauce, use the sauce recipe in my Birria Enchiladas recipe.

To make this dish in the slow cooker instead, simply place the meat and sauce in your crock pot in the morning and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours.

Nutrition