On this day beef birria and classic comforting fideo came together! I prepared this recipe several months back and I am just now getting it on the blog! There are just so many recipes that I want to share with you all, it’s difficult to keep up, lol! You can essentially prepare this recipe for a soupy beef dish ad incorporate the fideo using the excess of broth. Chicken is a very popular option when it comes to fideo in soup. Oh, and you cannot forget the ground beef version with potatoes! Delicious!
How To, Birria In My Pressure Cooker! Video!
Since 2011 when I arrived back home from a month long trip to Monterrey, Mexico, I learned to use the traditional pressure cooker. My tia Minerva would use it almost everyday to prepare the family meals. Some followers express to me that they are afraid to use the pressure cooker for fear that it may explode. Knock on wood, I have never had any issues. Just like the traditional stove top version, one has to prepare the adobo and then add it to the beef and water. Seasoning and searing the beef before cooking it with the adobo and water add another level of flavor. If you prefer to skip it, that is up to you.
Beef Birria and Fideos! The Perfect Match!
What were you comfort foods growing up as a kid? Fideo would be #1 on my list for sure! A stewed meat with plenty of rich broth was on the top of the list as well. Especially when there were homemade flour or corn tortillas. There are many people crazy about Birria Ramen, why not fideo? The rich spicy broth with tender beef combined with my childhood favorite, fideo. Oh, yes! I think I only had one negative response when I first shared this recipe on social media. We love fideo and we love birria!
I just don’t think we should limit ourselves when testing different combinations.
If I only ever stuck to the exact same recipe that was passed down for generations, how will I discover new dishes? I am as traditional as they come and all of mom’s recipes will always be my #1 choice. But I am also a cook, a curious cook that wants to know more and try different recipes. Beef birria is not the traditional ingredient, but some of us either can’t find it or don’t prefer the flavor of goat meat. Recently I discovered that chicken birria is a real thing in some regions of Mexico. And that barbacoa is not a dish, but a term used to describe a cooking method! Who knew? Nothing makes me happier than when I learn something new when it comes to Mexican gastronomy.
I was recently asked what my top 5 favorites are.
My top favorite kitchen tools, that is! It could be because they work efficiently or because they trigger special memories when you use them. I can probably name way more than 15! Ha, ha, ha!! Here’s my top five in no particular order. Vitamix blender, Masienda tortilla press, original small molcajete from Monterrey, my cherry wood rolling pin and my wooden bean smasher from Mexico 1492 site. Of course besides the fact that they all work well, they all hold special memories of mom’s original tools. Unfortunately, I don’t have hers, but just the sounds the tools make when I use them takes me back to her kitchen.
What other essential tools I must have in my kitchen!
Good knives, cutting boards, bowls of all sizes, tortilla warmer, steamer pot, comal(griddle), pressure cooker, ollas de peltre(enamelware cookware), ollas de barro(Mexican clayware), citrus juicers, wooden spoons, glass jars for salsa or sauce, and there are probably some that I am forgetting!
What is the most important thing you should know about Mexican dishes?
Do you know what I am going to say? Every abuela(grandmother), mom, tia(aunt), prima(cousin), amiga(friend), papa(father), tio(uncle), primo(male cousin) may prepare the same recipe a little different. Every region, state or city in Mexico will have their own version of birria, barbacoa, enchiladas, tamales and pretty much everything. That is the beauty of Mexico. Diversity! It’s so wonderful to learn the different variations. Embrace it!
Did you know that pasta is nothing new to Mexican gastronomy? The oldest pasta producing factory in Mexico is La Moderna brand. They are over 100 years producing all of our favorites like fideo, conchas, coditos and more!
The beauty of using dried chiles in your dishes, depending on the chiles, is that sometimes they may yield a bright red color, a darker rust color and even an almost black color. In my experience when working with older peppers, they yield a darker color.
Should I add tomato to my birria adobo? How many dried chiles should I use? That’s easy! it’s up to you how you like it. If you just want a hint of red from the dried chiles, then only use 2-3 peppers. Some regions don’t use any tomato, some do. The tomato will add some body to the consommé in the end.
Why did I pick these garnishes?
Traditional garnishes for birria in comsomme include onion, cilantro, lime and some spicy salsa. In fideo, some of us like to garnish with crumbled queso fresco, lime and some form of hot sauce. Garnish to your liking, just don’t forget the warm corn tortillas!
The reason it’s called salsa macha is…
It’s supposed to be spicy and used sparingly to garnish any of your favorite dishes or tacos. Definitely not for chips n dips! Now, just think outside the box for a minute. Take out some of those spicy chile de arbol and substitute with a mild chile guajillo when you prepare salsa macha. Still delicious and full of flavor, plus you can add more to your dish!
Birria Fideos
Equipment
- Large Pressure Cooker 8 quarts
- Blender
- Large sauté pan
Ingredients
Pressure Cooker Birria
- 5 lbs chuck roast, sliced into chunks
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/4 cup Avocado oil
- 8-9 chile guajillo or California, 74 gr stems and seeds removed. If the chiles look dirty, rinse them in cool water
- 5 chile morita
- 1 large white onion, 347 gr roughly sliced
- 10 Cloves of garlic, 59 gr
- 1 large roma tomato, 96 gr
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
- 1 1/2 inches Mexican cinnamon stick
- 4-5 whole cloves
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 liters water
Fideos
- 7 oz fideo pasta
- 3/4 c onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 serrano pepper, left whole
- 6 c consommé from cooked birria
- Salt, to taste
Garnish
- Cilantro, finely chopped
- Onion, finely diced
- Queso freco, crumbled
- Lime wedges
- Salsa Macha
Instructions
Pressure Cooker Birria
- After slicing the beef, season on all sides lightly with salt and pepper. Set it aside to come up to room temperature while you prep the adobo.
- In a large pot or deep skillet, at medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Add the dried chiles and and let them heat up with the oil. After a few minutes, they should sizzle and become lightly aromatic. Toss the chiles around for the next 60-90 seconds. Remove them from the pot.
- In that same pot, add the onions, garlic and tomato. Sauté, stirring often for 6 minutes. Add the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds, thyme, marjoram and bay leaves. Sauté for 30-40 seconds. Pour in 1 liter of water. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In the pot of the pressure cooker, preheat 1/4 cup of oil at medium heat for 3-4 minutes. When ready, sear the seasoned beef, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Sear in batches if needed.
- While the beef is searing, transfer the adobo ingredients with all of the liquid to the blender jar. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Secure the lid. Blend on high until very smooth. Taste for salt. If using a power blender, no need to strain the adobo. If not, strain through a fine wire mesh strainer into a bowl.
- With all the seared beef in the pressure cooker, pour in 4 liters of water. Stir well to combine. Let it come up to a simmer or until the foam rises to the top. Remove the foam. Pour in the adobo. Stir well to combine. Secure and lock the lid. Cook at medium/high heat until the safety valve lock and the cooker begins to release a fast, steady stream of steam. At this time, turn the heat down to slightly below medium. Set the timer for 1 hour.
- Once the timer goes off, carefully remove the pressure cooker from the heat. Let it sit until safety valve unlocks. When ready remove the lid. Stir lightly. Reserve 6 cups of the consommé to prepare the fideo. Keep the beef with remaining consommé warm on lowest heat.
Fideo
- To a deep skillet or pot heat 3 tablespoons of oil to medium heat. Add the fideo pasta. When it begins to sizzle begin to stir it every 1 minute or two. The fideo will begin to toast, so more frequent stirring so it doesn't burn. If it's turning dark too fast, reduce the heat.
- When mostly toasted, add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and serrano pepper and sauté for one more minute. Pour in the 6 cups of the birria consommé. Stir gently. Taste for salt. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover and cook just until the fideo is cooked through. Check after nine minutes.
- Add some fideo to shallow bowls with some of the beef. Garnish with onions, cilantro, queso fresco, lime and salsa macha. Warm tortillas on the side. Enjoy!
- The longer the fideo sits, the more it will absorb the liquid. Reserve any remaining consommé to add to the fideo if you have leftovers. Store cool birria in a storage container refrigerated for 5 days. Great for quesabirria tacos too!
Notes
Reader Interactions
Comments
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I made the barriera using short ribs instead of chuck. Had a lot more flavor. So delicious! Thanks for your recipe.
Can you please show a photo of your bean masher?
I shared the bean smasher on my instagram stories today with the link to the website
You can find the bean masher on the Mexico 1492 website.
Hi Patricia. I will have to share images of the bean masher in a post soon.