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Goat Birria

  • 30m Prep Time
  • 3h Cook Time
  • 4h Ready In

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  • Cuisine : Mexican
  • Course : Dinner

8 to 10 servings This rich adobo from Jalisco, Mexico, is perfect for stewing cuts of lamb and beef as well. We serve this with corn tortillas, but leftovers are an excellent filling for enchiladas, Burritos, and Tortas. If needed, omit any chiles you cannot find and substitute a little more of the ones you can. If using goat stew meat, be sure to check for bone fragments and warn diners (see About Goat).

Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 5 guajillo chiles
  • 4 ancho chiles
  • 2 dried chipotles
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • (2 whole cloves)
  • (One 2- to 3-inch cinnamon stick)
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 8 unpeeled garlic cloves
  • 2 to 4 fresh serrano chiles, left whole
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard
  • 4 pounds goat shoulder chops, or 3 pounds boneless goat stew meat
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • One 12-ounce bottle Mexican lager or 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt
  • Cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1
    • 2 cups (210g) masa harina
    • 1 ¼ to 1 ⅓ cups (295 to 315g) hot (120° to 125°F) water
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Mix in a bowl with your hands, adjusting the quantity of water as necessary to form a soft dough: 2 cups (210g) masa harina; 1 ¼ to 1 ⅓ cups (295 to 315g) hot (120° to 125°F) water
    2. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 30 minutes.
    3. Knead the rested dough, adjusting the consistency with additional water or masa as necessary, until it is soft, smooth, and pliable but neither sticky nor crumbly.
    4. Place 2 heavy ungreased skillets on the stove or use a griddle large enough to cover two burners. Adjust the heat under 1 skillet (or one side of the griddle) to medium-low and the second to medium-high.
    5. Form the dough into 1 ½-inch balls. Keep covered with a damp clean towel while you press the tortillas. Place a dough ball between 2 pieces of sturdy plastic or wax paper (plastic grocery bags work remarkably well). Using a tortilla press or the bottom of a pie plate, press the dough firmly, turning it 180 degrees and pressing again as necessary, until it is uniformly 1⁄16 inch thick. (If the tortilla crumbles when you pick it up, the dough is too dry; if it sticks badly to the plastic, the tortilla is too thin or the dough is too wet. Adjust the consistency of the rest of the dough accordingly before continuing to shape the tortillas.) Peel off the top piece of plastic or wax paper, turn the tortilla over onto your hand, and peel off the bottom piece of plastic or wax paper.
    6. Lay the tortilla in the cooler of the 2 skillets until it begins to release itself from the pan but the edges have not begun to curl, about 20 seconds. Flip the tortilla over onto the hotter skillet and cook until the underside is lightly browned in spots, 20 to 30 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and finish browning the first side. If the pan is hot enough and the dough properly moist, the tortilla should puff up (you may encourage this by pressing it with your fingers or the back of a spatula). When it is browned, transfer the tortilla to a clean towel (it will deflate) and cover it. Form and cook the remaining tortillas, stacking them on top of each other and covering the stack each time. Serve warm. Reheat leftovers wrapped in foil in the oven until soft and pliable.
  • Lime wedges
  • Chopped cilantro and green onions

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 5 guajillo chiles
  • 4 ancho chiles
  • 2 dried chipotles
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • (2 whole cloves)
  • (One 2- to 3-inch cinnamon stick)
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 8 unpeeled garlic cloves
  • 2 to 4 fresh serrano chiles, left whole
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard
  • 4 pounds goat shoulder chops, or 3 pounds boneless goat stew meat
  • ¼ cup cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • One 12-ounce bottle Mexican lager or 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt
  • Cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 1 Corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade
  • Lime wedges
  • Chopped cilantro and green onions

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Stem, seed, and roast: 5 guajillo chiles; 4 ancho chiles; 2 dried chipotles

  2. Step 2.

    Place in a small bowl, cover with water, and soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast in a Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; (2 whole cloves); (One 2- to 3-inch cinnamon stick)

  3. Step 3.

    Transfer the spices to a blender. Roast in the Dutch oven until charred on all sides: 1 medium onion, halved; 8 unpeeled garlic cloves; 2 to 4 fresh serrano chiles, left whole

  4. Step 4.

    Remove to a small plate and let cool. Add to the pot: 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or lard

  5. Step 5.

    Add: 4 pounds goat shoulder chops, or 3 pounds boneless goat stew meat

  6. Step 6.

    Brown on all sides, in batches, about 10 minutes. As the goat browns, peel the roasted garlic and remove the stem and seeds from the charred serranos. Add to the blender along with the drained, soaked chiles, charred onion halves, and: ¼ cup cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar

  7. Step 7.

    Puree until smooth. When the goat is browned, transfer to a plate, scrape the pureed chile mixture into the pot, and fry, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add: One 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, or 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped; One 12-ounce bottle Mexican lager or 1 ½ cups water; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 bay leaf

  8. Step 8.

    Return the goat to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the goat is very tender, about 3 hours.

  9. Step 9.

    Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the goat to a plate and skim off any fat from the surface. Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce the braising liquid by two-thirds. As the liquid reduces, shred the meat, removing any bones or gristly bits. When the liquid is thick and reduced, remove from the heat and return the meat to the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning with: Salt; Cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar

  10. Step 10.

    Serve with: Corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade; Lime wedges; Chopped cilantro and green onions

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