Birria Ramen

5 from 1 vote

This Birria ramen recipe is a fusion dish that combines the rich, spiced flavors of Mexican Birria with Japanese ramen. It features tender shredded Birria meat cooked in a Mexican broth (consommé) and served over al dente ramen noodles with fresh toppings.

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Prep Time45

Cook Time4

Total Time4 45

Servings: servings

Author: Molly

INGREDIENTS

Birria Beef (7-8 servings)

4 lb chuck roast cut into 3 to 4-inch chunks (Note 1)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
10 Guajillo chiles washed, stemmed, and seeded
5 ancho chiles washed, stemmed, and seeded
2 arbol chiles washed, stemmed, and seeded (Note 2)
1 medium white onion roughly chopped
3 large Roma tomatoes
2 bay leaves
8 garlic cloves
1/2 Mexican (Ceylon) cinnamon sticks (Note 3)
1 Tablespoon whole black peppercorns
3 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano (Note 4)
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
5-6 cups beef broth or beef stock
3 Tablespoons distilled white vinegar
3 teaspoons kosher salt
Black pepper to taste

Ramen (4 servings)

4 servings Instant Ramen Noodles seasoning packet discarded (Note 5)
Fresh cilantro, diced white onion, soft-boiled eggs (Note 6), and lime for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Wash the peppers then dry them and use a pair of kitchen shears to cut off the stems and slice down the side. Open the peppers and scrape out the seeds.
Add them to a medium saucepan with the onion, Roma tomatoes, bay leaves, garlic, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil. Cover and continue to boil over medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
While it’s boiling, sear the beef. Season each piece of the chuck roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear each side of the beef for 2-3 minutes, until they form a crispy crust on the outside. Work in batches, placing the first batch on a plate or cutting board while you finish. Working in batches helps sear the beef rather than steaming it if the pot is overcrowded.
When all of the beef is seared, turn off the heat and place all the beef back in while you finish the sauce.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peppers and the rest of the ingredients, including the cinnamon stick and bay leaf, to a large high-speed blender. Add 1/2 cup of the boiling liquid along with the cumin, ground cloves, and 4 cups of beef broth. Blend on high until completely smooth, 1-2 minutes?
Strain the consume into the seared beef using a fine mesh sieve.
Bring the beef Birria to a boil over high heat then cover and braise in the oven for 3 1/2 -4 hours. Check the beef periodically starting at the 2-hour mark and add thee reserved chili stewing liquid to keep the beef mostly covered with cooking liquid.
Remove the beef to a rimmed baking sheet or large plate and shred using two forks.
Add the ramen noodles to the beef consomme (leftover Birria broth) and cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes, until the noodles are al dente. Do not overcook.
Ladle the broth and noodles into a large bowl and top with the Birria beef.
Garnish with soft-boiled eggs, chopped onions, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Recipe Equipment

Large pot like a Dutch Oven

High Speed Blender like a Vitamix

Notes

Note 1. Chuck Roast. You could also use a mix of chuck roast and short ribs.

Note 2. Chiles and Spice Level. Guajillo and Ancho chilis are mild peppers. Arbol chilis are pretty spicy and have a xxx rating on the heat scale. 1-2 peppers add a small amount of heat to round out the flavors, yielding a true mild-medium heat??. Omit the arbol chilis completely for mild heat or add up to 8 for maximum spice.

Note 3. Mexican Cinnamon. This is also called Ceylon cinnamon. Mexican cinnamon sticks are softer and easier to blend, which is necessary for this recipe. You can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground Ceylon cinnamon or Cassia cinnamon (common in the US) instead. Do not use Cassia cinnamon sticks or they won’t blend as well.

Note 5. Ramen. You can use frozen fresh noodles, like Sun Noodles, found in most Asian supermarkets. We tested this recipe with noodles that are naturally gluten-free.

Note 6. Soft Boiled Eggs Recipe. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil then turn the heat down for a soft simmer at medium-low. Drop the eggs in one at a time and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Peel, cut in half, and serve.

Using leftover Birria. Bring 6-8 cups of leftover consomme to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the shredded beef and ramen noodles and cook until the noodles are al dente and the beef is warm, 4-5 minutes. Ladle into large bowls and serve.

Slow Cooker: Follow the Birria instructions to simmer the chiles and aromatics then blend the sauce until smooth. Sear the beef in a large skillet and transfer to a large slow cooker. Pour the sauce on top and slow cook for 10 hours, until the beef falls apart with a fork. Follow the instructions to shred and serve the Birria Ramen.

Instant Pot: Follow instructions to simmer the chiles and aromatics then blend until smooth. Sear the beef in the Instant Pot in batches then pour the sauce over the beef. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 55 minutes. Natural release (do nothing) for 15 minutes then turn the valve to the venting position to release the remaining pressure. Follow the instructions to shred and serve the Birria Ramen.

Storing Leftovers: You will have enough beef and consomme to make up to 7 servings of Birria ramen. Use all of it at once for a larger crowd, or follow the directions to either store it in the fridge to eat another day or freeze it for another recipe like tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas.

*Nutrition information does not include toppings.

Nutrition

Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_mollymade or tag #WhatMollyMade so I can see it and feature you!