Beef Birria

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1. 1Step 1: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
2. 2Step 2: Turn off the heat, add the guajillo chiles and arbol chiles to the hot water, cover and soak for 15 minutes.
3. 3Step 3: After you've soaked the guajillo and arbol chilies, remove them from the water and set aside one cup of the chili soaking water.
4. 4Step 4: Cut off the stem of the chiles, slice them open and remove the seeds.
5. 5Step 5: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
6. 6Step 6: Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes.
7. 7Step 7: Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
8. 8Step 8: Transfer the onions and garlic to a blender.
9. 9Step 9: Add the entire can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the entire can of crushed tomatoes and apple cider vinegar to the blender.
10. 10Step 10: Add the salt, pepper, oregano, paprika, cloves and cumin to the blender.
11. 11Step 11: Add the soaked chiles and cup of chili soaking water to the blender.
12. 12Step 12: Blend until smooth.
13. 13Step 13: Place the chunks of beef in a deep casserole dish and pour the sauce from the blender over the beef.
14. 14Step 14: Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 6-8 hours.
15. 15Step 15: After the beef has marinated, preheat the oven to 350°F.
16. 16Step 16: Heat a large dutch oven over high heat on the stove.
17. 17Step 17: Use tongs to remove the pieces of beef from the marinade and add them to the hot pan on the stove.
18. 18Step 18: Sear the beef on all sides for 1-2 minutes, then pour the marinating liquid over the beef in the pan.
19. 19Step 19: Add the beef stock to the pan and bring the liquid to a boil.
20. 20Step 20: Once boiling, add the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
21. 21Step 21: Place a tight-fitting lid on the dutch oven, or if you do not have a lid, cover tightly with foil.
22. 22Step 22: Remove from the stove and place in the preheated 350°F oven for 2 hours.
23. 23Step 23: After 2 hours, remove the birria from the oven and use a slotted spoon to remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the dutch oven.
24. 24Step 24: Use tongs to remove the pieces of beef from the liquid and place them on a cutting board.
25. 25Step 25: Use two forks, or meat claws, to shred the beef.
26. 26Step 26: Depending on how you're going to serve the birria, you can either add the beef back to the broth, or keep it separate.
27. 27Step 27: If serving the birria traditionally as a soup or stew, place the beef back into the broth and use a ladle to serve the stew in bowls, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onions.
28. 28Step 28: Refer to the blog post above for other ways to use the birria, like in tacos, ramen, quesadillas and more.