Birria is a Mexican meat stew marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chiles, herbs, and spices, made all the better flatbread-style. With the Proctor Silex Simplicity Pressure Cooker, I used the sauté setting to brown the meat before pressure cooking for one hour, while preparing a Papi Chulo sauce to drizzle on the finished flatbreads. I also used New Mexican Chilies instead of Ancho, but loved the combination of flavors, especially paired with the roasted tomatoes. You can easily make these paleo by using paleo-compliant tortillas, or serving it in “burrito bowl form,” with the birria stew meat, avocado, sautéed veggies, quinoa, etc. With Oaxacan cheese and the birria consommé as the sauce, these flatbreads are the perfect dinner for 3-4 people.

This pressure cooker is great for both couples and families and works wonders in breaking down tough cuts of meat into melt-in-your-mouth stews. If you’d like to win a pressure cooker of your own, you can enter* by doing the following:

• Follow me (@cleaneatsfactory) and @proctor_silex on Instagram 

• Comment in the Instagram post what you would make in this pressure cooker

• Giveaway will end on August 31, 2022.

*Giveaway only open to those 18+, residing in the U.S. (excluding Hawaii and Alaska) with a valid street address (no P.O. boxes)

A FEW THINGS TO NOTE:

• When toasting the chiles, use a dry pan over medium-heat and toast for no more than 2-3 minutes max. If you burn the chilies, it won’t be as noticeable while they dry, but you’ll see the burn marks as they rehydrate and it often lends a bitter taste.

• After cooking these in the pressure cooker, you can further reduce the sauce by removing the meat, shredding it separately, and then letting the sauce reduce by half over medium-high heat on the saute setting (stirring often). 

If you make these Birria tacos, tag @cleaneatsfactory on Instagram! Feel free to leave any questions in the comments, contact form or DM me.

INGREDIENTS

For the Birria:

• 2 lbs boneless beef stew meat 

• 1 New Mexican Chile

• 3 Guajillo Chile

• 2 cups roasted tomatoes (recipe follows)

• 2 whole cloves

• 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1⁄4 teaspoon black peppercorns

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

• 1⁄4 teaspoon marjoram

• 1⁄2 small white onion 

• 1 in of stick of Ceylon cinnamon

• 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar

• Salt & pepper to taste

For the roasted tomatoes:

• 2 lbs tomatoes (I used a mix of vine, roma & cherry tomatoes)*

• 1 small yellow onion, cut into quarters and slices separated 

• 2 cloves garlic, whole

• Flake salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• 1 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced

• 1/2 tsp dried basil 

• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo chile pepper 

• 2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Papa Chulo Sauce (blend all ingredients):

• 1 bunch cilantro 

• 1 serrano pepper, destemmed and deseeded

• 1 jalapeno pepper, destemmed and deseeded

• 2 cloves garlic 

• 1 tsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• Juice of ½ lime

• Juice of ½  orange

• 2 tbsp EVOO

• 1 tsp sugar

• Salt & pepper to taste

For the flatbreads (optional):

• 6 lavash flatbreads 

• 1-2 cups monterey jack of oaxaca cheese

• Green sauce of topping

• Optional: sliced red onion, avocado, cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

For the birria:

1. Season the stew meat with salt & pepper to taste. Set aside while you prepare your sauce. 

2. De-stem and de-seed the peppers, then lightly toast them on a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn them. Once toasted, let them rehydrate in a bowl covered in boiling water for 20 minutes.

3. Toast the whole spices: cumin, black peppercorns, and cloves for 30 seconds over medium heat. Add them to a blender alongside the roasted tomatoes, soaked & drained peppers, onion, apple cider vinegar, and remaining herbs and spices. Blend until a smooth sauce forms. 

4. Coat the meat in the sauce and let marinate in the fridge for 4 hours to overnight. 

5. When ready to make the stew, set the Instant Pot on saute and once hot, add enough oil to cover the bottom. Sear the meat until browned on both sides, in batches if necessary, then turn off the saute setting and add the remaining sauce and 1/4 cup water. Stir to make sure the meat is fully coated, then seal the Instant Pot and pressure cook on medium setting for 1 hr. Let the pressure naturally release for 20-25 minutes once done. 

For the roasted tomatoes:

1. *if using larger tomatoes (anything larger than grape/cherry), then cut into quarters before roasting

2. Preheat the oven to 450.

3. Combine all the roasted tomato ingredients, tossing to coat. Place in a roasting pan and roast for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and the tomatoes burst.

To assemble the flatbreads:

1. Using a pastry brush, brush the sauce of the stew meat onto the flatbreads until evenly coated.

2. Add the cheese and chunks of meat, then bake at 400F for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the flatbread is crispy.

3. Drizzle with papa chulo sauce and optional toppings.