Birria Ramen

• 8 g Dried ancho chiles (0.3 oz)
• 200 g raw Beef chuck, trimmed (7.1 oz raw)
• 6 g Olive oil (1⅓ tsp)
• 90 g raw Onion (3.2 oz raw)
• 6 g raw (2 cloves) Garlic
• 80 g Crushed tomatoes (⅓ cup)
• 8 g Apple cider vinegar (½ tbsp)
• 1.5 g Ground cumin (¾ tsp)
• 1 g Dried oregano (1 tsp)
• 0.4 g Ground cinnamon (⅛ tsp)
• 1.2 g Salt (¼ tsp)
• 350 g Beef broth, low sodium (1½ cups)
• 800 g Water for the noodles (3⅓ cups)
• 70 g Dried ramen noodles (2.5 oz)
• 8 g Lime juice (½ tbsp)
• 6 g raw Cilantro (⅓ cup chopped)
• 20 g raw Red onion (0.7 oz raw)

You'll need: Dutch oven or heavy pot with lid, Blender or immersion blender, Medium pot, Ladle, Knife and cutting board.

Method

1. Soak the chiles

   Pull the stems and seeds from the chiles. Toast them in the dry pot for about 30 seconds a side on medium heat, then cover them with 150 g of the hot beef broth and soak for 10 minutes, until soft.

   Don't let them smoke. Burnt chiles turn the whole broth bitter.

2. Blend the birria base

   Tip the chiles and their broth into the blender with half the onion, the garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and half the salt. Blend until completely smooth.

   Blend for a full minute. A silky base makes the broth glossy.

3. Brown and braise the beef

   Cut the beef into 4 cm (1½ inch) chunks. Then scrub the board, knife and your hands with soap before you touch anything else. Heat the oil in the pot on medium-high and brown the beef for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the onion, chopped, and cook 2 minutes. Pour in the blended base and the rest of the beef broth, cover, and simmer on low for about 65 minutes, until the beef falls apart and reaches at least 90°C (195°F), far past the safe 63°C (145°F).

   Keep it at a gentle bubble. Hard boiling toughens the beef.

4. Cook the noodles and shred

   Shred the beef with two forks right in the broth. Boil the noodles in a pot of salted water for 4–5 minutes, until tender, and drain.

   Cook noodles separately. Starch from them would cloud the broth.

5. Build the bowl

   Put the noodles in a deep bowl, ladle over the beef and broth, and top with the lime juice, cilantro and thinly sliced red onion.

   Spoon some of the red fat from the top of the pot over the bowl for color and flavor.

Swaps

• Beef chuck, trimmed → Chicken thighs, 240 gCooks in 25 minutes; reach 74°C (165°F).
• Dried ramen or egg noodles → Rice noodlesGluten-free and lighter; soak rather than boil.