Birria Flatbread

Ingredients

For the Birria: 

• 2 pounds 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 pounds 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 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil  
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or Aleppo chili pepper  
• 2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil 

Papa Chulo (green) Sauce (blend all ingredients): 

• 1 bunch cilantro  
• 1 serrano pepper, destemmed and deseeded 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, destemmed and deseeded 
• 2 cloves garlic  
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 
• Juice of half of a lime 
• Juice of half of an orange 
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• Salt & pepper to taste 

For the flatbreads (optional): 

• 6 lavash flatbreads  
• 1-2 cups Monterey jack or Oaxaca cheese 
• Papa chulo (green) sauce for topping 
• Optional: sliced red onion, avocado, cilantro 

Directions

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 in 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 sauté 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 sauté 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: 

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

1. Preheat the oven to 450. 
2. 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. 

Serves: 3-4