Birria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Birria
Plato de birria.jpg
Birria served with condiments
TypeStew
Place of originMexico
Region or stateJalisco
Main ingredientsMeat (typically goat), dried chili peppers

Birria (Spanish: [ˈbirja] (About this soundlisten)) is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. The Spanish term "birria" is used to describe immaterial things without value or quality. It is a traditional ancestral soup or stew made from a combination of chili pepper-based goat meat adobo, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, and thyme, and cooked at a low heat underground. Sometimes beef, or sheep is substituted for goat. It may be seasoned and garnished with onion, cilantro, and lime. It is commonly accompanied with handmade corn tortillas.[1]

In recent years, a popular adaption of birria has been quesabirria, a style of taco composed of a brisket birria served with melted cheese in a taco that has been stained red by the birria marinade. While not a traditional Mexican dish, quesabirria, also known as red tacos, has become popular in the United States due to its Instagram-friendliness.[2][3]

Culture Significance[]

Birria is one of the most famous dishes from Jalisco. Each of the 125 municipalities in the state of Jalisco is said to have its own version of this dish. The most famous are goat birria from Ameca and cow's head birria from Mascota. The municipalities of San Martín de Hidalgo, Sayula, Zacoalco, San Pedro Tlaquepaque, and Guadalajara are also well-known for the quality of their birria.[4]

Restaurants or street carts that serve birria are known as birrierias and exist throughout Mexico, especially in Jalisco and its capital, Guadalajara. Birria is an icon of the cultural identity of the people of Jalisco, known as jaliscienses, especially Guadalajarans. However, neighboring Mexican states have their own variations of the dish, including birria style Zacatecas and the birria de Colima.[5]

History[]

In 1519, Hernán Cortés and the Conquistadors first landed in Mexico, bringing various old-world domestic animals, including goats. During the Conquest of Mexico, the Conquistadors were faced with an overpopulation of goats, so they decided to give the animals to the natives.

While goat meat was looked down upon by the Conquistadors, as it was tough, had a strong smell, and was hard to digest, the natives accepted the animals, marinating the meat in indigenous styles and cooking it underground, making the meat palatable and appetizing.

The dishes they produced were called "birria", a derogatory term meaning "worthless", by the Spanish, in reference to their having given the natives meat with apparently noxious characteristics.[6]

In 1950, a taquero named Guadalupe Zárate moved to Tijuana from Coatzingo, Puebla, where he set up a small stand that sold goat birria and traditional asada and pastor tacos. Zárate soon decided to make beef birria because goat meat was more expensive and less fatty. One day, someone told Zárate to add more liquid to the meat. The resulting dish is now known as Tijuana-style Beef Birria, making a household name among birrierias for being the first person in Tijuana to make birria with consommé. In 1980, Juan Jose Romero opened the restaurant "Tacos Aaron", which served goat and beef birria. In 2001, Tacos Aaron started serving quesabirria, cheesy beef birria tacos. As other birrierias adopted the dish, it quickly became a phenomenon in both Tijuana and Los Angeles.

In 2013, Ruben Ramirez and his cousin Oscar Gonzales began selling birria in Los Angeles, setting up a stand in the driveway of Gonzales's house. In 2015, Gonzales and his brother Omar set up a birria truck in South Central. In 2016, Teddy Vasquez opened Teddy's Red Tacos, also in Los Angeles. The Gonzales truck and Teddy's Red Tacos, both serving Poblana street food, became popular on social media and by 2018 birria and birria tacos submerged in consommé were a national trend. [7]

Gallery[]

Birria with consommé
Birria Pot
Birria style Jalisco

See Also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Tamez and Barreras, Abraham and Roxana (2021-02-26). "Birria: its successful ancestral secret recipe". interesante. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  2. ^ Tsai, Luke (2019-11-21). "How Quesabirria Became the Bay Area's Hottest Taco Trend". Eater SF. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  3. ^ Kindelsperger, Nick (2020-09-08). "Meet the quesabirria, Chicago's new cheesy, beefy and messy taco obsession". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  4. ^ Rao, Tejal (2021-02-08). "The Birria Boom is Complicated but Simply Delicious,". New York Times. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  5. ^ Rafael Hernández, "Birria," in Celebrating Latino Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions, Vol. 1 (2012, ed. María Herrera-Sobek).
  6. ^ Cardenas, Juan Ramon (2021). La Senda del Cabrito. Ediciones Larousse. ISBN 607212366X.
  7. ^ Esparza, Bill (2017-06-17). L.A. Mexicano. Prospect Park Books. ISBN 978-1945551000.
Retrieved from ""