Birria

Birria is beef braised for hours in a broth of dried chiles and spices until it falls apart, served with its own consommé for dipping. It's Jalisco's slow-cooked stew, traditionally made with goat for weekend celebrations, though beef has become the everyday version found on most menus today.

What it actually is

Beef, usually a well-marbled cut like chuck, braises for hours in a broth built from toasted dried chiles, garlic, cumin, bay leaf and other spices blended into a paste and simmered until the meat is falling-apart tender and the broth has turned deep red and richly flavoured. The meat is shredded, and the broth — the consommé — is served alongside in its own small bowl for dipping.

The consommé is not an afterthought; a birria without it is missing half the dish, since the ritual of dipping the meat, or a folded taco made from it, into the hot broth is central to how it's eaten.

How it's served

• Shredded meat on a plate or in tacos, with the consommé served in a separate bowl for dipping.
• With chopped onion, cilantro and a lime wedge, added at the table.
• As birria tacos, dipped in consommé and pan-fried until the tortilla crisps, a popular modern format.

Writing it on a menu

• Say whether it's the classic goat version or the more common beef version, since both exist and regulars may have a preference.
• Mention that the consommé is served separately for dipping, not poured over the meat; it's an integral part of the dish, not a side soup.
• Note if you serve it as birria tacos, since that's a distinct, popular way to order it beyond the plated stew.
• Flag that it's a slow-braised dish; the long cook time is part of what regulars are ordering, not something to shortcut.