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Hey Foodies! Welcome to FoodieQT.

I'm Chio, I'm wife and mother to a family of 4. When I'm not busy making crafts, I'm cooking in the kitchen. These meals are designed for everything who wants to make a meal homemade quick. I'm not a trained chef, just a home cook who loves to cook and bake. I start my day with cooking for scratch for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

This is the place where food and flavors meet, then you EAT...













Thursday, December 5, 2013

Mexican Food: Birria (Beef or Goat Soup)

Since, I can remember, I had birria at least a couple of times a month. Every Saturday or Sunday, my parents and I would take a holiday trip to Tijuana, Mexico. To the birreria "Guanjuanto." They made the best birria I've ever tasted in my entire life. We always gave other establishments a try, but none of them could compare.

 As I grow older, we can't just pick up and take a holiday, because our schedules are busy with school, work, and life in general. I miss those days of being a kid and not having a care in the world. Since, then whenever we go to Tijuana- it is a must we go eat there. Mind you, we're only 30 minutes away, but due to high traffic and long border crossings, it has become almost a 8-hour trip, just to come back to the states. I decided I wanted my kids to grow up with the same palette as I did as a kid. My first try on making birria myself was good, just adding seasonings here and there, beginner's luck, if you will. But I've made it more often and with different versions of meat and a variety of spices. I think I've gotten down the basic recipe to share with you.

  Now, usually making birria requires a huge stock pot, which I didn't have, so I decided to use my slow cooker. I'm be using my recipe, with a few minor adjustments to best suit a slow cooker and deliver get flavor.  So, what is birria? It's a soup/stew with meat has been seasoned and marinated for hours and slow cooked over a fire pit or heated stove for hours. Usually served with tortillas as dry shredded/chunk meat with au jus on side to bring out the spicy flavors. Or the meat and au jus served together in a soup. Topped with diced onions, cliantro, chile, and lime. For this recipe to share, I'll be doing the soup version and using goat (chivo surtido), but you can make it with meat for pot roast or shredding.

Supplies:
Chivo surtido (Mixed Goat) 5lbs for this was at my local Mexican supermaket (5lbs x $8.64)
1 can of tomato paste 6oz.
1/2 can of tomato sauce 6or8oz.
2 bay leaves
1 whole onion (peeled skin off)
1 whole head of garlic (do not peel)
salt to taste
1 tablespoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of garlic powder
2 tablespoons of Chile California
1 tablespoon   of Chile Guajillo
1 teaspoon of Achiote (optional, for more spice)
2 teaspoons of Chile powder
1-2 Chile de arbol (whole, no stems, but optional, I like the spice, will dilute so it's not so spicy)
A 6qt slow cooker, mine is Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Slow Cooker
4 cups of water

It might seem like a lot of work, but you can mix all ingredients in the slow cooker dish, except the water. Marinate overnight or minimum of 2 hours. Then add dish to slow cooker, add water, and set on high for 4 hours. You will smell the delicious spices around 3 1/2hrs, but adding that 30 minutes, will ensure all the meat is cooked through. It will also be done on slow for 6 hours.

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