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A bowl of savory noodle soup topped with beef, chopped onions, cilantro, and a lime wedge evokes the essence of birria ramen, with another bowl of this flavorful delight in the background.

Birria Ramen

Mandy Applegate
Spice up your dinner game with a bowl of Birria Ramen! Combining the deep, aromatic spices of traditional birria with the simplicity of ramen noodles creates a meal that's both satisfying and easy to make. Perfect for anyone looking to elevate their noodle soup, it's packed with Mexican flavor and guaranteed to be a winner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese, Mexican
Servings 6
Calories 203 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound chuck roast and rib meat you can omit the rib if you want to use just roast, chopped in 2-inch cubes
  • Salt and pepper
  • Mix of dried Mexican chiles 2 dried guajillos, 2 dried ancho chiles, 4-6 chile de arbol - you can use your own mix
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 6-8 cups beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 instant ramen noodles packages

To serve:

  • White onion cubed
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Lime

Instructions
 

  • Season the chuck roast and rib with salt and pepper.
    1 pound chuck roast and rib meat, Salt and pepper
  • Using gloves to protect your skin, deseed the chiles and remove the stems.
    Mix of dried Mexican chiles
  • Place the chiles, garlic, thyme, oregano, tomillo and 4 cups of beef broth in a blender and process until smooth.
    2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, 6-8 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • Heat the oil in a Dutch oven until very hot and add the meat. Brown the meat on all sides, once it’s browned, add the chili mixture, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks, reduce the heat to a slow simmer, and cook for 3-4 hours. Add more stock as needed.
    2 bay leaves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Remove the meat from the pot and shred it with two forks.
  • Strain the rest of the broth through a sieve and adjust salt and pepper (some people like to add a little sugar to this step, depending on how spicy you like the ramen).
  • Add the ramen noodles to the broth and bring to a boil. Turn off and let the ramen noodles soak.
    2 instant ramen noodles packages
  • Serve the ramen with broth, shredded meat, white onion, cilantro, and lime.
    White onion, Cilantro, Lime

Notes

  • Don't Rush the Simmer: Allow the meat to simmer slowly. This not only tenderizes the meat but also allows the flavors to meld and caramelize.
  • Adjust the Heat: Depending on your spice tolerance, you can modify the amount and types of chiles. Removing seeds and veins will reduce the heat.
  • Thyme: If you can't find fresh thyme, dried herbs are fine, but use them sparingly as their flavors are more concentrated.
  • Other Meat: Chicken can be a lighter alternative to beef, lamb, or goat, commonly used in traditional birria. Just adjust cooking times as chicken tends to cook faster.
  • Add Eggs: Just like classic ramen, adding a soft-boiled egg is delicious in this recipe. Highly recommended.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

  • Separate Components: Keep the noodles separate from the broth and shredded beef. This prevents the noodles from getting mushy.
  • Refrigeration: Store the food in airtight containers in the refrigerator. They should last for up to three days.
  • Reheating: When ready to eat, reheat the broth and meat together in a pot over medium heat until thoroughly warm. Cook fresh noodles or add the leftover noodles at the end to avoid overcooking them.
  • Freezing: The birria meat and broth freeze well for up to a month. However, it’s best to add fresh noodles when you're ready to serve after thawing.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 18gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 962mgPotassium: 408mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 85IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 3mg
Keyword birria ramen
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