Some food and wine pairings are tried and true, like oysters and Pinot Gris or steak and Cabernet. Pairing with a wine like Grüner Veltliner, which is rare in Oregon, can be more of a mystery. To find just the right match, Executive Chef Stevie Provencio went south of the border and landed on birria, a traditional Mexican stew. This pairing is a good example of opposites attracting, where the wine’s brisk acidity cuts through the meat’s richness and heat, making for a delightful and somewhat surprising combination. Here’s the recipe!
Birria
Ingredients:
5 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large 4 inch chunks
3 T. olive oil
2 T. kosher salt
1 T. black pepper
12 guajillo chilis, seeded
5 ancho chilis, seeded
5 Chiles de Arbol
3 large Roma tomatoes, halved
1 large yellow onion, halved
1 cinnamon stick
5 bay leaves
2 T. peppercorns
3 cups good quality beef stock
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
8 cloves of garlic
2 t. cumin, freshly ground if possible
2 T. oregano
8 cloves
To assemble:
Generously season the meat with salt and pepper on all sides, and heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the meat and sear on all sides until browned. Remove the pot from the heat, add the seared meat back into the pot, and set aside.
While the meat is searing, add the guajillo chiles, ancho chiles, arbol chiles, tomatoes, onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a medium pot. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the softened chiles and all the other ingredients to a large blender. Add 1 cup of the chili-soaked cooking water, the beef broth, white vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cloves. Blend on high for a few minutes until completely smooth. (You may have to do this in 2 batches if your blender isn’t big enough.)
Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh strainer into the pot with the seared meat. Discard any solids left behind. Stir the meat and chili sauce together to combine and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 3½ hours until the meat is fall-apart tender.
Transfer the meat to a large bowl and shred it with 2 forks. Add the meat back into the consommé and serve as a stew in bowls with diced onion and chopped cilantro or as tacos in corn tortillas with shredded Oaxaca cheese, cilantro and diced onions. Enjoy with a glass of chilled 2023 King Estate Havlin Vineyard Grüner Veltliner.
