Rich birria stew prepared for quinceañera celebrations feeds the festive crowd. This high protein, family celebration dish is a fresh, flavorful, carnivore centerpiece.
Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, then remove seeds and stems.
In a large pot, combine the toasted chiles, tomatoes, onion, and garlic; cover with water, bring to a simmer, and cook 10 minutes until softened.
Blend the softened chiles, tomatoes, onion, and garlic with cumin, oregano, peppercorns, cinnamon, salt, and apple cider vinegar; process until smooth.
Season all beef pieces with salt, then brown them in batches over medium-high heat in a heavy Dutch oven for 2–3 minutes per side.
Pour the blended chile sauce over the browned beef, add bay leaves, cover with enough water to submerge the meat, bring to a low boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 4–5 hours until fork-tender.
Skim excess fat, adjust seasoning with salt, and shred beef as desired before serving with broth.