When birria ramen popped up on my radar, I knew it was going to be an prompt favourite and it didn’t disappoint.
It’s no secret that Mike and I are noodle folks. We dwell that noodle life – touring to attempt noodles, perfecting noodle recipes, and mainly noodling on a regular basis. If there are noodles concerned, I’m there.
What’s birria?
Let’s step again a bit and discuss birria, which is a Mexican stew. It’s sort of a celebratory dish, the sort that’s conventional at weddings, holidays, and celebrations. It’s often served as a stew with corn tortillas for dipping, however these days birria tacos have been exploding on the taco scene and they’re EVERYWHERE. I’m obsessed. I believe I’ve watched ten thousand movies of birria taco vehicles making birria tacos. It’s mesmerizing: they dip corn tortillas into the ruby pink oil from the stew, high it off with birria meat and fry the whole lot up till it’s crispy and serve it with a little bit cup of consomé. The very best is after they make quesabirria: a additional gooey melted cheese model.
We don’t have a birria taco truck in our neighborhood, nevertheless it’s okay as a result of we’ve been making birria tacos at residence! Mike has an superior recipe so in case you don’t wish to miss out on the birria taco practice, please test it out. Anyway, the opposite sort of birria that has been on my drool checklist is birria ramen. I preserve seeing LA taco vehicles marrying the 2 and to me it looks like the proper mixture. So, birria ramen… let’s taco about that!
What’s birria ramen?
Birria ramen is a mash up of birria and ramen. Birria is a savory, barely spicy, candy, bitter, and tremendous savory Mexican (historically lamb) beef stew. Chunks of beef are marinated in dried chiles, chipotles in adobo, vinegar, herbs, and spices and gradual cooked into a young, collapse, juicy beef stew. Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup with a wealthy, deep flavorful broth stuffed with umami, chewy noodles, and toppings.
For this birria ramen, the birria consomé (that’s the soup that you simply get while you make birria) stands in for the ramen broth, to which we’ll add noodles, chunks of meat, shredded cabbage, onions, cilantro, jalapeños, a birria ramen egg, and a squeeze of lime.
Elements for birria ramen
- Birria stew. That is the bottom of your ramen: each the soup and the meat element. Most ramen shares are created from bone broth however on this case we’re going to make use of the tremendous flavorful consomé that you simply get while you prepare dinner birria. Most cuts of beef will work within the stew however I like to recommend going for shank as a result of it has as bone in it, which can add additional taste to the broth. Learn extra about birria stew right here.
- Ramen noodles. You possibly can go all out and make your personal ramen noodles or you’ll be able to go the simple route and purchase recent ramen noodles. Making your personal noodles is at all times higher however typically means an excessive amount of work, even for us, so we often go along with recent/frozen. Extra on that under.
- Toppings. It’s at all times enjoyable when a bowl of ramen has complementing and contrasting flavors and textures. This birria ramen has shredded cabbage for crunch, pickled onions for a tart sharp chew, chopped cilantro for a recent herbaceousness, sliced jalapeños for spice, a wedge of lime for brightness, and a birria ramen egg, as a result of what even is ramen with no ramen egg. Oh, and a crispy birria taco, simply because!
The very best noodles to make use of for selfmade ramen
Contemporary ramen noodles can be my best choice for birria ramen. We advocate Solar Noodles (pictured under) – you will get them at most Asian supermarkets within the frozen part. It’s also possible to use dried prompt ramen noodles. I just like the thick and chewy texture of Nongshim Shin Ramyun (not the cup ones).
Methods to make birria ramen
- Make the birria. Marinate the meat (in a single day if in case you have the time, however for two hours minimal) after which make the stew within the Instantaneous Pot on excessive stress. The Instantaneous Pot does an important job of cooking your meat and locking in flavors in an excellent brief time. After all you can also make this on the range or a gradual cooker as effectively. When the birria is completed, take away the meat and shred it. You possibly can pressure the inventory too, however in case you don’t wish to, a minimum of ensure you take out the bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon. When the meat and consomé are accomplished, it’s time to prepare dinner your noodles.
- Prepare dinner the ramen noodles. Prepare dinner your ramen noodles in an enormous pot of boiling water. Deliver a big pot of water to a rolling, arduous boil. You need a huge pot so while you add your noodles, it doesn’t drop the temperature of the water. In case your pot is simply too small, it’ll take time on your water to come back again to a boil, which suggests your noodles shall be cooking for longer than the meant time they recommend on the bundle. Soggy noodles are a travesty. You need chewy, toothsome noodles with a little bit of chew. Drain effectively.
- Assemble the bowl. Ladle pipping sizzling consomé into deep bowls (ones that may maintain a minimum of 3 cups of liquid). Add the drained ramen and loosen a bit with chopsticks. Prime with a beneficiant quantity of beef, a birria ramen egg, shredded cabbage, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, and a wedge of lime.
Ideas and Tips
- Marinate. If in case you have the time, marinate the meat in a single day – it’ll make for a extra flavorful ramen.
- Make forward. You can also make this fully forward of time, prepping the stew and the entire toppings. When it’s time to eat, all you have to do is warmth stuff up. It’s (nearly) prompt gratification! Plus, in case you make the birria the day earlier than, you’ll be able to pressure and chill the consomé. Whenever you put the consomé within the fridge (retailer the meat individually), the fats will rise to the highest and solidify so you’ll be able to simply take away it and add it again in. You undoubtedly wish to add a number of the oil again in, it’s taste!
- Ensure you have bowls. Ramen is supposed to be served in deep bowls – bowls deep sufficient to carry your soup and your noodles – a daily shallow soup bowl isn’t going to chop it. Should you don’t have devoted ramen bowls, use the most important, deepest bowls you have got, ones that may maintain a minimum of 3 cups of liquid.
- Make tacos. Make a taco (or 5) and serve them up with the birria ramen for dipping. The distinction between the crispy, crunchy taco with the ramen is superb.
