Birria is a Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco. The dish is a spicy stew, traditionally made from goat meat or mutton, but occasionally from beef or chicken. It is garnished with finely chopped onions and cilantro, a hint of lime and salsa, and it is usually accompanied by a side of rice and beans. The dish is often served at celebratory occasions, such as weddings and baptisms, and holidays.
Birria is synonymous with Party. It is a food commonly served in many of my family’s major celebrations. This is why I chose it as the subject of my presentation. My parents served it for my Quinceaῆera, my parents Wedding, my brother’s Wedding. My husband and I served it at our daughter’s Quinceaῆera. It is tradition, it is undoubtedly Mexican, it is a food that represents who I am and it also denotes Happiness. It’s a food that connects my past to my present.
It is also touted as a hangover cure. Although that may be the result of having partied all night long with too much liquor and warming the Birria to eat the next day. Warming the Birria is also known as the “recalentado”. But what’s in the Birria that may provide a hangover cure? Our family usually opts for Beef Birria and not goat as the main component of the dish. Beef is a protein. Protein is essential to any diet. The body needs it to build muscle and maintain organs. Beef is also a rich source of many minerals including including Iron and Zinc. Minerals are needed for the proper function of all the body’s sytems. Beef is also rich in several vitamins such as B12, B6, and riboflavin. B12 is essential for normal digestion and absorption of nutrients. It also plays a role in other processes like sleep, mental functioning, and immunity just to name a few. However, Beef is not a food to eat every single day. Studies have shown, eating beef can significantly expand your waistline and cause other health issues such as heart disease, some studies even say cancer. Harvard researchers found that people who consumed three ounces of red meat everyday were about 13 % more likely to die than the people that didn’t. Although this information may appear to put you off on beef, remember Birria is reserved for special occasions. Eat birria, get drunk and enjoy another bowl at the recanlentado the next day.
While we are on the subject of getting drunk, you may need a drink after I provide the following statistics on Beef. According to BeefUSA.org ;
• U.S. commercial slaughter total was 28.74 million head (fed steer and heifer & non-fed cow & bull; 2015)
• U.S. beef production (commercial carcass weight) was 23.69 billion pounds. (2015) The total U.S. beef consumed was 24.807 billion pounds. (2015) Average annual U.S. retail Choice beef price in 2015 was $6.29/lb.
• Value of total U.S. beef exports (including variety meat) equaled $6.302 billion down from $7.135 (billion)
That’s an impressive amount of beef. There are many sources of information that make case for Meatless Monday’s not only for health benefits but also to reduce the greenhouse gases that are affecting our environment. The environment is a different subject from my Birria, but it is related. The number of cattle produced is due to demand. The increased population is requiring more food and resources to supply the demand. In meeting these demands, there is massive deforestation occurring, which also affects our environment. Its cause and effect… Let the drinking begin!

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