Birria Salt Bread
I made this birria salt bread after a big batch of birria left me with plenty of flavorful consomé and tender beef. I was thinking how amazing it would be to combine the buttery, flaky texture of salt bread with the rich, spiced flavor of birria.
- 400 g bread flour
- 120 g cake flour
- 365 g refrigerated birria broth (skim off and save any hardened fat; only use the broth here)
- 26 g sugar
- 10 g salt
- 30 g milk powder
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 20 g hardened birria beef fat
- 7 g instant dry yeast
- 12 × 15 g butter chunks (cut 1.5 sticks of butter into 12 pieces; 1 stick of butter = 8 chunks)
- leftover birria beef, shredded
- oaxaca or mozzarella cheese (cut into long blocks)
- fresh cilantro (finely chopped)
- squeeze of lime juice
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add bread flour, cake flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, yeast, and cold birria broth.
- Mix on low speed with a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.
- Add the butter and the hardened birria beef fat, then increase to medium speed.
- Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and passes the windowpane test (about 15–18 minutes).
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place in a bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.
- While the dough rises, cut 1.5 stick of butter into 12 even sticks (~15 g each, 1 stick of butter = 8 chunks).
- Degas the dough and divide into 80 g portions.
- Roll each into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 15 minutes (starting from the first ball you shaped).
- Roll each dough ball into a long teardrop shape, keeping the top wide and the bottom narrow.
- Flatten the bottom half with a rolling pin, then flatten the wider top into a triangle. I like to roll the top of the dough slightly wider than usual to give more space for the filling.
- Place a block of cheese, a piece of butter, and a small spoonful of birria beef at the wide end.
- Roll down toward the point, gently tugging for tension, and place seam-side down on a baking tray.
- Place rolls on baking tray (no parchment paper) with space between them.
- Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Just before baking, spray each roll generously (about 20 pumps) for added steam.
- Lower oven to 400°F (204°C) and bake for 12 minutes, rotating the tray halfway if needed for even browning.
- Mix some leftover birria fat or melted butter with chopped cilantro, and brush it over the hot rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Serve warm—the bottom will be crisp and buttery, the center soft, and the inside packed with cheesy, juicy birria flavor.
To bring out even more birria flavor, I skimmed off and chilled the beef fat from the top of the consomé until it hardened. That rendered fat smells incredible, and I replaced part of the butter in the dough with it. Not only does it add flavor, but it also gives the dough a subtle reddish tint that makes it even more appetizing.
Why I Made This
After making a big pot of birria, I didn’t want any of it to go to waste. I already had tacos and quesadillas planned, but the leftover broth and beef fat had too much flavor to toss. I started thinking about ways to infuse it into my bread recipes—and salt bread felt like the perfect match. The buttery layers, soft interior, and crispy golden bottom pair beautifully with the rich, beefy taste of birria.
This birria salt bread is buttery, fragrant, and savory, with juicy bits of birria beef and melted cheese tucked inside. The broth in the dough gives it a deep, layered flavor throughout, while the beef fat adds richness and color. When baked, the rolls turn golden and crisp on the outside, with soft, steamy centers that pull apart beautifully. Every bite tastes like birria and butter in the best way possible.
About the Birria Recipe
If you want to make your own birria from scratch, you can find my full recipe here: Birria Tacos. You’ll get plenty of delicious meat and broth—enough to enjoy tacos the first day and use the leftovers for this birria salt bread.
If you’d rather make my original version of salt bread without birria, you can find that base recipe here: Salt Bread (Shio Pan).
