Birria Pizza

Flavouring everything with Mexican-inspired birria sauce is certainly the moment - but the fad is over, right?

Done in 4 hours

Serves 4

Dish by Hugh Woodward

Ingredients

For the birria:

2 tbspblack peppercorns

1/2 tspcumin seeds

3 cloves

3guajillo chiles

3árbol chiles

3 finger chillis

2 litreschicken stock

400gplum tomatoes

4 clovesgarlic

8beef ribs

flaked sea salt and freshly ground black peppera liberal amount

3 tbspsunflower oil

1whole onion

3 bay leaves

1 tbsp chipotle paste

1 portionpizza dough

200ggrated mozzarella

a handfulchopped onion and coriander

WRONG. The beef stew of your dreams is here to stay and there's nothing you can do about it! Ha ha ha! This time, it's going on a pizza. We really love this recipe, and hope you do to.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place the chillis on a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes until fragrant.

Toast the dry spices in a deep casserole dish. Pour over the chicken stock, add the tomatoes, garlic and roasted chillis. Cool briefly then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

Season the beef ribs and add a splash of oil to a frying pan, Fry them off until well browned. Add to the casserole along with the onion and bay leaves, then pour over the blended chilli mixture. Top up with more water or stock until the beef is covered, then add in the chipotle paste.

Simmer for 4 hours or until the beef is cooked and the fat has risen to the top. Carefully skim off the fat and reduce the cooking liquid if needs be. Shred the meat from the bones and discard the bones.

Shape the pizza dough on a baking tray. Spoon the birria sauce over the middle of the dough, then top with shredded beef and cheese. Make sure the cheese covers the meat or it'll burn.

Use a pizza oven (or a very hot domestic oven) to cook the pizza until puffed up and bubbling.

Scatter with chopped onion and coriander and pour over the hot molten crimson beef fat. Wow.

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Hugh Woodward

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Hugh's culinary life began aged 14 when he cooked spaghetti hoop burritos to impress girls. Since then his colourful career has taken him to performing in Skegness, making cheese in Peckham, running a wine bar on Columbia Road and reluctantly working in a (briefly) Michelin Starred restaurant. He likes fish, things cooked on charcoal, cheap dinners and London's rich cultural tapestry of food shops. When he's not cooking or eating he can be found mudlarking by the river Thames, buying bits in flea markets and hanging out with his cat Keith.