My friend Ignacio Padilla Rivas is not a man much given to poetry. But he comes very close to it when the topic is birria, particularly birria as it is made in Aguascalientes, where he grew up. "When you have one of those hangovers that make you feel as if you're close to death, birria will save you. A few beers, a few tacos de birria at Los Toriles (a birrieria in Aguascalientes, the capital city in the state of the same name) and you can feel yourself, as David Gilmour would say, 'Coming Back to Life.'"
Of course, this classic Mexican stew was not invented in Aguascalientes (where, by the way, it's typically not served as a stew). Its roots are in neighboring Jalisco. After the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century, livestock animals like goats, cattle, and sheep were introduced to the country. All three would later be used to make birria. Cattle-sourced beef, for example, remains the meat of choice used by residents of La Barca, one of two towns in Jalisco that claim to have invented the dish.
However, most sources credit this delicious creation to the pueblo mágico of Cocula, where goat meat and ground chilies were originally wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked pit-style in underground ovens. Legend has it that goats eventually became so abundant that Spanish conquistadors gave them to the Indigenous inhabitants of the Sayula municipality, who made the strange meat even more palatable with the addition of an adobo salsa rub.
Over time, as the dish evolved in Jalisco, it was most often served in a broth with the goat accompanied by chilies and tomatoes with onion and cilantro garnishes. In Aguascalientes, where birria has also been made since the 16th century, the broth is typically served on the side as a consomé. This consomé, as with barbacoa, is collected from the meat drippings produced during birria's lengthy preparation process.
But that's not the only difference from the Jalisco version. In Aguascalientes, lamb is the preferred meat. No, it's not used exclusively. "Some restaurants use goat or beef," says Manuel Serna, owner of Birria Los Toriles. "But the principal ingredient at our restaurant is lamb meat, with tomato and spices like chile de árbol for the sauce, and onions added to give it more flavor."
Lamb for birria estilo Aguascalientes is usually wrapped in maguey leaves and steamed overnight rather than cooked in an oven. When ready, it's served on a plate or in a shallow bowl to corral any remaining drippings, with the onions on top of the meat. This arrangement makes it easier to spoon the birria into corn tortillas for tacos along with the chile-seasoned salsa. Small bowls of serrano peppers are often provided for those seeking a more pronounced level of spiciness.
Birria Los Toriles is one of the premier destinations for those interested in tasting traditional birria estilo Aguascalientes. The restaurant's interior is instantly recognizable thanks to the walls covered in bullfighting posters and memorabilia. Aguascalientes, of course, is notable for its bullfighting history and has produced several famous toreros, including Joselito Adame and Miguel Espinosa, nicknamed "Armallita" like his legendary father Fermín Espinosa, who retired to Aguascalientes after establishing himself as one of the greatest matadors in Mexican history. Corridas de toros are still a traditional part of the annual Feria Nacional de San Marcos, the largest fair in Mexico.
However, the most iconic destination for birria in Aguascalientes is Mercado Juárez (also known as El Mercado de la Birra), which hosts about two dozen small birrierias and a few huarache vendors, just in case visitors want to buy a new pair of sandals between samples of birria from the specialists in the dish housed in its many stalls. Some, like the acclaimed El Lago Azul and Birrieria Los Vazquez, have been open for over sixty-eight years. That is to say, slightly longer than Mercado Juárez itself, which opened its doors on Calle General Guadalupe Victoria in the city center of Aguascalientes in 1957.
El Lago Azul and Birrieria Los Vazquez, like Birria Los Torriles, serve lamb that has been steamed overnight in the signature Aguascalientes style, one of the reasons this market is considered a representative purveyor of the city's (and state's) quintessential dish. It's open until 8 p.m., an early closing that may not seem conducive to dinnertime visits. That's because most locals prefer their birria for breakfast or lunch.
There's never a bad time to visit Aguascalientes or to sample its wonderful birria. But some times are better than others. Each September, for example, in conjunction with the fiestas patrias surrounding Mexican Independence Day, a Festival Nacional de la Birria is held in Rincón de Romos, a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 in the northern part of the state. During the festival's fifth edition this year, 32 local birria makers gathered to showcase their versions, along with visiting exhibitors from other noteworthy birria-producing states like Jalisco and Zacatecas.
But the best time, bar none is during the Feria Nacional de San Marcos, an event as singularly unforgettable as Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Held yearly since 1828 around the feast day of St. Mark (April 25), the fair offers many attractions for visitors to Aguascalientes (the city), from rodeos, casino gambling, and concerts featuring a who's who of Latin American music stars to more controversial yet culturally embedded activities like bullfighting and cockfighting. Regional gastronomy, naturally, also takes center stage during the fair's extended three to four-week run time, with birrias galore available from vendor stands and restaurants.
Of course, those who attend for the full nearly monthlong slate of festivities run the risk of coming down with their fair share of hangovers. But this risk is always mitigated in Aguascalientes by the proliferation of birrierias, where cures for the condition are dished out daily.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor's Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.