Birria

Birria is Jalisco's contribution to the world's short list of great stews. Goat - traditionally, and still at the serious houses - is marinated in a paste of dried chiles, garlic, cumin and vinegar, then cooked slowly: buried in a pit oven with maguey leaves in the old country method, or steamed and braised in modern kitchens, until the meat surrenders entirely and the drippings become a deep red consome. It is served two ways: en su jugo, a bowl of meat swimming in broth with onion, cilantro and lime, eaten with tortillas at breakfast and famously prescribed for hangovers; or as tacos, dipped in the fat and griddled crisp. That second style, married with cheese as quesabirria and photographed mid-dip in its consome, became the great taco export of the last decade - though in Jalisco the beef version common abroad is regarded as a cousin rather than the thing itself. Cocula, Tlaquepaque and the Guadalajara markets keep the reference kitchens; queues start early and the pots empty by lunch.

What you actually see

• The pit or steam pot - goat cooked to collapse in chile paste.
• The consome - red broth from the drippings, drunk alongside.
• The two services - bowl in its juice, or griddled tacos.
• The morning trade - birrierias busiest at breakfast.

When to go

Mornings, especially weekends, when the pots are fresh and the queue is the local one. Sundays are the classic birria day across Jalisco.

Honest expectations

Goat has a distinct flavour that beef versions soften - order chivo where it is offered if you want the original. Fat content is high by design. The best places are plain rooms with one dish on the menu.

Nearby

Guadalajara's markets, Tlaquepaque's Parian and Cocula's plaza all serve the reference bowls.