Quesabirria Tacos Recipe (Print version)
Tender chile-braised beef folded into crispy red corn tortillas with melted cheese and consome for dipping.
# Ingredients:
For the birria beef
01 -
3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch pieces
02 -
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
03 -
1 teaspoon black pepper
04 -
2 tablespoons neutral oil
05 -
4 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
06 -
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
07 -
1 dried chile de arbol, stemmed and seeded
08 -
3 cups (720 ml) beef broth, plus more as needed
09 -
1 large white onion, half sliced and half finely diced for serving
10 -
6 garlic cloves, peeled
11 -
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
12 -
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
13 -
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
14 -
1 teaspoon ground cumin
15 -
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
16 -
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
17 -
2 bay leaves
For the tacos
18 -
16 corn tortillas
19 -
2 cups (225 g) shredded Oaxaca cheese, Chihuahua cheese, or low-moisture mozzarella
20 -
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
21 -
2 limes, cut into wedges
22 -
Radishes or pickled onions, optional for serving
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo, ancho, and chile de arbol for 10-15 seconds per side until fragrant, then move them to a saucepan.
02 -
Add beef broth, sliced onion, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves to the saucepan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chiles are soft. Remove bay leaves and blend until smooth.
03 -
Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 3-4 minutes per side.
04 -
Pour the blended sauce over the beef. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for about 3 hours, adding a splash of broth if needed, until the beef shreds easily.
05 -
Transfer the beef to a bowl and shred with two forks. Stir in 1/2 cup of consome to keep it juicy. Taste the consome and adjust salt.
06 -
Warm a skillet over medium heat. Dip a tortilla lightly into the red fat on top of the consome, place it in the skillet, then add cheese and shredded beef. Fold and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and melted.
07 -
Ladle hot consome into small bowls. Serve tacos with diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and any extra toppings.
# Good to know:
01 -
Makes about 16 tacos.
02 -
Serve immediately while the tortillas are crisp and the cheese is melted.
03 -
The birria beef can be made 1 day ahead.