Quesabirria Tacos is a traditional Mexican recipe for a classic dish of tortillas with a cheese and slow-cooked birria beef filling. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Mexican version of: Quesabirria Tacos.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Birria is a regional variation of barbacoa from western Mexico, originally made with goat or mutton. The meat is marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chillies, garlic, and herbs and spices before being cooked in a broth. Tiktok videos made the dish popular in the US, with beef being substituted for the original meats. The birria meat became mixed with cheese in the Tex-Mex dish of quesabirria for filling tacos, as presented here.
Quesabirria Tacos features spicy, shredded beef cooked with melty cheese served inside a crispy tortilla for a dish that comes out like a cross between tacos and quesadillas.
Ingredients:
For the Birria:
4 dried guajillo chillies stems and seeds removed
3 dried ancho chillies stems and seeds removed
2-3 dried chillies de arbol stems and seeds removed
2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 white onion, coarsely chopped
500g tomatoes, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp Mexican oregano
1 tbsp sea salt (or to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp cider vinegar
900g stewing steak, cut into 8cm pieces, (or use bone-in short ribs or oxtail)
750ml low-salt beef stock
For the Tacos:
vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas (flour or cassava flour tortillas also work)
500g Oaxaca cheese or Monterey jack
1 white onion, finely chopped
4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges
Method:
Place a large metal frying pan (or cast iron iron skillet) over medium-high heat. Once hot add the chillies and toast, stirring often, until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and pour over 750ml of boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes to rehydrate.
To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the onion and tomatoes. Cook until softened (about 5–7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 60 seconds).
Transfer the mixture to a blender. Add the chillies along with their soaking liquid, the oregano, salt, cumin, pepper, cinnamon and cider vinegar. Process to blend until smooth.
Heat a cast iron casserole (Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add in the remaining oil and once hot, use brown the beef in batches.
Return the browned beef to the casserole then pour in the sauce and beef stock, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours or until the beef is fall-apart tender.
Place the meat in a bowl and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Reserve the consommé, or sauce, from the beef.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. Dip both sides of a corn tortilla in the consommé. And place it in the pan.
Top with the cheese and birria meat. Once the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla in half. Continue cooking until the tortilla is golden and crisp on both sides. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Serve with onion, cilantro, and the remaining consommé for dipping.
