Birria Fries Recipe

Toast and rehydrate chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove stems and seeds. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak 20 minutes until softened, then drain (reserve soaking liquid).

Prepare aromatic vegetables

While chiles soak, char roma tomatoes and quartered onion in the dry skillet or under a broiler until blackened in spots (6–8 minutes), turning as needed. Peel any heavily charred skin from tomatoes if desired.

Make chile paste

In a blender add drained softened chiles, charred tomatoes, charred onion (reserve a little onion for the pot if you like), garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, ground cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid or beef broth. Blend until very smooth, adding more liquid a tablespoon at a time if needed. Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any bits for a smooth birria consommé.

Sear beef

Pat beef chunks dry and season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches until well browned on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Remove seared beef and set aside.

Braise

In the same pot, add the strained chile-tomato sauce and scrape up browned bits. Add seared beef, remaining beef broth (about 2 1/2 cups), bay leaves, and any reserved soaking liquid as needed to mostly cover the meat (do not exceed pot capacity). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours until meat is fork-tender and shreddable. Alternatively, cook in a 300°F (150°C) oven for the same time or use a pressure cooker (45–60 minutes).

Shred and reserve consomé

Remove meat and shred with two forks. Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid and taste; adjust salt. Reserve 1 cup of the braising liquid (consomé) for dipping/extra saucing and keep warm. Return shredded meat to the pot briefly to soak up sauce, then keep warm until assembly.

Prep potatoes by cutting into even 1/4–1/2-inch fries. Rinse well under cold water to remove surface starch, then soak in cold water 20–30 minutes. Drain and pat completely dry with kitchen towels.

Toss dried fries with 2 tbs cornstarch until evenly coated (this helps create extra-crispy exterior). Season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a heavy, deep skillet or pot to 325°F (160°C). Fry potatoes in batches without crowding until just tender and pale golden, about 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain. Increase oil heat to 375°F (190°C) and fry the blanched fries a second time in batches until golden-brown and crispy, about 2–3 minutes. Drain on a rack and immediately season with additional salt to taste.

In a small saucepan over medium heat melt 2 tbs butter. Whisk in 2 tbs flour and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux, stirring to avoid browning. Gradually whisk in 1 cup milk until smooth and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3–4 minutes.

Lower heat and add shredded monterey jack and cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp cayenne if using. Keep warm; add a splash of milk if it becomes too thick.

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 tbs lime juice, 1 tsp chopped chipotle, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth. Taste and adjust lime or chipotle for acidity/heat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

If using shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella, preheat oven broiler or keep fries hot on a baking sheet. Arrange fries on a large oven-proof platter or divide onto individual plates.

Layer hot fries with a generous handful of shredded cheese (if using) and place under the broiler just until cheese melts, 1–2 minutes—watch carefully.

Spoon a generous portion (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups) of shredded birria meat over the fries, and drizzle some warm consomé over the meat for flavor and moisture.

Drizzle cheese sauce over fries and meat. Then add dollops of sour cream (about 2 tbs per serving) and drizzle baja sauce to taste. Scatter pico de gallo and pickled red onions over top, finish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Serve immediately with a small bowl of reserved warm consomé for dipping the fries and extra birria flavor.