(birria Egg Rolls) Recipe

Prepare chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15 minutes until softened. Reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid and drain the rest.

Make chile sauce

In a blender combine softened chiles, reserved 1/2 cup soaking liquid, chipotle in adobo, quartered onion (reserve 1 small piece for braising if desired), garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper. Blend until very smooth, adding a splash of beef broth if needed to achieve a saucy consistency (about 1/4 cup). Taste and adjust salt.

Sear beef

Pat beef chunks dry and season lightly with additional salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until deeply browned, about 3–4 minutes per side. Work in batches so meat browns rather than steams. Remove beef and set aside.

Braise

Lower heat to medium. Add a splash of beef broth to deglaze the pot and scrape up browned bits. Return beef to pot, pour the blended chile sauce over, add remaining beef broth (about 2.75 cups) to mostly cover meat, add bay leaf and the reserved onion piece. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours until beef is fork-tender. Alternatively, braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2½–3 hours.

Shred and reduce

Remove beef to a tray and shred with two forks, discarding bay leaf and any large pieces of fat. Skim excess fat from braising liquid if desired. If sauce is very thin, simmer uncovered over medium heat until slightly reduced and intensify flavor (8–12 minutes). Combine shredded beef with enough braising sauce to keep it moist but not soupy—about 1–1½ cups of sauce for these quantities. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool slightly before assembling egg rolls.

Prepare assembly station

Set up a clean workspace with egg roll wrappers, shredded cheddar and Chihuahua cheeses mixed together in a bowl, chopped cilantro, a small bowl with cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tsp water) for sealing, and a plate lined with paper towels for finished egg rolls. Rewarm shredded birria slightly if cold so filling is pliable (microwave 30–60 seconds or warm in skillet).

Assemble egg rolls

Place one egg roll wrapper diamond-shaped in front of you. Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of shredded birria onto the lower third of the wrapper, leaving room at edges. Top with 1–2 tablespoons of the cheese mix and a sprinkle (about 1/2 teaspoon) chopped cilantro and a few drops of lime juice if using. Brush edges of wrapper with cornstarch slurry. Fold bottom corner up over filling, fold in left and right corners toward center, then roll tightly toward top corner. Seal edge with more slurry. Repeat until you have about 12 egg rolls (adjust filling amounts as needed).

Fry

Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or heavy pot to 350°F (175°C) – you want about 1–1.5 inches of oil. To test, a small piece of wrapper should sizzle immediately. Fry egg rolls in batches, seam-side down first, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp, about 2½–3½ minutes per side. Do not overcrowd. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) if frying in batches.

Alternative: Bake or air-fry

For a lighter version, brush assembled egg rolls lightly with oil and bake on a parchment-lined sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Or air-fry at 400°F (200°C) for 8–12 minutes, turning halfway.

Make aioli

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, minced chipotle in adobo, lime juice, grated garlic, honey (if using), salt and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and taste; add more chipotle for heat or honey to tame spice. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Sauce will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serve

Serve egg rolls hot with chipotle aioli on the side for dipping. Optionally garnish with additional chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Enjoy immediately so cheese remains melty.