Birria Grilled Cheese Recipe

Toast and hydrate chiles

Warm a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove stems and seeds. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water to soak 20 minutes until softened.

Prepare aromatics

In a blender, combine the softened chiles (reserve soaking liquid), white onion (quartered), garlic cloves, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, dried oregano, ground cumin, and 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid. Blend until a smooth, thick sauce forms. Add more soaking liquid as needed to blend, but keep the sauce concentrated.

Brown pork

Pat pork chunks dry and season lightly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until deep golden. Remove pork and set aside.

Build braise

Lower heat to medium. Add the blended chile sauce to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to bloom flavors. Add tomato paste if using additional, then return pork to pot. Pour in 4 cups broth and add bay leaf and remaining 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and braise gently for 2.5–3 hours (or in a 300°F oven) until pork is fork-tender and shreds easily.

Shred pork and reduce consomé

Remove pork to a cutting board and shred with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat. Continue simmering the braising liquid to reduce and concentrate for 15–20 minutes. Taste and adjust with soy/fish sauce, sugar, and additional salt/pepper. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh to yield a clear-ish consomé. Reserve 1.5–2 cups warm consomé for serving and reserve 1/2–1 cup thick sauce (adobo) for sandwich assembly. If the consomé is very thin, simmer to concentrate; if too strong, add up to 1/2 cup water or broth.

Finish shredded meat

Toss shredded pork with the reserved adobo sauce to coat (use enough to flavor but not make soggy). Keep warm, covered. This flavored shredded pork will be the filling for the grilled cheese.

Make Swiss fondue-style mix

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine shredded Swiss cheese with 1/2 cup heavy cream and a pinch of black pepper. Stir gently until fully melted and smooth to create a pourable fondue component. Keep warm on the lowest heat (or in a warm spot) so it stays spreadable but not thin.

Prepare garlic butter

In a bowl, combine softened butter with 1 tsp garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Mix until uniform. Spread butter on the outside faces of each sourdough slice (8 slices total).

Assemble sandwiches

Lay four slices of bread butter-side-down. Optionally smear 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard on each unbuttered face. Divide shredded smoked gouda (about 1/2 cup per sandwich), pepper jack (2–3 tbs), and a spoonful (about 2–3 tbs) of the Swiss fondue evenly among the four bread bottoms. Top cheese with a generous portion (~1/2 cup) of the shredded adobo-coated pork. Add a few thin shaved red onion slices and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Top with the remaining bread slices, butter-side-up, pressing gently to seal.

Grill sandwiches

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-low to medium heat. Place assembled sandwiches on the skillet and cook 3–4 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until bread is golden brown and the cheeses are fully melted. If bread browns before cheese melts, lower heat and cover the pan for 1–2 minutes or finish in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes.

Rest and slice

Remove sandwiches to a cutting board and let rest 2 minutes. Slice each sandwich in half on the diagonal. This short rest helps cheese settle and reduces excessive dripping when dipped.

Finish consomé

Warm the reserved 1.5–2 cups consomé. Taste and adjust seasoning with the optional 1 tsp soy/fish sauce, 1/4 tsp sugar, and a little black pepper. Stir in chopped onion and chopped cilantro for freshness. Keep hot for serving alongside sandwiches for dipping.

Plate and serve

Place 1 grilled birria grilled cheese on each plate with a small bowl or ramekin of hot consomé. Garnish sandwiches with extra cilantro and shaved red onion if desired and serve lime wedges on the side to squeeze into the consomé or over the filling. Recommend dunking the sandwich into the consomé as you eat.