Bison Quesabirria Tacos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and soak 15 minutes until pliable. Drain and reserve soaking liquid.

Make chile paste

In a blender, combine soaked chiles, quartered tomato, quartered onion, garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper and 1/2 cup of the chile soaking liquid. Blend to a smooth paste, adding more soaking liquid as needed (up to 1/2 cup) to reach a thick but pourable consistency.

Brown the bison

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season bison pieces lightly with 1 teaspoon salt. Brown the bison in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.

Combine and simmer

Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, pour in the chile paste and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to bloom the flavors. Return browned bison to the pot, add 4 cups broth (enough to mostly cover meat), bay leaves, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the reserved chile soaking liquid (if any) up to 1/2 cup. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer gently for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until bison is fork-tender and shreds easily. Alternatively, cook in a 300°F oven for the same time or use a pressure cooker for 45–60 minutes.

Shred meat

Remove bison pieces to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred meat into bite-sized strands. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl or pot; reserve solids for tacos and consign strained liquid to the consomé section. Skim excess fat if desired. Keep shredded meat warm in a small amount (about 1/2 cup) of the strained cooking liquid to stay juicy.

Take 3 cups of the reserved strained cooking liquid and bring to a gentle simmer in a saucepan. Taste and adjust with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Simmer 5 minutes to meld flavors. Keep warm for serving as a dipping broth and for sipping alongside tacos.

Prepare tortillas

Warm a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with a little vegetable oil (use remaining 2 tablespoons as needed).

Assemble and cook tacos

Working one taco at a time: place a tortilla oil-side down in the skillet. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese over half the tortilla. Add a generous 1/3 to 1/2 cup shredded bison on top of the cheese (drain excess liquid first). Sprinkle a little more cheese on top of the meat to help the two halves adhere. Fold the tortilla over to create a half-moon. Cook 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula until the tortilla is crisp and cheese is melted and gooey. Repeat to make six tacos. If you prefer a deeper color for dipping, briefly dip one side of each tortilla into a small amount of warm consomé before placing in the skillet (optional).

Crisp finishing (optional)

For extra crispness, add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and shallow-fry each assembled taco 30–60 seconds per side after the cheese has melted, until edges are golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Serve

Place two tacos per serving on a plate. Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro, and serve with lime wedges and a small bowl or ramekin (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) of warm consomé for dipping and sipping.