Quesabirria Recipe

Prep Chiles

Remove stems and seeds from all dried chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast chiles 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl and cover with very hot water; soak 15 minutes until softened. Reserve 1/2 cup soaking liquid and drain the rest.

Make Chile Sauce

In a blender, add softened chiles, reserved 1/2 cup soaking liquid, crushed tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, half the quartered onion, 4 garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, ground cloves, salt and pepper. Blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. If too thick, add 2–4 tbs of beef broth to loosen.

Sear Beef

Pat beef dry and season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Heat 1 tbs oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned, 3–4 minutes per side. Remove beef and set aside.

Build Braise

Add remaining 1 tbs oil to the pot. Add the remaining onion quarters and remaining garlic cloves; sauté 3 minutes until softened. Pour in the blended chile-tomato sauce and cook 2–3 minutes to deepen flavors. Return beef to pot, add beef broth to nearly cover, and tuck in bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and braise on low (simmer) for 2.5–3 hours, or in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours, until beef is fork-tender.

Shred Beef

Remove beef to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Strain braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving solids separately. Shred beef with two forks, discarding large bits of fat. Taste shredded meat and fold in 1/2–1 cup of the strained braising liquid to keep it moist and deeply flavored; reserve remaining liquid for the consomé.

Skim fat from the reserved braising liquid if desired. Pour strained liquid into a saucepan and bring gently to a simmer. Add beef drippings (or 1–2 tbs reserved fat) and simmer 8–10 minutes to concentrate flavors. Adjust seasoning with 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tbs lime juice. Keep warm. Stir in chopped cilantro just before serving, if using.

Prepare Tortillas

Warm a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with vegetable oil. Place oiled side down in the skillet and sprinkle 1/4–1/3 cup shredded cheese across half of the tortilla to form a crescent when folded. Cook 1–2 minutes until cheese begins to melt and tortilla underside is crisping.

Assemble Quesabirria

Flip the tortilla so the cheese-melted side is up. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons shredded braised beef over the cheese, then fold the tortilla in half to create a semi-circle. Press gently and cook 1–2 minutes per side until both sides are golden and cheese is fully melted and crisp at the edges. Repeat to make 12 quesabirria tacos, adding more oil to the pan as needed.

Serve

Transfer tacos to a platter. Serve immediately with warm consomé in small bowls for dipping, and garnish with diced onion, chopped cilantro, lime wedges and pickled jalapeños. To eat, dip the edge of the quesabirria into the consomé to soak up flavor before each bite.