Birria Quesa Tacos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo and ancho chiles. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned.

Rehydrate chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15 minutes until pliable, then drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid.

Make chile sauce

In a blender, combine rehydrated chiles, reserved soaking liquid, roasted roma tomatoes, quartered onion, garlic, chipotle (if using), apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Blend until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of broth if needed to reach a saucy consistency (about 1/2 cup). Taste and adjust salt.

Sear meat

Pat the beef dry and season with remaining 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear the meat 4–5 minutes per side until well-browned. Remove meat and set aside.

Simmer birria

Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, pour the blended chile sauce and cook 2–3 minutes to deepen flavor. Add the seared meat back to the pot, pour in 6 cups of beef or chicken broth to nearly cover the meat, add bay leaves, and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and simmer on low for 2.5–3 hours (or in a 300°F/150°C oven) until meat is fork-tender. If using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 50–60 minutes with a natural release.

Shred meat and reduce broth

Remove meat and shred with two forks, discarding large pieces of fat or bone. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to make the consomé, pressing solids to extract flavor. Skim excess fat if desired. Optionally, simmer strained broth over medium heat 10–15 minutes to reduce and concentrate flavor. Reserve 2–3 cups warm consomé for serving and dipping, and 1 cup for griddling tortillas.

Dip tortillas

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium-high. Pour the reserved 1 cup consomé into a shallow bowl. Dip each corn tortilla briefly into the consomé to fully coat but not fall apart.

Assemble quesadilla-style

On a clean work surface, lay a dipped tortilla, sprinkle about 1/4 cup shredded cheese across half the tortilla, add 2–3 tbs shredded birria meat, then top with another 1/8–1/4 cup cheese (this helps the two layers stick) and fold the tortilla in half.

Crisp tacos

Add 1–2 tbs cooking oil or fat to the hot skillet. Cook folded tacos 2–3 minutes per side until the tortilla is lightly crisp and cheese is melted, pressing gently with a spatula. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray and keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) while you cook remaining tacos.

Finish

If desired, dip the cooked taco briefly in consomé again and return to the skillet for 20–30 seconds to enhance color and flavor. Repeat for all tortillas.

Plate three tacos per person. Top with chopped cilantro and diced onion. Serve with a small bowl (about 1/2–1 cup) of warm consomé for dipping on the side and lime wedges.

Offer optional garnishes such as sliced radishes, pickled jalapeños, and crema or sour cream. Encourage diners to dip each bite into the consomé for authentic flavor.