Lp Quesabirria Beef Recipe

Toast chiles and aromatics

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Toast the garlic cloves and tomato halves briefly until slightly charred. Remove and set aside to cool.

Soak chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid.

Make chile puree

In a blender, combine soaked chiles (drained, reserving 1/2 cup of soaking liquid), charred tomato, garlic, half the quartered onion, sour orange juice (or orange + lime mix), oregano, thyme, cumin, salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved soaking liquid to help blend. Puree until very smooth, about 1–2 minutes. If too thick, add more reserved soaking liquid or water 1 tbsp at a time to reach a saucy consistency.

Brown the beef

Pat beef pieces dry and season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side, then remove and set aside.

Sear onion & build pot

In the same pot, add the remaining onion quarters and sear until lightly caramelized, 4–5 minutes. Pour in the chile puree and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring, to bloom the spices.

Braise

Return beef to the pot. Add bay leaves and pour in beef broth (or water). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently for 2.5–3 hours until beef is fork-tender. Alternatively, braise in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours.

Finish & strain consommé

When beef is tender, remove meat to a cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids with the back of a spoon to extract flavor. This strained liquid is your consommé; skim excess fat if desired and keep warm. Shred the beef with forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Taste shredded meat and adjust seasoning with up to 1.5 tsp more salt if needed.

Prepare tortillas

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly oil or butter the surface (about 1 tsp per tortilla pair). Keep a second plate or tray nearby to stack finished tacos.

Assemble and griddle quesabirria

Work one tortilla at a time: dip or spoon some warm consommé onto one side of a corn tortilla (optional) and place on the griddle. Sprinkle a thin, even layer (about 2–3 tbsp) of shredded Chihuahua cheese over half the tortilla. Top the cheese with about 2–3 tbsp shredded birria beef. Fold the tortilla in half to form a taco. Cook 1.5–2 minutes per side until cheese is melted and tortilla edges are crisp and lightly browned. Repeat with remaining tortillas, keeping tacos warm in a low oven if desired.

Serve

Transfer tacos to a serving plate. Garnish with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with warm consommé on the side for dipping, and lime wedges. Encourage diners to dip each taco into the consommé before each bite for authentic flavor.