Quesabirria Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles. Toast chiles lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15–20 minutes until softened. Reserve soaking liquid.

Char vegetables

On the same skillet or under a broiler, char the halved tomatoes, quartered onion and whole garlic cloves until blackened in spots and softened (about 6–8 minutes for tomatoes, 5–7 for onion, 4–6 for garlic).

Make chile sauce

In a blender, combine drained softened chiles (reserve 1/2 cup soaking liquid), charred tomatoes, onion, peeled garlic, cloves, peppercorns, cumin seeds, oregano, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar. Blend until very smooth, adding reserved chile soaking liquid and a splash of beef broth if needed to reach a thick sauce consistency (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup total liquid). Taste and season with 1 tsp salt; blend briefly to combine.

Sear beef

Cut beef chuck into 2–3 large pieces for even browning. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef pieces with 1 tsp salt, brown on all sides until well-seared, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Braise

Reduce heat to medium. Add the blended chile sauce to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to deepen flavor. Return seared beef to pot, add bay leaves and pour in beef broth (about 3 cups) until meat is nearly submerged. Bring to a simmer, then cover and either cook on low simmer for 2.5–3 hours on the stovetop or transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven for 2.5–3 hours, until meat is very tender and shreds easily. Check after 1.5 hours and add more broth or water if liquid is reducing too much.

Shred and reduce sauce

Remove beef to a cutting board; shred using forks. Strain or skim the cooking liquid and reserve 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the braising liquid (consommé). Return strained braising sauce to the pot and simmer uncovered 8–12 minutes to concentrate flavors if too thin. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1 tsp salt if needed.

Prepare tortillas

Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or comal until pliable, about 20–30 seconds per side. Pour the reserved consommé into a shallow bowl. Heat 1–2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Assemble quesadillas

Dip one tortilla briefly (1–2 seconds each side) into the warm consommé to coat; place on the hot skillet. Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese over half the tortilla, add about 2–3 tablespoons of shredded birria meat (with a little sauce if desired), then another 1/4 cup cheese on top of the meat. Fold the tortilla over to make a half-moon. Repeat to make additional quesadillas, working in batches.

Crisp and finish

Cook each folded quesadilla 2–3 minutes per side until cheese is melted and exterior is crisp and golden. Brush or spoon a little reserved consommé or oil onto the top while cooking for extra color and flavor, if desired. Transfer to a plate and keep warm while finishing the rest.

Serve

Cut quesabirria into wedges. Serve hot with a small bowl of warm consommé for dipping, and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro and lime wedges. Provide extra birria meat and consommé at the table if desired.