Birria Quesadillas Recipe

Toast and prep chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles. Lightly toast the chiles in a dry skillet 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (don’t burn). Transfer to a bowl and pour hot water to cover. Soak 15–20 minutes until softened; reserve soaking liquid.

Char aromatics

Char the tomato and whole onion on a hot skillet or directly over a gas flame until blackened on all sides, about 6–8 minutes for the tomato and 8–10 minutes for the onion. Cool slightly and peel if desired.

Make chile sauce

In a blender combine soaked chiles (drained but reserving 1/2 cup soaking liquid), charred tomato, half the onion (roughly chopped), 4 garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, ground cloves, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Blend until very smooth, adding up to the reserved soaking liquid or 1/4 cup water to reach a pourable sauce consistency (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups). Taste and adjust salt.

Brown the beef

Pat beef dry and cut into large 2–3 inch chunks. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a heavy Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep crust forms. Transfer browned beef to a plate.

Build and simmer

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining roughly chopped onion and 2 remaining garlic cloves to the pot and sauté 2–3 minutes until translucent. Return the beef to the pot. Pour the blended chile sauce over the beef. Add beef broth, bay leaves, remaining 1 tsp salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook low and slow until meat is fork-tender, 2.5–3 hours on the stovetop or 3–4 hours in a 300°F/150°C oven. Alternatively, cook in a pressure cooker for 45–60 minutes under high pressure.

Shred the meat

When beef is fork-tender, remove to a cutting board and shred with two forks or chop finely. Strain and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid (consomé) for dipping; skim excess fat if desired. Mix shredded beef with a few ladles of the sauce to keep it moist and flavorful.

Taste the reserved 2 cups of cooking liquid. If too intense, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional beef broth or water. Heat gently and adjust salt to taste. Keep warm for serving alongside quesadillas.

Prepare filling

Combine shredded birria meat with enough sauce so it’s moist but not soupy (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of sauce mixed in). Have cheese, chopped onion, and cilantro ready.

Dip tortillas

Working one at a time, warm a tortilla briefly in a skillet, then using tongs or a pastry brush, dip one side of the tortilla into the warm consomé so it soaks slightly. This gives color and flavor and helps crisping.

Assemble quesadilla

On a hot griddle or skillet over medium heat add a little butter or oil. Place the dipped tortilla in the skillet, un-dipped side down. Sprinkle a thin layer (about 1/4 cup) of cheese over half the tortilla, add a generous 1/3 to 1/2 cup shredded birria on top of the cheese, top with another 2 tablespoons cheese (to help seal), then fold the tortilla over to make a half-moon. Press gently with a spatula.

Cook until crisp

Cook 2–3 minutes per side until the tortilla is golden brown and crisp and cheese is melted, flipping carefully to avoid spilling filling. Add a little more butter or oil if the skillet gets dry. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Finish and serve

Slice each quesadilla into 2–3 wedges. Serve hot with a small bowl of warm consomé for dipping, and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges. Optional: spoon a little extra birria sauce into the quesadilla or drizzle some over for more heat and flavor.