Quesabirria Tacos Recipe

Toast and rehydrate chilies

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast dried guajillo and ancho/pasilla chilies 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burnt. Remove stems and seeds if not already removed. Place toasted chilies in a bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot water; soak 15 minutes until softened.

Prepare aromatics and roast tomato

While chilies soak, roast the halved tomato and quartered onion in the same skillet or under a broiler until lightly charred (6–8 minutes). Smash or roughly chop the garlic cloves; you can briefly char them too for extra flavor.

Blend sauce

Drain chilies, reserving soaking liquid. In a blender combine softened chilies, roasted tomato, roasted onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, thyme, apple cider vinegar and 1/2 cup of the reserved soaking liquid (or water). Blend to a smooth purée, adding a little more soaking liquid if needed to get a sauce that will pour. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Sear pork

Pat pork chunks dry and season lightly with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high. Brown the pork on all sides in batches (3–4 minutes per side) until well caramelized. Remove pork and set aside.

Combine and braise

Reduce heat to medium. Add the blended chili purée to the pot and cook for 2–3 minutes, scraping browned bits. Add red wine to deglaze and simmer 1 minute. Return pork to the pot and add bay leaves, remaining kosher salt (1 tsp), pepper, and enough beef/chicken broth to mostly cover the meat (about 3–4 cups). Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and braise on low for 2.5–3 hours until pork is fork-tender. Alternatively braise at 300°F (150°C) in the oven for the same time.

Shred pork

Remove pork to a tray; discard bay leaves. Reserve and strain braising liquid (see consommé). Using two forks or meat claws, shred the pork finely, mixing in some of the strained braising liquid to keep it moist and deeply flavored. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed.

While pork braises, strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract flavor. Skim excess fat from the top (chill briefly to make fat removal easier, or use a fat separator). You should yield about 3–4 cups of consommé. If it seems too concentrated or low, add up to 1 cup additional beef broth. Warm gently and finish with 1 tbsp lime juice and adjust salt to taste. Keep warm for serving.

Place thinly sliced red onion in a heatproof bowl or jar. In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt; heat until sugar dissolves. Pour hot brine over onions, press to submerge, and let cool to room temperature. Quick-pickle at least 20 minutes (longer for more flavor); store refrigerated if making ahead. Right before serving, drain and toss onions with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime if desired. Keep extra lime wedges for serving.

Prepare tortillas and cheese

Warm tortillas in a dry skillet or wrapped in a towel in the oven until pliable. Shred cheddar and have it ready. Heat about 1/4" depth of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high for crisping; alternatively use a flat griddle and a small amount of butter for flavor.

Assemble quesabirria tacos

Working one tortilla at a time, dip one side of a warmed corn tortilla briefly into the warm consommé to lightly moisten (optional step for extra flavor), then place it oil-side down in the hot skillet or griddle. Sprinkle a thin layer (about 2–3 tbsp) of shredded cheddar over the tortilla, add a generous tablespoon or two of shredded braised pork, and top with a little more cheese. Place a second tortilla on top (or fold single tortilla over filling) and press gently with a spatula. Cook 2–3 minutes until bottom is crisp and cheese begins to melt, then carefully flip and cook another 2–3 minutes until both sides are crisp and cheese is fully melted. If using single tortilla method, use a second tortilla only for dipping/flipping as needed.

Crisp and drain

Transfer finished tacos to a paper towel-lined tray for a moment to drain excess oil. Keep tacos warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) while you finish remaining tacos.

Serve

Serve quesabirria tacos hot with a small bowl of warm consommé for dipping, pickled onions, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Offer hot sauce as desired.