Birria Grilled Cheese Recipe

Toast and rehydrate chiles

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove stems and seeds. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with 1 cup of hot water; let soak 15 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving soaking liquid.

Blend sauce

In a blender combine rehydrated chiles, chipotle in adobo, quartered tomato, half onion, garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, cumin, oregano, ground cloves and 1/4 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid (or water). Blend until very smooth. If too thick, add up to 1/4 cup more soaking liquid or water to reach a pourable puree.

Brown the meat

Season the beef chunks with 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches until well browned on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Simmer birria

Reduce heat to medium. Add a touch more oil if needed, then pour the blended chile-tomato sauce into the pot and cook 2–3 minutes to bloom flavors. Return seared beef to the pot, add bay leaves and pour in beef stock (about 3 cups). Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially and simmer gently until beef is very tender, 2–2.5 hours (or 1–1.5 hours in a pressure cooker). Stir occasionally and add water if liquid reduces too much.

Shred beef and reserve consommé

Remove beef and shred with two forks. Taste the cooking liquid (consommé) and season with remaining salt to taste (about 1/2–1 tsp more as needed). Strain consommé into a bowl and reserve 2 cups for dipping/assembly. Return shredded meat to a small amount of sauce to keep moist.

Prep fillings

Combine shredded birria meat with some of the reserved consommé (2–3 tablespoons) so it’s moist but not soupy. Mix chopped cilantro and diced onion in a small bowl for garnish.

Butter and assemble sandwiches

Butter one side of each slice of Texas toast evenly (about 1/2 tablespoon per slice). On the unbuttered side of 4 slices, layer 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar (and 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella if using), then a generous 3–4 ounces (about 3/4 cup loosely packed) of shredded birria meat, then another 1/4–1/2 cup cheddar on top. Finish with the unbuttered side of the bread so butter faces out.

Grill until golden and melty

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Place assembled sandwiches butter-side-down and cook 3–4 minutes until the bread is golden brown and cheese begins to melt. Press gently with a spatula, then flip and cook the other side 3–4 minutes until golden and cheese is fully melted. If the bread is browning too fast before cheese melts, lower heat and cover the pan for 1–2 minutes to trap heat.

Serve with consommé and garnish

Cut each sandwich in half. Serve each with a small bowl (about 1/2 cup) of warm reserved consommé for dipping. Top sandwiches with chopped cilantro and diced onion and a squeeze of lime before dipping. Enjoy immediately while hot.