Quesa-birria Recipe

Toast chiles

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast guajillo, ancho, and pasilla chiles 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Remove and set aside.

Rehydrate chiles

Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak 15–20 minutes until softened, then drain (reserve soaking liquid).

Char vegetables

In the same skillet, char the quartered tomato and onion and the garlic cloves until blackened in spots (3–5 minutes per side). This adds depth to the sauce.

Make chile sauce

Put softened chiles, charred tomato, charred onion, garlic, white vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper and 1/2 cup of the reserved chile soaking liquid into a blender. Blend until very smooth, adding up to 1/4 cup more soaking liquid if needed to reach a thick purée consistency.

Season beef

Pat beef chunks dry and season evenly with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (reserve remaining 1/2 tsp for later).

Sear beef

In a heavy Dutch oven or large ovenproof pot, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high. Sear beef in batches until deep brown on all sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer seared pieces to a plate.

Combine and braise

Lower heat to medium. Remove excess fat leaving about 1 tbsp. Pour the blended chile purée into the pot and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring, to reduce raw flavors. Return beef to pot, add bay leaves, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and pour in 4 cups beef stock plus any reserved chile soaking liquid as needed so meat is mostly submerged. Bring to a simmer, cover, and either transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven for 3–3.5 hours or simmer gently on the stovetop for 3–3.5 hours, until beef is fork-tender and shreds easily.

Shred meat

Remove beef to a cutting board and shred with forks. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (reserve solids for blending into consomé or discard solids). Taste and adjust salt on both shredded meat and strained liquid.

Taste the reserved braising liquid (strained). Skim any fat if desired. If the consomé tastes too intense, stretch with up to 1/2 cup additional beef stock or water. Bring to a gentle simmer in a saucepan and adjust salt to taste. Keep hot and warm for serving. Optionally squeeze a touch of fresh lime into bowls at service.

Prep fillings

Mix shredded braised beef with 1/2 to 1 cup of the strained consomé (as needed to moisten) so the meat is juicy but not soupy. Set out tortillas, shredded cheese, cilantro and chopped onion.

Assemble quesadillas

Working one at a time, heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium. Lightly brush one side of a tortilla with melted butter or a little oil. Place the tortilla buttered-side down in the skillet. On the upper two-thirds of the tortilla add a thin, even layer (about 1/2 cup) of shredded cheese, then a 1/4–1/3 cup of the shredded moist birria, and another small sprinkle (about 2 tbsp) of cheese on top to help it stick. Fold the tortilla over to make a half-moon (or use a second tortilla on top for a double-layer style).

Crisp cheese crust

Brush the top of the folded quesadilla with a little butter or oil. Cook 2–3 minutes until underside is golden and cheese is melted and establishing a crispy cheese edge. Carefully flip and cook the other side 1–2 minutes until golden and the cheese has melted through and formed a lacy, crispy crust at the edges. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Rest and slice

Transfer cooked Quesa-Birria to a cutting board and let rest 1 minute, then slice each into 2 or 3 wedges. This short rest helps cheese set slightly so slices hold together.

Serve

Serve Quesa-Birria hot with small bowls of the steaming consomé for dipping, and garnish with chopped cilantro, chopped onion, and lime wedges. To eat: dip each wedge into the consomé so the crispy, cheesy tortilla soaks up the rich chile-flavored broth.