Birria Taquitos Recipe

Prepare chiles

Remove stems and seeds from guajillo, ancho and pasilla chiles. Toast skins lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned. Transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15–20 minutes until soft. Reserve 1 cup of the soaking liquid.

Roast vegetables

On a baking sheet or in the same skillet, char the halved roma tomatoes, quartered onion and unpeeled garlic cloves under a broiler or over an open flame until blackened in spots, about 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly; peel garlic.

Make chile sauce

In a blender add the softened rehydrated chiles (drained but keep a few tablespoons of soaking liquid), charred tomatoes, charred onion, peeled garlic, apple cider vinegar, oregano, cumin, cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Add 1/4–1/2 cup of reserved chile soaking liquid to help blend to a smooth sauce. Blend until very smooth, about 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt; the sauce should be thick and richly spiced.

Brown short ribs

Season short ribs with remaining 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and the black pepper. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown short ribs in batches 3–4 minutes per side until well caramelized. Transfer browned ribs to a plate.

Braise

Reduce heat to medium. Add the blended chile sauce to the pot and cook 2–3 minutes to bloom the spices. Return short ribs to the pot and pour in beef broth so ribs are mostly submerged (add more broth or water if necessary). Add bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook low for 2.5–3 hours in the oven at 300°F (or simmer gently on the stovetop) until meat is fork-tender and falling from the bone.

Shred meat and reduce jus

Remove ribs and set aside to cool slightly. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing solids to extract flavor; discard solids. Skim excess fat from the top. Bring strained liquid to a boil and reduce until slightly thickened and concentrated (about 10–15 minutes) — this is the beef jus for dipping. Meanwhile, remove meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Fold a few tablespoons of the reduced sauce back into shredded beef to keep it moist and highly flavored. Keep jus warm for serving.

Combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, cilantro, chopped peeled tomatillo (or extra roasted roma), jalapeño, lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth and bright green. Taste and adjust salt or lime. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to assemble. If texture is too thick, thin with 1–2 tablespoons water or additional sour cream.

Assemble taquitos

Warm tortillas so they are pliable (wrap in a damp towel and microwave 30–45 seconds or warm on a skillet). Spoon about 2–3 tablespoons of shredded birria onto each tortilla, sprinkle a little crumbled cotija inside. Roll tightly and place seam-side down on a tray.

Pan crisp (preferred) or shallow fry

Heat 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place rolled taquitos seam-side down and cook 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp, then flip and crisp the other side 1–2 minutes. Press gently with a spatula to seal. For a crispier finish, add a touch more oil around edges. Alternatively, shallow fry in 1/2" oil at 350°F for 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Drain briefly on paper towels.

Plate and garnish

Arrange taquitos on a serving platter. Drizzle or dot each with a spoonful of queso crema verde, sprinkle additional cotija and chopped fresh cilantro, and add pickled red onion and lime wedges on the side. Serve warm with a small bowl of the hot beef jus for dipping.