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Birria Quesatacos with Dipping Consommé

A stack of three crispy, cheesy Birria Quesatacos served on a white plate next to a small cup of dipping consome.
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A complete guide to making rich, slow-cooked beef birria, flavorful consommé for dipping, and crispy, cheesy quesatacos.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
  • 1 large white onion, quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 6 dried Guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 dried Ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried Morita or Chipotle chilies, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 cup reserved birria fat/oil (for dipping tortillas)
  • 24 corn tortillas
  • 1 lb Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup chopped white onion (for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
  • Lime wedges (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chilies: Place the dried chilies in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let them soak for 30 minutes until soft.
  2. Sear the beef: Season the beef chunks generously with salt. In a large Dutch oven or pot, sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
  3. Make the adobo sauce: Drain the soaked chilies, reserving about 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Place the softened chilies in a blender with the quartered onion, garlic, vinegar, oregano, cumin, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, and 1 cup of beef broth. Blend until completely smooth, adding reserved chili soaking liquid as needed to create a thick paste.
  4. Braise the birria: Return the seared beef to the pot. Pour the blended adobo sauce over the beef. Add the remaining 3 cups of beef broth and 1 cup of water. The liquid should mostly cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook on low heat (or in a 325°F oven) for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.
  5. Strain the consommé: Carefully remove the beef from the pot and shred it using two forks. Strain the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a separate container; this is your consommé. Skim the fat layer from the top of the consommé and reserve 1/2 cup of this red fat for dipping the tortillas later.
  6. Assemble the quesatacos: Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip one side of a corn tortilla into the reserved red birria fat. Place the dipped side down on the hot skillet. Immediately top half of the tortilla with shredded cheese and a portion of the shredded birria meat. Fold the tortilla in half to form a taco.
  7. Cook the tacos: Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until the tortilla is crispy and the cheese is fully melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
  8. Serve: Serve the quesatacos immediately garnished with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve the hot consommé in small bowls alongside for dipping. Provide lime wedges for squeezing over the tacos.

Notes

  • For a deeper red color, toast the dried chilies lightly in a dry pan before soaking them.
  • If you use a slow cooker, cook the birria on low for 8 hours.
  • Do not skip straining the consommé; this step removes solids and results in a clear, rich dipping broth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/birria-quesatacos-with-dipping-consome/