Beef Birria Quesa-Tacos with Dipping Consomé
Mise en Place / Ingredients[18]
- 2.5 lbs Boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 1.5 lbs Bone-in beef short ribs
- 5 units Dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 units Dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 cups Authentic quesillo Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (El Mexicano Oaxaca)
- 16 units Fresh yellow corn street taco tortillas
- 1 cup Freshly minced white onion and cilantro, for serving
- 2 cups Hot water, for steeping chiles
- 1.5 large White onion (1 whole for adobo + 0.5 cup minced for serving)
- 6 cloves Garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups Low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tbsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Dried Mexican oregano
- 0.25 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp Neutral vegetable oil
- 1.5 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 whole Fresh limes, cut into wedges
🛒 US Supermarket Brand Guide
Rich crimson color and fruity, mild warmth crucial for birria. • 📍 Hispanic food aisle.
Incomparable string-cheese meltiness that stretches cleanly. • 📍 Cheese / Dairy case.
Cooking Sequence & Checkpoints
Toast stemmed guajillo and ancho chiles briefly in a dry pan, steep in 2 cups hot water for 10 minutes, and blend until smooth with 1 whole white onion, 6 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp Mexican oregano, and 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.
✓ Checkpoint: Velvety aromatic red chile purée.
Season beef with 1.5 tbsp kosher salt and brown in 2 tbsp vegetable oil inside the Dutch oven. Strain the chile adobo through a fine-mesh strainer over the meat and add 4 cups beef broth. Cover tightly and braise at 325°F (163°C) for 165 minutes until fork-tender (203°F–205°F internal).
✓ Checkpoint: Meat falls apart with a gentle nudge.
Transfer beef to a cutting board, rest 15 minutes, and shred with two forks. Strain the consomé through the fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and allow the red fat to rise to the surface.
✓ Checkpoint: Tender shredded beef and clear consomé topped with red fat.
Dip corn tortillas into the top red fat, lay on a 375°F (190°C) griddle, and layer with Oaxaca cheese, shredded beef, and a sprinkle of minced cilantro-onion. Fold in half and griddle 2 minutes per side until crunchy and molten; serve with bowls of hot consomé garnished with the remaining cilantro-onion and fresh lime wedges.
✓ Checkpoint: Crispy crimson shell with molten cheese pull and garnished consomé.
🔬 Why It Works:
Dipping in the Red Fat: Skimming tortillas through the seasoned red tallow on top of the broth fries them on the griddle, yielding maximum crispiness and chile flavor.
⚠️ Troubleshooting:
Tortillas fell apart on the flat-top: Skim only the red oil that pools on top of the consomé; don't saturate the corn tortilla in watery broth.