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Homemade Birria (QuesaBirria) Tacos

The ultimate recipe for crispy, cheesy QuesaBirria tacos with a rich, savory beef consommé for dipping. A flavor-packed, show-stopping meal.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef
  • 3-4 lbs beef chuck roast or mix of chuck and short ribs
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Adobo (Chile Sauce)
  • 8-10 dried Guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 3-4 dried Ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 2-4 Chiles de Árbol stemmed, use more for spicier
  • 1 white onion quartered
  • 6-8 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 Roma tomatoes halved
  • 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 0.5 tsp whole cloves
  • 1 2-inch stick cinnamon
  • 1 tsp dried oregano preferably Mexican oregano
  • 0.25 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 6 cups beef broth low sodium
For the Tacos (Assembly)
  • 18-24 corn tortillas
  • 1-2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese or low-moisture mozzarella
  • 0.5 cup white onion finely diced
  • 0.5 cup fresh cilantro chopped
  • Lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot
  • High-powered blender
  • Cast iron skillet or comal
  • Fine-mesh strainer

Method
 

  1. Toast chiles in a dry skillet for 30-60 seconds per side. Do not burn.
  2. Submerge toasted chiles in a bowl of hot water or broth for 30 minutes until soft.
  3. In the same skillet, char the onion, garlic, and tomatoes until blistered.
  4. Toast the peppercorns, cumin seeds, cloves, and cinnamon in the dry skillet for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Blend the softened chiles, charred vegetables, toasted spices, oregano, vinegar, and 2 cups of beef broth until perfectly smooth.
  6. For a smoother sauce, strain the adobo through a fine-mesh sieve.
  7. Cut beef into large chunks, pat dry, and season with salt and pepper.
  8. Sear the beef in oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until deep brown on all sides. Remove beef.
  9. Pour the adobo sauce into the same pot, scraping up browned bits. Let it fry for 5 minutes.
  10. Return beef to the pot. Add remaining beef broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low for 3-4 hours, until beef is fall-apart tender.
  11. Remove beef and shred it with two forks. The liquid left in the pot is the consommé.
  12. To assemble tacos: Skim the red fat from the top of the consommé.
  13. Dip a corn tortilla completely in the consommé (especially the fat).
  14. Place the wet tortilla on a hot skillet. Top one half with cheese, shredded beef, and more cheese.
  15. Fold the taco and fry for 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and cheese is melted.
  16. Serve tacos immediately with a side bowl of hot consommé, topped with diced onion and cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

For the best flavor, make the birria stew (Parts 1 and 2) a day ahead. Refrigerate, and the fat will solidify on top, making it easy to scrape off and use for frying the tacos.