Birria Grilled Cheese
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
10 hrs
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Total Time
10 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
10
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Calories
703 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
Birria Grilled Cheese
Description
The sandwich begins with chuck roast seared briefly to develop crust, then slow cooked in a crockpot with beef bouillon powder and red enchilada sauce for about 10 hours until the meat is tender enough to shred. The shredded beef is returned to its cooking juices to retain moisture and flavor.
The grilled cheese assembly involves buttering slices of Texas toast, then layering shredded beef, finely diced white onions, queso fresco, mozzarella, and cilantro between slices. Cooking the sandwich in a skillet over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes per side melts the cheeses and crisps the bread evenly while warming the beef filling through.
This approach yields a handheld sandwich with melted, mild cheeses balanced against the richly flavored, spiced shredded beef, while the onions provide a subtle crunch. The recipe allows for the use of store-bought Birria beef for a quicker version, reducing total time to about 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Shredded Beef*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds chuck roast
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon powder or 1 bouillon cube
- 1 can enchilada sauce red, 28 ounces
Grilled Cheese
- ½ cup unsalted butter divided, 1 stick / 113 g
- 20 lices Texas toast
- 1 medium onion finely diced, divided, white
- 2½ cups queso fresco divided, 305 g
- 2½ cups mozzarella cheese shredded, divided, 282.5 g
- 2 teaspoons cilantro divided, chopped
Instructions
- To a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chuck roast to the skillet and sear on each side, just enough to brown (3-5 minutes per side).
- Add the seared beef to a crockpot. Top with bouillon powder and the enchilada sauce.
- Cover and slow cook on low for 10 hours, or until the meat is tender and easily pulls apart.
- When ready, remove the chuck roast from the slow cooker and use two forks to shred. Add the shredded roast back to the juices in the slow cooker.
Grilled Cheese
- Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat.
- Butter one side of each slice of bread.
- Working one or two at a time, add bread, buttered side down into the skillet. While it is cooking, top with ½ cup shredded beef, about 1 tablespoon of white onions, ¼ cup queso fresco, ¼ cup mozzarella, cilantro, and another slice of bread, buttered side up.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes; then, flip over the sandwich and cook another 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. (If it seems like the bread is taking a long time to brown, be patient, as the cheese inside needs time to melt.) Use a spatula to remove from the skillet.
- Serve with leftover juices from the slow cooker for dipping.
Notes
- For a quicker option, use store-bought or pre-made shredded Birria beef, which reduces total sandwich preparation time to about 20 minutes.
- Slow cooking the chuck roast for 10 hours on low results in tender, easily shredded beef that retains moisture in its cooking juices.
- Grill sandwiches over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes per side to ensure cheeses melt completely and the bread crisps without burning.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 703 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 703kcal | 35% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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