Birria Tacos (Quesabirria Tacos)
User Reviews
4.8
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
3 hrs 30 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs 50 mins
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Servings
8
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Course
Main Course
Birria Tacos (Quesabirria Tacos)
Description
This Birria Tacos recipe starts by simmering a combination of beef chuck roast and short ribs with whole onions, garlic bulbs, carrots, bay leaves, and guajillo peppers in water, seasoned with chicken bouillon, Mexican oregano, ground cumin, chili powder, and salt. The broth is periodically skimmed to remove impurities during cooking. After initial simmering, softened peppers and aromatics are blended with some broth to incorporate flavor and color. This mixture is then combined back into the broth to deepen the chili-infused base.
The meat cooks until tender enough to shred, developing rich beef flavors enhanced by the mildly smoky and earthy guajillo peppers. White corn tortillas are filled with the meat and quesadilla or melting cheese to create quesabirria tacos. Garnishes of diced cilantro, onion, and fresh lime juice add freshness and acidity to balance the richness of the meat and cheese.
The recipe depends on bones for broth depth and mild guajillo peppers providing warmth without excessive heat. Adjustments to chili powder during simmering allow for controlling spice levels. This dish is best enjoyed fresh, with the broth serving as a flavorful dip.
Ingredients
- 7-8 cups water hot
- 4 lbs chuck roast cut into 4 large chunks
- 2 lbs short ribs or back ribs bone in, bone in
- 1 white onion dry skins removed, cut in half crosswise, large
- 1 garlic cut the narrow top off, no need to peel, bulb
- 1 carrot cut in half crosswise, then cut in half (4 large pieces of carrot)
- 5 bay leaf dried
- 8 guajillo chiles stems cut off and seeds removed
- 3 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 1-2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Quesabirria Tacos
- 14-16 white corn tortillas
- 2 cups quesadilla cheese or any good melting cheese
Garnishes
- cilantro diced, fresh
- lime juice fresh
- white onion diced
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In large pot add meat, onion, garlic, carrots, bay leaves and dried peppers. Cover with water. (This uses my large 7 qt pot and fills it to the top!)
- Add Seasonings: Add chicken bouillon, oregano, cumin and salt, stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Skim: After 30 minutes, skim the top of the pot to remove impurities from the bone cooking out. (will look like little bits of foam on the top)
- Blend Peppers: Remove the peppers (should be softened), onion, garlic (squeeze the cloves out of the bulb) and carrots and place in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, add up to 1/4 cup of broth if needed to help get a smooth consistency.
- Strain: Strain the peppers if needed to remove bits of skin (if using a high powered blender this step is not necessary).
- Combine: Add the blended peppers into the broth and stir to combine.
- Season: Add in the chili powder as desired to get a nice deep red color to the broth.
- Simmer: Cover and continue to simmer for about 3 hours or until meat is tender and easily shredding on it’s own. (remove lid and give a stir every 40 minutes or so. Can also taste the broth once the meat is cooked through and adjust seasonings as needed).
- Reserve Grease: Skim the grease from the top of the broth (SAVE THIS!) pour the grease into a small skillet or saucepan, this is used for making the tacos if desired.
- Serving: Remove the meat from the broth and cut into large chunks for serving. Remove any bones.
To Serve as a Stew:
- Serve a couple pieces of meat into a bowl, spoon broth on top.
- Top with diced onion and fresh cilantro. Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze in.
To Make Quesabirria Tacos:
- Chop Meat: Remove the meat from the broth, and finely chop until only small pieces remain.
- Heat a large skillet/griddle over medium heat.
- Frying Tortillas: Dip the corn tortilla into the reserved grease from the broth.
- Place on heated griddle, top with the chopped meat and cheese.
- Fold the taco over and press down with a spatula. Continue cooking until the taco is crisp and golden on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Then flip and continue cooking the other side. (it’s ok if some of the cheese leaks out while frying, the golden cheese is the best part!) Plus you can spoon some additional grease onto the tortilla while it cooks if you need more coloring to the tortilla.
- Cook until both sides are crisp. Remove from heat and allow to cool briefly before serving, will be very hot.
- Continue until all tacos are cooked.
- Top tacos with fresh cilantro and onion if desired.
- Serving: Serve with a bowl of the broth topped with onions and cilantro on the side.
- Dip the tacos into the broth while eating.
Notes
- Use beef cuts with bones to create a richer broth flavor for the birria.
- Guajillo peppers provide mild heat; adjust spice by adding chili powder later during cooking.
- Skim foam from the broth after the initial 30 minutes of boiling to improve clarity and taste.
- Taste and adjust seasoning towards the end of cooking as needed.
- Use any good melting cheese for the quesabirria, such as quesadilla cheese, Monterey Jack, Mozzarella, or Oaxaca.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 857kcal | 43% |
| Carbohydrates | 24g | 8% |
| Protein | 77g | 154% |
| Fat | 51g | 78% |
| Saturated Fat | 25g | 125% |
| Cholesterol | 269mg | 90% |
| Sodium | 857mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 1232mg | 26% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 2305IU | 46% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 511mg | 51% |
| Iron | 8mg | 44% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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