Quesabirria Tacos With Consommé
These crisp, cheesy birria tacos are filled with slow-braised beef and served with a small bowl of rich consommé for dipping. The recipe takes time, but most of it is hands-off simmering.
Total
255 min
Servings
Makes 12 tacos, serving 4 to 6
Level
Medium
Quesabirria is a cheesy taco made with birria, a deeply seasoned Mexican stew often made with beef, goat, or lamb. The tortillas are dipped in the red chile fat from the stew, filled with meat and cheese, then cooked until crisp.
This home version uses beef chuck because it is easy to find and becomes tender after a long braise. Dried chiles bring color and warmth, while cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and oregano give the broth its familiar birria flavor.
Serve the tacos with chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and small bowls of consommé, which is the flavorful cooking broth. It is messy in the right way, so keep napkins close.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
20 items · Makes 12 tacos, serving 4 to 6
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 pound bone-in beef short ribs or beef shank, optional but helpful for a richer broth
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or avocado oil
- 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed and seeded, optional for heat
- 1 medium white onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 medium Roma tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano, or regular oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
- 12 corn tortillas, 5 to 6 inches wide, preferably sturdy tortillas for tacos dorados or street tacos doubled if thin हो?
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Season the beef
Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle it all over with the salt and black pepper. Let it sit while you prepare the chiles. Dry meat browns better, which adds flavor to the consommé.
2. Toast and soak the chiles
Place the guajillo, ancho, and chiles de árbol in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 30 to 60 seconds per side, just until fragrant and slightly darker. Do not let them burn, or they can taste bitter. Put the toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain.
3. Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on a few sides, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Move the browned beef to a plate. If the pot gets too dark on the bottom, lower the heat.
4. Blend the adobo sauce
Add the soaked chiles, onion, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cloves, and 1 cup of the beef broth to a blender. Blend until very smooth. If your blender is not high-powered, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove tough chile skins.
5. Braise until tender
Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the blended sauce, add the bay leaves, and stir in the remaining 3 cups beef broth. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, turning the meat once or twice, until it shreds easily with a fork. Add a splash of broth or water if the liquid drops too low.
6. Shred the meat
Transfer the beef to a cutting board or bowl. Discard bones, bay leaves, and any large pieces of fat or gristle. Shred the meat with two forks. Skim some of the red fat from the top of the consommé into a shallow bowl; you will use it for the tortillas. Taste the broth and add more salt if needed.
7. Fill the tacos
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip one side of a tortilla into the reserved red fat, then place it fat-side down in the skillet. Add a small handful of cheese and about 1/4 cup shredded beef to one half of the tortilla. Fold it over once the cheese starts to melt.
8. Crisp and serve
Cook the taco for 2 to 3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the tortilla is crisp and the cheese is melted. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, meat, and cheese. Serve hot with small bowls of consommé, chopped onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: The birria tastes even better the next day. Braise and shred the beef up to 3 days ahead, then chill it in the consommé. Reheat gently before making tacos.
- Storage: Store meat and consommé together in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Cheese swaps: Oaxaca cheese gives a good stretch, but Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or a mild white cheddar also work. Use less cheese if you want the beef flavor to stand out more.
- Chile swaps: If you cannot find ancho chiles, use pasilla chiles. If you prefer mild tacos, skip the chiles de árbol. Guajillo chiles are important for the color and flavor, so try not to replace all of them.
- Tortilla tip: Corn tortillas can crack if they are cold or dry. Warm them briefly before dipping, or use two thin tortillas stacked together for each taco.
- Slow cooker option: After searing the beef and blending the sauce, cook everything in a slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the meat shreds easily.
Cook's note
Birria is traditionally made in different ways across Mexico, especially in Jalisco. This recipe is a home-kitchen quesabirria made with beef and a blender-friendly chile sauce, designed for accessible ingredients while keeping the spirit of the dish.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
What is the difference between birria and quesabirria?
Birria is the stew: meat cooked in a seasoned chile broth. Quesabirria is a taco made from that stew, usually with cheese, crisped on a griddle, and served with consommé for dipping.
Can I make quesabirria without a Dutch oven?
Yes. Use any heavy pot with a tight lid. You can also use a slow cooker after searing the beef, or a pressure cooker if you are comfortable adjusting the timing. In a pressure cooker, cook the beef with the sauce and broth for about 60 minutes on high pressure, then let the pressure release naturally.
Why are my tacos greasy?
A little fat is part of quesabirria, but too much can feel heavy. Skim only a thin layer of red fat for dipping the tortillas, and let extra fat drip off before the tortilla goes into the pan. You can also blot the finished tacos on a paper towel.
Can I use flour tortillas?
You can, but corn tortillas give a more traditional flavor and crisp texture. Flour tortillas brown faster and can become oily, so use medium heat and a lighter dip in the chile fat.
What should I serve with quesabirria?
Keep the sides simple. Try lime wedges, chopped white onion, cilantro, sliced radishes, avocado, a cabbage slaw, or Mexican rice. The tacos are rich, so fresh and crunchy sides work well.
05Keep cooking
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