Slow-braised Jalisco-style beef birria folded into cheese-crisped tortillas, dunked in red consommé.
Birria is the slow-braised meat stew of Jalisco state, traditionally made with goat but popularized worldwide in its quesabirria form — corn tortillas dipped in the brick-red consommé, griddled with cheese until lacy and crisp, then folded around shredded birria meat. The technique is two-stage: first a long, gentle braise of beef chuck or short rib in a chili-vinegar broth with charred aromatics and a half-dozen warm spices; second a quick assembly at the griddle where each taco emerges slick with deep orange chili-oil. A small cup of the strained consommé sits beside the plate for dunking. It is the most photographed Mexican dish of the decade for good reason.
Serves 6
Dry-toast the chilies on a comal for 20 seconds per side until pliable and smoky; do not burn. In the same pan, char the onion, garlic, and tomatoes until blackened in spots.
Cover chilies with hot water and soak 20 minutes until pliable.
Drain chilies. Blend with charred vegetables, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, oregano, peppercorns, vinegar, and 250 ml beef stock until very smooth. Strain through a sieve.
Salt the beef well. In a heavy ovenproof pot, sear chuck and short ribs in batches until deeply browned. Drain off excess fat.
Return meat to the pot. Pour over the strained adobo and remaining beef stock. Add bay leaves. Cover and braise at 150°C for 3 to 3.5 hours, until the meat falls apart at the touch of a fork.
Lift the meat out and shred coarsely with two forks, discarding bones and gristle. Strain the cooking liquid into a wide jug and let the brick-red chili fat rise. Skim and reserve 4 tbsp of the orange fat — this is liquid gold for griddling.
Heat a wide skillet or griddle over medium-high. Dip each tortilla briefly into the consommé fat layer, lay it on the griddle, scatter 2 tbsp cheese, and pile on a generous spoonful of shredded meat. Fold and press.
Cook 90 seconds per side, pressing gently, until the cheese has crisped at the edges into lacy orange skirts and the tortilla is golden. Transfer to plates with diced onion, cilantro, and lime.
Pour the warm consommé into small bowls or cups. Each taco is dunked just before each bite. Eat immediately while everything is hot and slick.
Choose meat with good marbling — lean meat dries out during the long braise.
Dipping the tortilla into the orange chili fat (not just the broth) is what gives quesabirria its signature crispy color.
Make the braise a day ahead — birria deepens overnight and shreds even more easily.
Birria de chivo: replace beef entirely with goat shoulder for the traditional Jalisco version.
Birria ramen: serve the meat and consommé over fresh ramen noodles with soft egg.
Vegetarian: use king oyster mushrooms shredded and braised in the same adobo for 45 minutes.
Refrigerate meat and broth separately up to 4 days; freezes well for 2 months. Reheat the consommé gently and assemble fresh — pre-griddled tacos go soggy.
Birria originated in Cocula, Jalisco, in the 16th century, when Spanish-introduced goats overpopulated the area and indigenous cooks adapted Old World stews using New World chilies. The Tijuana street-stall variant quesabirria de res emerged in the 2010s and exploded on social media in 2019.
Yes — sear the meat first, then transfer to a slow cooker on low for 8 hours with the adobo and stock. Crisp the tacos in a separate skillet.
Latin grocery stores or online — buy whole dried chilies, not powders. They should be pliable, not brittle and dusty.
Per serving (420g) · 6 servings total
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