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Quesabirria Recipe Collection for Birria Cheese Tacos and Consomme

Quesabirria (also known as quesotacos or red tacos) is a Mexican dish that includes birria style cooked beef served in a tortilla with melted cheese. It is served with a side dish of consommé or thin sauce for dipping. It is essentially a cross between a taco and a quesadilla. The dish was inspired by the traditional birria, a rich goat meat stew. Quesabirria is a street food often served from taco trucks and more recently by many Mexican restaurants throughout the world. Quesabirria consists of a corn tortilla with stewed meat, topped with either melted mozzarella or Chihuahua cheese. The meat is often beef in contrast to traditional birria, which is made usually made with goat. The meat is usually stewed or slow-cooked with chilies and spices for up to 10 hours to ensure it is tender.

The filled tortilla is usually folded over and grilled on a hot plate or grilled sandwich maker to melt the cheese, and meld the meat and other ingredients together in the tortilla. Sometimes chopped white onion, cilantro, lettuce and tomato are included iin the filling. The dish is served hot with a side of consommé for the consumers to dip the taco. The consommé is usually the stock produced when stewing the meat. Some consumers may sip the consommé instead of dipping. Salsas and garnishes like lime, pickled habañeros or radish. are often sreved with the dish in restaurants. Lamb, pork chicken and seafood may be used for the meat and there are vegan versions based on mushrooms and vegetarian cheeses.

You often are served with the meat stew in a bowl and the soup is added in front of you at the table. You eat it with a spoon and we always have fresh tortillas on the table. There are many varieties of the birria base with various combination of chillies such as guajillo, ancho, pasilla, and morita, are added. Various combinations of garlic, peppers, onion, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and ginger are mixed with the large chunks of meat, which are then slow-cooked. A wide variety of extra fillings can be added to the meat and cheese in the tacos. Below is a collection of the best ever Quesabirria recipes from all over the world.

Easy Birria Tacos Recipe

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb ( 750 g) beef shank
• 1 lb (500 g) sirloin or other beef steak

For the Marinade

• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3 dried guajillo peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 can (14 oz; 400 g) chipotle peppers in adobo

For the Stew

• 2 bay leaves
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 quart (1 litre) chicken stock

For the Tacos

• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro chopped
• 1 cup Mexican cheese blend grated (or similar)
• 12-16 medium size corn or flour tortillas as needed

Method

Re-hydrate the dried guajillo peppers in just-boiled water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the beef into large cubes. Season liberally with freshly ground black pepper and salt and set aside. Remove the seeds from the soaked peppers and then transfer to a blender bowl. Add all the other marinade ingredients to the blender and pulse into a smooth paste. Marinate the meats in a bowl or a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. Next heat a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and saute the onions until golden brown in color and translucent (about 6-9 minutes). Then, add the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, the meat cubes, the marinade and cloves to the pot. Cover with chicken broth, and cook over very low heat for 4-6 hours. Note the beef can also be cooked in a pressure cooker or slow-cooker.

Next, when shred the cooked beef and set aside, discarding the bones. Then, warm some tortillas in a pan. Then, dip the tortillas in the stew. Add beef to the tacos, a serving of cheese together with lettuce, tomatoes and any other ingredients you prefer. Finally, fry the filled tacos over moderate heat on a nonstick skillet. Serve with some of the stew stock in a bowl for dipping.

Classic Beef Birria Quesa Tacos Recipe with Consome

Ingredients

• kosher salt to taste
• 3 pounds (1.5 kg) beef short ribs
• 3 pounds (1.5 kg) of boneless chuck roast or similar cut of beef

For the Birria seasoning

• Water as required
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated onion
• 1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 1/2 large onions, chopped in half
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
• 6 whole cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 head of garlic, peeled but cloves left whole
• 2 Ancho chilis, stemmed and seeded (or similar)
• 1 14 oz (400 g) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 Pasilla chilis, stemmed and seeded (or similar)
• 6 chile de árbol, stemmed and seeded (or similar)
• 6 Guajillo chilis, stemmed and seeded (or similar)
• 2 large pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 chipotle peppers, with 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
• 3 New Mexico chilis, stemmed and seeded (or similar)

For the Cilantro garnish

• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 large onion diced
• Zest from a lime, plus the juice of half the lime
• 1 cup of fresh cilantro, washed, dried and finely chopped

For the Tacos

• Corn tortillas
• Canola oil
• Lime wedges
• Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Thinly sliced jalapenos (optional)

Method

Place the chuck roast and short ribs into a large glass bowl. Season each piece of meat generously with salt and set aside. Prepare the pepper mixture by heating a tablespoon of canola oil in a Dutch oven or heavy, deep skillet over moderate to low heat. Add the dried and de-seeded peppers and toast them in the hot oil for about 2 to 3 minutes. They will blister and blacken in some areas which is OK, but do not burn them. Transfer the toasted peppers to a medium saucepan, with chunks of ginger, 3 onion halves, chopped carrots, and garlic cloves. Add 6 1/2 cups of water. Bring the water to a rolling boil and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, until the carrots soften. Drain the pepper/onion mixture and discard the water. Then, blend the pepper/onion until completely smooth.

Place the salted meat into the pot of your pressure cooker. Or place the meat in a Dutch oven. Pour all of the pepper mixture over the meat. Toss to coat. and add 8 cups of water. Set the pressure to High and cook for 50 minutes. For the Dutch oven, cook for 3 hours in your oven set at 300 degree F (150 degrees C). Next, remove the tender cooked meat from the pot into a large bowl. Shred all the meat to the consistency you prefer.

Next, carefully transfer the consome to a large pot, and reduce to one third the original volume over moderate to high heat, (about 20-25 minutes). Taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Skim some of the fat from the top of the consome and set aside. Add some of the consome to the meat to make it juicy and moist.

Next, mix the cilantro and onions together. Sprinkle with salt and a generous squeeze of lime juice. Toss until evenly combined. Pour a serving of the consome into small serving bowls and add some of the onion/cilantro mixture to the consome bowl.

Prepare the tacos by heating a large non-stick skillet over moderate heat. Add some canola oil, and toast the corn tortillas on both sides. Add a serving of birria meat and some of cheese to each tortilla in the pan. When the cheese begins to melt, fold each tortilla over to create a taco. Add some of the onion/cilantro mixture and heat through in the pan. Serve with lime wedges and a small bowl of consome for each person.

Vegan Quesabirria Tacos

Ingredients

For the Birria Sauce

• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole cloves
• 5 Roma tomatoes
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 8 whole peppercorns
• 2 dried Ancho chiles
• 4 dried Morita chiles
• 2 dried Pasilla chiles
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 dried Guajillo chiles
• 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
• 1/2 large white onion, quartered
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the Mushrooms

• Salt & pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoon grape seed oil
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 lbs (1 kg) oyster mushrooms, shredded

For Serving

• Lime wedges
• Chopped cilantro
• 14 corn tortillas
• Shredded vegan cheese
• Grape seed oil frying
• White onion, finely diced

Method

Make the vegan Birria sauce by de-seeding the dried chiles and then toasting them in a dry skillet over moderate heat for 3-4 minutes. Then, transfer the chillies to a Dutch oven or a deep heavy pan together with the roughly chopped onion, tomatoes and garlic cloves. Just cover with water, bring to a low boil and simmer for 12-14 minutes, or until the chillies are tender. Add the fresh chillies, onion, tomatoes and garlic to a blender. Pour in 1 cup of vegetable broth, the apple cider vinegar and all the seasonings (except the bay leaves). Blend on high until just smooth. Sieve the mixture through a colander or metal sieve strainer into a separate saucepan, add 2-3 more cups of vegetable broth, heat to a simmer and cook for another 35-40 minutes.

Next, prepare the mushrooms by removing the lower part of the oyster mushrooms, and shredding them into small strips. Season with garlic powder, some oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat the mushroom strips, and set aside. Fry the shredded mushrooms in small batches in some oil until golden-brown and crispy (about 8-11 minutes for each batch). Return all the mushrooms to the skillet, and add 2 cups of birria sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes to blend the ingredients.

To prepare the tacos, heat some oil in another skillet over moderate heat. Quickly dip each corn tortilla in the birria broth then add it to the hot skillet. While the tortilla is toasting, add a serving of the mushroom mixture and some shredded vegan cheese to one side of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla over and toast the taco for about 2-3 minutes on the first side, or until lightly browned. Flip over and toast on the second side until brown and crisp and the cheese has started to melt. Toast all the tacos in a similar way. Serve the Quesabirria Tacos topped with chopped cilantro, diced white onions, lime wedges, and a side serve of birria sauce for dipping the tacos. The Birria can be served as a vegan stew with crusty bread and fresh herbs.

Easy Chicken Birria Quesatacos] Recipe

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 2 Bay Leaves
• 24 Corn Tortillas
• Salt season to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 1/2 lbs (1.5 kg) Chicken Thighs boneless and skinnless

For the Adobo Sauce

• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 ripe Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin
• 2 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 medium White Onion
• 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 10 cloves Fresh Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1 tablespoon Mexican Oregano
• 5 whole Arbol Chile Peppers dried
• 10 whole Guajillo Chile Peppers dried
• 1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Vinegar distilled white or apple cider vinegar

For the Garnishes

• 1 cup White onion. diced
• 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro. chopped
• 1 cup Pico de gallo con nopatilas
• 2 cups Quesadilla Cheese, shredded

Method

Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the chilies in half, remove the stems and seeds. Then, snip off the stem. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and then remove it from the heat. Add the chilies to the pan and soak for about 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut any excess fat off the chicken thighs and season well with salt and pepper. Add the bay leaves and chicken to a Dutch oven or heavy deep pan and set the pan aside. Next, add all the adobo ingredients plus the softened chilies with liquid to a blender or food processor bowl. Blend until just smooth, and strain through a metal sieve (optional). Pour the adobo sauce over the chicken in the pan, and simmer over moderate heat for about 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Next, transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl, allow it to cool and then shred it with two forks. Place the chicken in a small bowl and pour over some of the sauce. This can be served with crusty bread or tortillas. Otherwise, toast corn tortillas on a hot grill plate or griddle after dipping briefly in the consomé. Fill one-half of the tortilla with fresh onions, cilantro, a serving of meat, the pico de gallo con nopalitos, diced jalapenos and shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over to form a taco and toast the other side until crisp and brown. Serve topped with extra cheese, onion rings and fresh herbs.