Quesabirria Tacos Recipe

4.91 from 11 votes

Quesabirria tacos are the perfect tacos, filled with melted cheese and slow cooked shredded beef or lamb, then lightly pan fried for amazing flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: ancho, beef tacos, cheese, guajillo, tacos, tortillas

Servings: tacos

Calories: 336kcal

5 ancho peppers
5 guajillo peppers
2-3 chiles de arbol optional for spicier
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large white onion chopped
3 large tomatoes chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon sea salt or to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 large roasted tomatoes chopped
4 cups beef stock separated
4 pound boneless beef chuck Or you can use beef shank or brisket - try with lamb shoulder.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas You can use flour tortillas.
16 ounces shredded Oaxaca cheese or use queso asadero, or other good melty cheese like Monterrey jack
Fixings. Chopped red onion, sliced jalapeno or serrano, fresh chopped cilantro, chili flakes, fresh lime juice, guacamole. Use your favorites.

Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat.
Add the onion and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring.
Add the cooked onion, tomatoes and garlic to a food processor.
Remove the softened chilies and add to the food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl.
Pour the birria sauce over them and rub it into the meat. Cover and marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum. Overnight is better.
When you’re ready to cook, add the meat with all of the marinade, the chopped roasted tomatoes and remaining 3 cups beef broth to a large pot. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. It should be fairly saucy. Add more beef stock or some of the reserved soaking liquid if needed for a soupier birria.
Shred the meat with forks to your preference. Reserve most of the birria sauce (consome).

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet. Dip the tortillas into the birria sauce (consome) to coat them evenly, then set them into the hot pan.
Top with shredded cheese and then birria meat. Fold the moistened shell over and fry 2-3 minutes until crisp, then flip over and fry the other side until crisp. The cheeses should be nicely melted, like a quesadilla.
Cool slightly and serve with your preferred toppings, with reserved liquid consome from the pot as a side soup/broth.

You can use beef, lamb or goat to make birria.