Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)
Birria tacos and quesabirrias are undoubtedly one of my favorite foods to order when I go out to Mexican restaurants. The slow cooked tender meat that practically melts in your mouth plus the rich consome (broth) that’s cooked to perfection - it’s a dish that truly embodies Mexican cuisine.
Serve birria with warm tortillas, a squeeze of lime, and a sprinkle of onions and cilantro or on quesadillas for quesabirrias with a side of the broth. Provecho amigos!
Ingredients
Birria
- 4 - 5 lb4 - 5 lb4 - 5 lb Beef Chuck Roast, cubed in small quarters
- 3 Tbsp3 Tbsp3 Tbsp Salt, to taste
- 3 Tbsp3 Tbsp3 Tbsp Black Pepper
- 3 whole3 whole3 whole New Mexico Chile, Dried, deseeded
- 3 whole3 whole3 whole Guajillo Chile, Dried, deseeded
- 3 whole3 whole3 whole Ancho Chili (Poblano Pepper), I substitute for pasilla peppers
- 2 - 3 Tbsp2 - 3 Tbsp2 - 3 Tbsp Avocado Oil
- 3 tsp3 tsp3 tsp Cumin, Ground
- 1.5 tsp1.5 tsp1.5 tsp Ginger, Ground
- 1.5 whole1.5 whole1.5 whole Cinnamon Stick, Whole
- 2 - 3 whole2 - 3 whole2 - 3 whole Cloves, Whole
- 1.5 whole1.5 whole1.5 whole Onion, cut into wedges- white or sweet yellow work best!
- 10 whole10 whole10 whole Garlic, peeled
- 0.25 cup0.25 cup0.25 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 cup3 cup3 cup Beef Instant Bone Broth - Bare Bones, I use 3 instant broth packets into 3 cups of water
- 29 oz29 oz29 oz Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes, 2 cans
- 3.5 tsp3.5 tsp3.5 tsp Oregano, Dried
- 3 - 5 whole3 - 5 whole3 - 5 whole Bay Leaf
Garnish (optional)
- 1 cup1 cup1 cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup1 cup1 cup Onion, diced finely
- 2 - 3 whole2 - 3 whole2 - 3 whole Lime, I like my broth extra lime-y
- 0.5 cup0.5 cup0.5 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
- .5 cup.5 cup.5 cup Sour Cream, Mexican Crema (sour cream) works best!
Quesabirria (optional)
- 10 whole10 whole10 whole Corn Tortilla, Any tortilla will work!
- 1 - 2 cups1 - 2 cups1 - 2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Oaxaca Cheese is what I use!
Process
Note, these instructions are written assuming the standard serving size, since you have modified the number of servings, these steps may need to be modified for best results
- Season the cubed beef with salt and fresh ground black pepper and set it aside.
- Snip the stem ends off the peppers with scissors and shake out the seeds. Split the pepper in half lengthwise. Be very careful not to touch your eyes/face, use gloves if necessary!
- Toss the peppers onto a heated skilled and toast them. Move them occasionally or flip them over from time to time, or until fragrant.
- Transfer the toasted chiles to a saucepan and cover with water. Place the pan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling shut the heat off and cover. Let the peppers soak for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
- Set your instapot to Sauté. While the peppers soak, drizzle oil in your instapot. Working in batches, brown the beef on each side and transfer to a plate.
- With the cooker still on Sauté, add the onion. Stir onions until golden brown. Toss in the garlic cloves and cook for one more minute.
- Stir in the cumin, ginger, cinnamon stick, and clove. Your goal it to toast the spices, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until fragrant again.
- Pour in the beef stock and vinegar and use a sturdy spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Drain your peppers.
- Discard the water and put the softened, drained peppers into a blender along with the tomatoes and purée until smooth. Pour this into the pot.
- Lastly, return the beef to the pot and nestle the bay leaves into the sauce. Set the Instant Pot for HIGH pressure for 60 minutes.
- When the cycle has finished, release the pressure for about 20 minutes, then remove the lid.
- Your beef should be fall-apart/fork tender! Serve the shredded meat with the broth or serve as quesabirria.
- Quesabirria:
- Heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Dip a tortilla in the birria broth to lightly coat it, then place it on the skillet.
- Sprinkle a generous amount of shredded cheese on one half of the tortilla and place a spoonful of the shredded birria meat on top of the cheese.
- Fold the tortilla in half, pressing down gently with a spatula. Cook until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy, flipping once.
- Remove from the skillet and garnish with chopped onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime if desired. (you can also add the onion/cilantro when you add the meat one step before)
Add a Note
My Notes:
About This Recipe
Show nutritional information
Coconut Free Egg Free Entrées Gluten Free Meat Nut Free Shellfish Free Sugar Alcohol Free Sugar FreeThis is our estimate based on online research. | |
Calories: | 892 |
Fat: | 42 g |
Carbohydrates: | 68 g |
Protein: | 59 g |
Cholesterol: | 175 g |
Sodium: | 4052 mg |
Fiber: | 13 g |
Sugars: | 18 g |
Sugar Alcohol: | 0 g |
Calculated for total recipe. |
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3 responses to “Birria Tacos (Quesabirria)”
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Immediately fell in love with these!! OMG I cannot wait to make them!
I’m so excited to make these again! They were such a hit!!
These tacos look absolutely amazing!