Quesabirria Tacos
Quesabirria tacos fold slow-braised, chile-stained beef and molten Oaxaca cheese into corn tortillas that are dipped in the consomé's red fat, then griddled until the edges shatter. A low oven braise with guajillo and ancho chiles builds a deeply savory broth and meat so tender it falls apart, and cooking the tortillas in the skimmed birria fat is what gives these tacos their signature color, crunch, and dunkable richness.
Toast 6 guajillos, 3 anchos, and 2 chiles de árbol in a dry Dutch oven, soak them in hot water for 20 minutes, then blend with charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, oregano, cloves, a piece of canela, and a splash of cider vinegar until completely smooth. Sear 1.4 kg (3 lb) of chuck chunks and 700 g (1.5 lb) of short ribs hard in the same pot, pour the strained chile sauce and 1.5 L (6 cups) of beef stock over, and braise covered at 150°C (300°F) for about 3 hours until the beef shreds with no resistance. Rest the meat in the broth 15 minutes, shred it, and skim the red fat off the consomé into a bowl. Dip each corn tortilla in that fat, lay it on a hot griddle, pile on shredded Oaxaca cheese and beef, fold, and press 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and stained red. Serve with diced onion, cilantro, lime, and hot cups of consomé for dunking.
- Skim the red-tinted fat off the consomé and use it — not plain oil — to coat the tortillas before griddling; that fat carries the color, flavor, and crackly edge that define quesabirria.
- Braise until a fork twists through the beef with zero resistance, about 3 hours at 150°C (300°F); if the meat fights back, give it another 30 minutes before shredding.
- Use a low-moisture melting cheese (Oaxaca or low-moisture mozzarella) and a properly hot griddle so the cheese laces and crisps at the edges instead of weeping water into the tortilla.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy lidded pot, at least 5.7 L (6 qt)
- Blender
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Large cast-iron skillet or flat griddle
- Tongs and a ladle
- Two forks for shredding
Ingredients
Beef and braise
- 1.4 kg boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 7 cm (3-inch) chunks, trimmed of large surface fat
- 700 g bone-in beef short ribs, the bones give the consomé body
- 18 g kosher salt, plus more to season the consomé
- 3 g freshly ground black pepper
- 30 ml neutral oil, such as avocado or canola
- 1.5 L low-sodium beef stock, or water
- bay leaves
Chile adobo
- dried guajillo chiles, about 30 g; stemmed and seeded
- dried ancho chiles, about 25 g; stemmed and seeded
- dried chiles de árbol, optional, for heat
- Roma tomatoes, halved
- white onion, peeled and quartered
- garlic cloves, peeled
- Mexican cinnamon stick (canela), about a 5 cm (2-inch) piece
- whole cloves
- 2 g cumin seeds
- 3 g dried Mexican oregano
- 60 ml apple cider vinegar
Tacos and garnish
- corn tortillas, 100% corn; certified gluten-free if needed
- 400 g Oaxaca cheese, shredded, low-moisture mozzarella is the best substitute
- white onion, finely diced, for garnish
- 20 g fresh cilantro, chopped
- limes, cut into wedges
Method
- STEP01
Heat the dry Dutch oven over medium. Press the guajillos, anchos, and chiles de árbol flat against the hot surface with tongs for 20-30 seconds per side, until fragrant and slightly puffed — do not let them blacken or the sauce turns bitter. Transfer to a bowl and cover with very hot water. In the same pot, char the tomato halves, onion quarters, and garlic cloves until spotted dark in places, about 6-8 minutes, then remove.
- STEP02
Let the chiles soak for 20 minutes until fully pliable. Drain them and add to a blender with the charred tomatoes, onion, and garlic, plus the canela, cloves, cumin seeds, oregano, vinegar, and 240 ml (1 cup) of the beef stock. Blend on high for a full 2 minutes, until completely smooth. Push the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and discard any solids left behind — straining is what keeps the consomé silky instead of gritty.
- STEP03
Pat the chuck chunks and short ribs dry, then season all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high and sear the beef in two batches until deeply browned on at least two sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Crowding the pot will steam the meat, so give the pieces room.
- STEP04
Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Return all the beef to the pot, pour the strained adobo and the remaining stock over it, and tuck in the bay leaves. The liquid should nearly cover the meat; top up with water if needed. Bring to a simmer on the stove, cover, and transfer to the oven for about 3 hours, until a fork twists through the chuck with no resistance. Check at 2.5 hours; tough meat just needs more time.
- STEP05
Let the pot rest off the heat, covered, for 15 minutes so the meat relaxes and the fat rises. Lift the beef into a bowl, discard the bones and bay leaves, and shred with two forks, moistening the meat with a ladleful of broth. Skim the glossy red fat from the surface of the consomé into a shallow bowl — you want 120-180 ml (1/2 to 3/4 cup). Taste the consomé and season with salt.
- STEP06
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium. Dip one side of a tortilla in the reserved red fat and lay it fat-side down on the griddle. Immediately scatter on about 25 g (1/4 cup) of Oaxaca cheese and a generous 70 g (1/3 cup) of shredded beef, and when the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla over. Press with a spatula and cook 2-3 minutes per side, until crisp, deep red, and lacy at the edges. Work in batches of 3-4 and keep finished tacos on a rack, not a plate, so they stay crunchy.
- STEP07
Ladle the hot consomé into small cups and top each with diced white onion and cilantro. Serve the tacos immediately with lime wedges and the consomé alongside — dunk with every bite. Any tacos that sit more than a few minutes can be re-crisped on the griddle for 60 seconds per side.
Make ahead
The braise actively improves overnight: cook the birria 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate the meat in the broth. The fat sets into a solid red cap that lifts off cleanly — save it, because that is exactly what you will melt and use to fry the tortillas. Chop the onion and cilantro and shred the cheese up to a day ahead, then the tacos come together in 20 minutes.
Storage
Store shredded beef submerged in its consomé in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze meat and broth together for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove until simmering, then dip and griddle fresh tortillas to order — assembled tacos do not store well, so only build as many as you will eat.
Variations
Chicken quesabirria
Swap the beef for 1.4 kg (3 lb) of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Sear skin-side down, braise in the same adobo for only 45-50 minutes on the stovetop, then shred and discard the skin and bones. The consomé will be lighter, so skim every bit of fat for frying and reduce the broth by a third for more concentrated flavor.
Mushroom and jackfruit quesabirria (vegetarian)
Replace the beef with 500 g (18 oz) of shredded king oyster or portobello mushrooms and two 400 g (14 oz) cans of young green jackfruit, drained and torn. Use vegetable stock, sauté the mushrooms hard first, and simmer everything in the adobo for 30 minutes. Fry the tortillas in 3 tbsp of oil whisked into a ladle of the chile broth; use a plant-based melting cheese to make it fully vegan.
Extra-spicy Tijuana style
Double the chiles de árbol to 4-5 and add 1 tsp of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles to the blender for smoke and heat. Serve with a fiery salsa roja made by blending a ladle of consomé with 4 more toasted árbol chiles.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between birria tacos and quesabirria tacos?
Birria is the braised meat and consomé itself, and birria tacos are simply tortillas filled with that meat. Quesabirria tacos add a layer of melting cheese ('queso' + 'birria') and are griddled in the fat skimmed from the consomé until crisp and red. The cheese pull and the fried, stained tortilla are what set quesabirria apart.
What cut of beef works best for quesabirria tacos?
A combination of boneless chuck and bone-in short ribs is ideal: chuck shreds into juicy strands while the short rib bones release gelatin that gives the consomé body and a silky mouthfeel. Traditional birria from Jalisco is made with goat, which you can absolutely use — braise it the same way, about 3 hours, until it pulls apart easily.
Can I make quesabirria tacos in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. After searing the meat and blending the adobo, cook everything on low in a slow cooker for 8-9 hours, or pressure cook on high for 55 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. The one non-negotiable step still happens at the end: skim the red fat, dip the tortillas in it, and griddle the tacos in a hot skillet so they crisp properly.
Why do my tortillas tear or fall apart when I fry them?
Usually the tortilla soaked up too much liquid or the griddle was too cool. Dip only one side, and dip it in the skimmed fat layer rather than deep into the watery broth — fat coats, broth saturates. Warm, fresh corn tortillas are also more flexible than cold ones, so give the stack 20 seconds in the microwave under a damp towel before you start.
Is the consomé for dipping, or do you drink it?
Both are correct. Serve it in small cups topped with onion and cilantro: dunk each taco before every bite, then sip whatever is left like a rich, chile-laced broth. If your consomé tastes thin, simmer it uncovered for 10-15 minutes to concentrate it before serving.
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