Birria Tacos, also known as Quesabirria Tacos, are a mouthwatering fusion of traditional Mexican birria stew and the beloved taco. These tacos are characterized by their rich, savory filling of slow-cooked beef, which is then tucked into corn tortillas dipped in the birria broth, fried until crispy, and often filled with melted cheese. The result is a delightful combination of tender, flavorful meat, crispy tortilla, and gooey cheese, all served with a side of the aromatic consommé for dipping. This dish has gained immense popularity for its irresistible flavors and satisfying texture.
4. **Serving:**
– **Garnishing:** Serve the tacos hot, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro and onions. Include lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the tacos.
– **Consommé:** Pour some consommé into small bowls for dipping. This enhances the flavors and provides a juicy, flavorful bite with each dip.
### Tips and Variations:
– **Meat Choices:** While beef is traditional, you can also make birria with goat or lamb for a different flavor profile.
– **Cheese Variations:** Use a blend of Mexican cheeses like queso asadero or Chihuahua cheese for a more authentic touch.
– **Spice Level:** Adjust the number of chiles to control the heat level of the birria.
– **Slow Cooker Option:** You can also prepare the birria in a slow cooker by following the same steps and cooking on low for 8-10 hours.
### The Experience:
The Best Birria Tacos, or Quesabirria Tacos, offer a delightful culinary experience. Each taco is a perfect blend of textures and flavors: the crispy exterior of the tortilla, the rich and tender birria meat, the gooey melted cheese, and the fresh, zesty toppings. Dipping each bite into the consommé adds an extra layer of savory goodness, making these tacos a truly indulgent treat. Whether enjoyed as a street food delight or a homemade comfort food, birria tacos are sure to satisfy and impress with their deep, complex flavors and irresistible appeal.
INGREDIENTS
- 7-8 cups hot water
- 4 lbs chuck roast cut into 4 large chunks
- 2 lbs short ribs (bone in) or back ribs bone in
- 1 large white onion dry skins removed, cut in half crosswise
- 1 garlic bulb cut the narrow top off, no need to peel
- 1 carrot cut in half crosswise, then cut in half (4 large pieces of carrot)
- 5 bay leaves dried
- 8 guajillo chiles stems cut off and seeds removed
- 3 tbsp chicken boullion
- 1-2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp mexican oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
QUESABIRRIA TACOS 
- 14-16 white corn tortillas
- 2 cups quesadilla cheese or any good melting cheese
GARNISHES
- fresh cilantro diced
- fresh lime juice
- white onion diced
INSTRUCTIONS
COMBINE INGREDIENTS : In large pot add meat, onion, garlic, carrots, bay leaves and dried peppers. Cover with water. (This uses my large 7 qt pot and fills it to the top!)
ADD SEASONING : Add chicken bouillon, oregano, cumin and salt, stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
Skim: After 30 minutes, skim the top of the pot to remove impurities from the bone cooking out. (will look like little bits of foam on the top)
BLEND PEPPERS : Remove the peppers (should be softened), onion, garlic (squeeze the cloves out of the bulb) and carrots and place in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, add up to 1/4 cup of broth if needed to help get a smooth consistency.
STRAIN: Strain the peppers if needed to remove bits of skin (if using a high powered blender this step is not necessary).
COMBINE: Add the blended peppers into the broth and stir to combine.
SEASON: Add in the chili powder as desired to get a nice deep red color to the broth.
SIMMER: Cover and continue to simmer for about 3 hours or until meat is tender and easily shredding on its own. (remove lid and give a stir every 40 minutes or so. Can also taste the broth once the meat is cooked through and adjust seasonings as needed).
RESERVE GREASE : Skim the grease from the top of the broth (SAVE THIS!) pour the grease into a small skillet or saucepan, this is used for making the tacos if desired.
SERVING: Remove the meat from the broth and cut into large chunks for serving. Remove any bones.
TO SERVE AS A STEW:
Serve a couple pieces of meat into a bowl, spoon broth on top.
Top with diced onion and fresh cilantro. Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze in.
TO MAKE QUESABIRRIA TACOS:
CHOP MEAT : Remove the meat from the broth, and finely chop until only small pieces remain.
Heat a large skillet/griddle over medium heat.
Frying Tortillas: Dip the corn tortilla into the reserved grease from the broth.
Place on heated griddle, top with the chopped meat and cheese.
Fold the taco over and press down with a spatula. Continue cooking until the taco is crisp and golden on the bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Then flip and continue cooking the other side. (it’s ok if some of the cheese leaks out while frying, the golden cheese is the best part!) Plus you can spoon some additional grease onto the tortilla while it cooks if you need more coloring to the tortilla.
Cook until both sides are crisp. Remove from heat and allow to cool briefly before serving, will be very hot.
Continue until all tacos are cooked.
Top tacos with fresh cilantro and onion if desired.
Serving: Serve with a bowl of the broth topped with onions and cilantro on the side.
Dip the tacos into the broth while eating.