Name: Quesabirria Tacos Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h 15 min
Total time: 7 h 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb chuck roast; 1 lb beef short ribs; 4 drieg guajillo peppers; 2 dried ancho chili peppers; 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo; 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 5 garlic cloves; 1 tsp Mexican oregano; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp cumin; ½ tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 cup onion; 2 cinnamon sticks; ½ tsp whole cloves; 32 oz beef stock; 12 corn tortillas; 1½ cup oaxaca cheese; ½ cup onion; ½ cup queso fresco; fresh cilantro

How To Make Quesabirria Tacos

Quesabirria tacos are a leveled up version of your favorite streetfood. It's filled with stewed beef and the taco shell is marinated too.

Prep: 15 mins

Marinade: 4 hrs

Cook: 3 hrs 15 mins

Total: 7 hrs 30 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

1 lb chuck roast, boneless, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 lb beef short ribs, boneless, but into 2 inch cubes

For Marinade:

4 drieg guajillo peppers
2 dried ancho chili peppers
1 can chipotle peppers in adobo
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp tomato paste
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cayenne pepper

For Stew:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp whole cloves
32 oz beef stock

For Tacos:

12 corn tortillas, 4-inch
1½ cup oaxaca cheese, grated
½ cup onion, chopped, optional
½ cup queso fresco, crumbled
fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Stew:

Season the chuck roast and short ribs with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and remove from the heat. Soak the guajillo and ancho chilis for 10 minutes.
Remove the peppers from the water. Cut off the stem and remove the seeds.
Put the peppers into the pitcher of a blender. Add one chipotle pepper, all of the adobo sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin and cayenne.
Blend the marinade until smooth.
Place the meat in a large container and cover with the marinade. Toss to coat. Cover and marinade for 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Heat the olive oil to a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened.
Transfer the meat and all of the marinade to the pot.
Stir in the cinnamon sticks, cloves and beef stock. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise the meat for 3 hours.
Remove the Birria stew from the oven and skim off some of the fat. Reserve the fat to cook the tacos.
With a slotted spoon, remove the stew meat to a platter and shred with two forks.
Return the meat to the pot and stir to combine.

Tacos:

Add one tablespoon of the reserved fat to a large skillet and heat over medium high heat. Dip the tortillas in the stew and add the tortillas to the heated skillet.
Immediately top the tortilla with the shredded Oaxaca cheese. When the cheese has melted, add some of the shredded beef and fold one side of the tortilla over the other. Fry until crisp.
Using a spatula, transfer the taco to a platter and keep warm.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Top the finished Birria Tacos with chopped onion, queso Fresco, or cilantro, if desired.
Serve with some of the stew broth for dipping!