Boom! Done! Your birria quesadillas are ready to serve. Look at all that cheese! And birria beef! You’re going to love these. Don’t eat them all in one sitting. Birria is a classic Mexican recipe of beef that is slow cooked until melt-in-your mouth tender. It was more traditionally made with goat or lamb, but today, beef is more common. Birria is usually served as a stew with the cooking liquid, or consome, on the side, but you’ll very often find it served as tacos. This recipe gives traditional birria a spin and serves it up on lightly fried tortillas. They’re the perfect combination of beef and cheese, a lot like quesabirria tacos, only we’re using flour tortillas instead of corn, and putting them together a bit differently. Let’s talk about how to make birria quesadillas, shall we? Onions, Tomatoes, and Garlic. 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. Food Processor. 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. Spices and Process. Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. It should be fairly thick, but you can thin if needed with the reserved soaking liquid. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
MAKE THE BIRRIA
Cut the Beef. Cut the beef into large chunks and add to a large bowl. Marinate. 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. Cook Low and Slow. 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 on the stove top, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. It should be fairly saucy. You can also use your slow cooker or Instant Pot - cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Shred the Beef. Shred the meat with forks to your preference. Reserve most of the birria sauce (consome).
MAKE THE BIRRIA QUESADILLAS
Prep the Pan. Heat vegetable oil in a large pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Set one tortilla into the pan. OPTIONAL: Dip the tortilla first or brush it with the birria consome (liquid/sauce) for extra color and flavor. Layer with Cheese and Birria. Spread on ½ cup shredded cheese, then shredded birria meat. Add onions, jalapenos, and cilantro if using. Cook 1-2 minutes, or utnil the bottom tortilla becomes crispy. Flip and Repeat. Top with another flour tortilla and flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes, or until the bottom tortilla becomes crispy and golden brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Slice and Serve. Slice the quesadillas on a cutting board and serve with reserved liquid consome (birria sauce) for dipping, alongside your favorites, like sour cream, hot sauce, pico de gallo, or spicy guacamole. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this birria quesadilla recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!) Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)
